Two University of Waterloo pharmacists have been recognized by the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) for their extraordinary contributions to the pharmacy profession. Fourth-year Pharmacy student Sarah Johnson was named the 2014 Student of Distinction and Pharmacy alumnus Heather Foley was selected as the 2014 Outstanding New Practitioner.
Sarah and Heather are great examples of how students and alumni from the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy are already contributing to improving the health care of patients in Ontario.
As the 2014 OPA Student of Distinction, Johnson has been recognized for leading several student initiatives including the establishment of a group that helps students become Certified Diabetes Educators upon graduation.
Johnson has held many leadership positions including Vice President of the Waterloo Health Professions Committee and University of Waterloo Senior Representative for the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns. She has also served on the Society of Pharmacy Students Graduation Committee, Student Co-Op Advisory Committee, Waterloo Blueprint for Pharmacy working group, and as a volunteer in the community.
I share this award with the inspirational students I have worked with through student-led committees and groups.
She looks forward to graduating this year and building her career as a community pharmacist in a rural or northern community.
Waterloo Pharmacy alumnus Heather Foley, a member of the Waterloo Pharmacy’s first graduating class of 2011, received the 2014 OPA Outstanding New Practitioner Award in recognition for her many accomplishments since graduation.
Foley has achieved a number of goals in the two years since she became a clinical pharmacist. She set up a methadone and medication review program at a community pharmacy, aided in developing a successful medication reconciliation program at three hospitals, developed a process within a family health team to ensure medication safety after hospital discharge, and hired and mentored pharmacy students.
As part of her passion for ‘transitions of care’ between hospital and home, Foley recently joined the ISMP ad hoc expert panel for Medication Safety in Home Care.
My dream is for every Canadian patient to have an accurate list of medications that reflects only drug therapies that are appropriate, effective, safe and convenient, and which is easily accessible to anyone on the healthcare team.
Foley plans to dedicate her career to helping patients manage their medications for the best possible outcomes.
Heather is currently employed as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor and Regional Clinical Coordinator at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy, a Clinical Pharmacist at the Chatham Kent Family Health Team, and Lead Pharmacist at the We Care Pharmacy, a retail pharmacy owned and operated by the Windsor Regional Hospital.
The Ontario Pharmacists Association annual awards will be officially presented to the recipients at their annual conference later this month.
Congratulations, Sarah and Heather!