Across Canada, hundreds of professionals serve as co-op supervisors and preceptors who are essential to the education of the next generation of pharmacists. These mentors provide an exemplary learning environment and help our students experience real-world situations that impact and inspire their career paths.
Each year Waterloo Pharmacy recognizes these exceptional mentors, nominated by the students, through the Outstanding Co-op Supervisor Award and the Outstanding Preceptor of the Year Award. Join us in congratulating the 2022 recipients, joint co-op supervisors Dr. Co Pham and Ian MacKay and preceptor Dr. Monica Bagga!
Outstanding Co-op Supervisor Award Winners: Dr. Co Pham and Ian MacKay
Dr. Pham and MacKay are joint co-op supervisors from the Office of Clinical Trials, Special Access Program (SAP) at Health Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. They provide one-on-one teaching and truly understand what it means to provide students with a memorable co-op work term experience.
“My experience with the Special Access Program was, in itself, an incredible opportunity for professional and personal development,” says a pharmacy student. “Dr. Pham and MacKay were essential people in my positive, lasting impression of this co-op work term.”
Students express how valuable working with Dr. Pham and MacKay was to their experience.
“I have significantly grown both personally and professionally,” says another pharmacy student. “My experience at SAP has opened my eyes to career paths and opportunities I did not know were possible and has inspired me to reach higher.”
MacKay creates a welcoming and positive work culture to engage his staff and approaches problems with infectious enthusiasm.
Dr. Pham challenges the students critical thinking skills and helps them understand and approach therapeutic problems through a different lens.
Dr. Pham and MacKay display leadership, professionalism and empathy and are always approachable and supportive of their students.
Outstanding Preceptor of the Year Award Winner: Dr. Monica Bagga
Dr. Bagga has been a preceptor since 2014 and currently works at the Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus in Windsor, Ontario. She provides an exemplary learning environment with dedicated time to training her co-op students.
“She was incredibly patient with me while I was learning, despite a busy schedule,” says a pharmacy student. “Overall, Dr. Bagga’s contributions to my education instilled confidence into me as a soon-to-be practicing pharmacist.”
Dr. Bagga has been nominated by students from several past rotations. She is a compassionate and extremely knowledgeable preceptor who goes above and beyond to ensure students are competent and confident when communicating with patients, caregivers and their families.
“Dr. Bagga really stood out to me as being a compassionate and educational preceptor who enabled me to engage in interprofessional team work through collaboration with physicians and nurses in the hospital,” says another pharmacy student.
Her meaningful feedback and leadership gives her students the confidence, alongside their knowledge, to step into their pharmacist role.
Congratulations Dr. Co Pham, Ian MacKay and Dr. Monica Bagga!