Caring for Canadian Veterans

Career paths can often stem from unexpected moments, for Sarah Fallis (PharmD ’23) witnessing her grandmother’s care at a number of Toronto hospitals as a child inspired her to pursue a career in pharmacy. Today, Fallis works as a pharmacist in Sunnybrook’s Veterans Program – Canada’s largest Veterans care facility, to provide compassionate care to those who served in World War II and the Korean War.

“Words can’t describe how special it is to help our Veterans,” Fallis says. “Sunnybrook is equipped with the services to give them the best quality of life. It gives me a profound sense of purpose to have relationships with these residents and to help optimize their medications so they can enjoy their time at Sunnybrook with minimal discomfort.”

Falli’s pharmacy journey began when she saw her grandmother receive exceptional care at Sunnybrook following a car accident. “Sunnybrook left a lasting impression on my family and I,” she says. “Since then, I had always seen Sunnybrook as a place of patient-centered care and envisioned how meaningful it would be to build a career there for myself one day.”

Inspired by these events, Fallis chose to attend the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy, drawn to its strong focus on experiential learning opportunities.

“As much as we learn in the classroom, it’s so valuable to go into the workplace and apply our knowledge and skills. I wouldn’t be the health care provider I am today without my Waterloo Pharmacy co-op work terms and patient care rotations experiences,” Fallis says.

After earning her Doctor of Pharmacy, Fallis joined Sunnybrook as dialysis pharmacist in their nephrology outpatient clinic. Fallis also had the opportunity to work at the Multi-Care Kidney Clinic during her second co-op work term, opening her eyes to the crucial role of the pharmacist in nephrology. In her first year, her work focused on treating patients undergoing hemodialysis and learning from her mentors — an experience that helped her grow as a clinician.

Seven months later, Fallis transitioned to the Veteran Centre, where she now provides patient care as a clinical pharmacist to Veterans. Sunnybrook’s Veterans Program is the largest facility of its kind in Canada, home to just under 200 Veterans, of which 50 are 100 years-of-age or older. The program, supported by Veterans Affairs Canada, emphasizes holistic care by engaging residents through music and art therapy, recreational opportunities, woodshop projects, supervised trips and more.

In her role, Fallis collaborates with the diverse interprofessional team to help manage minor and chronic medical conditions such behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, chronic pain and urinary tract infections. Working closely with other healthcare professionals, the team ensures Veterans receive the best care, while living as independently as possible.

“Working with such a unique interprofessional team is truly extraordinary. As a pharmacist, it is insightful to hear how Veterans are progressing in their recreational, art and spiritual activities” she says. “These insights are valuable in identifying if a resident is drowsy after initiating a new medication or their engagement and disposition has improved upon stopping a medication”.

Fallis had the privilege of escorting and attending the 2024 Remembrance Day ceremony alongside Veterans from one of her assigned units.

“As I stood next to the Veterans during the Canadian anthem and the reading of In Flanders Fields, I found it hard to hold back tears. The ceremony was incredibly moving, and it filled everyone in attendance with a profound sense of gratitude for the sacrifices made by our Veterans,” she says.

As she looks ahead, Fallis hopes to enhance her clinical practice at Sunnybrook’s Veteran Centre while pursuing teaching opportunities at Waterloo Pharmacy and participating in initiatives promoting sustainable health care.