Christopher K. Carter, PharmD, BCCCP, FCCM, is clinical manager of pharmacy services at SSM Health St. Clare Hospital in Fenton, Missouri, USA. He became a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in 2014 and is actively involved in the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Section, Item Writing Committee, and Social Media Committee. His clinical interests include administration, pharmacology, and quality and patient safety. In his free time, you will find him playing soccer and working out. Dr. Carter shares how his parents influenced his path into critical care, his passion for the field, and the impact of his work.
How did you get into critical care?
As the child of a school teacher and paramedic, I was introduced to the wonders of science and medicine at an early age. My mother's heroics in the field, the many lives my father helped to shape as an educator, and many other mentors along the way inspired me to pursue a career in the medical field where I could serve as a preceptor to learners. I chose to apply to pharmacy school due to a love of chemistry and physiology. After encouragement from my professors and to follow in my mother's footsteps as critical care clinician, I pursued a critical care residency track after graduation.
What is your biggest professional achievement?
I am incredibly proud of becoming a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine in 2022. Additionally, I have the great honor of serving as chair of the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Section of SCCM duringfrom 2025 to 2026. Finally, after many years as a preceptor, I fulfilled my dream of becoming a residency program director in 2021.
Why do you love being in critical care?
There is nothing more fulfilling than helping those in greatest medical need. I enjoy working, learning, and talking with people who share in that mission! I also believe that a critical care career provides an opportunity to build a knowledge base and critical thinking skills that no other career can match.
What advice do you have for those starting their critical care careers?
If you feel overwhelmed, you are not alone! Ask questions and get everything you can out of your training and mentors. The only silly questions are the ones you didn't ask!
What are the top advances in critical care since you started your career?
The shift in focus to precision medicine in critical care, including things like fluid resuscitation, positive pressure ventilation, and antimicrobial stewardship, has been so exciting to watch and be a part of during my time at the bedside. Our profession has amassed an incredible amount of content knowledge and expertise over many decades and now has the opportunity to refine that knowledge and expertise to ensure our patients have the best outcomes. The use of pragmatic platform trials during the COVID-19 pandemic to rapidly develop effective drug therapies was also incredible.
What do you see as the most challenging issue facing critical care?
As healthcare continues to automate and standardize, how do clinicians in the critical care setting maintain the ability to think critically and tailor their care to the patient in front of them? Automation and standardization bring so many benefits, but it takes smart, dedicated people to ensure that they are developed in a way to account for nuances and run efficiently.
What do you love about SCCM membership?
SCCM offers networking and collaboration with the best in critical care. I am always amazed at who I have the opportunity to meet at Congress and work with on Society projects.
Connect with @Christopher Carter on SCCM Connect or X.