Denise Kreutzwiser (Rx2011) wins University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy 2023 Alumni Achievement Award
Denise Kreutzwiser (Rx2011) is the 2023 University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy Alumni Achievement Award recipient. This award recognizes and celebrates pharmacy alumni who impact the health and wellbeing of society through professional work and/or public service contribution.
Growing up on a farm in rural southwestern Ontario, hands on learning was instilled in Denise Kreutzwiser (Rx2011) from a young age. After completing a year of undergraduate studies in England, her Honours Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences Specialization and an International Studies Certificate at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, Kreutzwiser was at cross-roads. She had wanted to be a forensic toxicologist but knew the job market for that was limited and confined to large cities. Pharmacy was not on her radar, but she applied to the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy as a practical ‘back-up’ plan.
“While deciding what career path to pursue about 20 years ago, I heard then president of the University of Waterloo, David Johnston, speak on the vision for the new pharmacy school and how embracing co-op education would generate well-rounded, innovative pharmacists,” says Kreutzwiser. “His words resonated with me – ‘if you build it, dynamic learners will come, they will then leave and pass their learnings onto the next generation and the cycle of innovation with multiply’.”
Despite initially accepting a Masters in Forensics program offer, Kreutzwiser ultimately changed her mind after she received her letter of acceptance from Waterloo Pharmacy and her new journey began.
I remember I was so excited. To be a part of the vanguard class, to be a part of something novel – the only pharmacy co-op program in Canada. I interpreted my excitement about the pharmacy offer as a sign on where to go next.
After graduating from Waterloo Pharmacy with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, Kreutzwiser continued her learning journey by completing both year 1 general hospital and year 2 HIV specialty pharmacy residency programs and a PharmD degree. She transitioned her clinical practice focus from HIV and viral hepatitis treatment to chronic pain management in January 2017.
Kreutzwiser currently works in a large interdisciplinary outpatient clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, ON, as a pain management program pharmacist. She recently led development of the novel St. Joseph’s Health Care London year 1 ambulatory and post-acute care pharmacy residency program.
Denise Kreutzwiser (Rx2011) and first St. Joseph's Health Care London pharmacy resident Sumani Vij (Rx2023). Photo Credit: St. Joseph’s Health Care London.
Experiential learning has been a common thread for Kreutzwiser throughout her childhood on the farm, her experiential opportunities at Waterloo Pharmacy and her residencies. These experiences inspired Kreutzwiser to embrace the cognitive apprenticeship model when designing the St. Joseph’s pharmacy residency program – this model emphasizes the use of authentic tasks and situations as well as hands-on activities, and the role of interactions between more and less skilled individuals to foster the development of oneself. The aim is to graduate residents with strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills who can actively navigate complex patient and health system situations and serve as leaders as they continue through their own professional journeys.
“I’m so touched to have been recognized for this award,” says Kreutzwiser. “I’ve had so many phenomenal opportunities in my career as a pharmacist and it all started because the School provided me with the building blocks I needed and the exceptional mentors I encountered along the way. It’s an honour to be recognized for my own contributions to the profession.”
Since 2017, Kreutzwiser has served as a guest lecturer at the School for the HIV/viral hepatitis/end-stage liver disease component of the IPFC curriculum. Kreutzwiser is passionate about supporting the next generation of pharmacists. She urges both pharmacy learners and new alums to seize the opportunities that come their way.
“You can always make changes to the path you’re on. The skillset and knowledge you learned in School is transferrable. It’s okay to not know what will come next – just remember that the innovation Waterloo instilled in you drives the next step in figuring out your plan,” adds Kreutzwiser.
Beyond her direct patient care and teaching responsibilities, Kreutzwiser has been a co-author on three sets of national guidelines, including the just released 2024 guideline ‘The role of the pharmacist caring for people at risk of or living with HIV in Canada’ for which she was a section lead. Kreutzwiser has also co-authored three book chapters – two on viral hepatitis/HIV co-infection and one on chronic pain in people with HIV. Kreutzwiser’s first author publications have been cited more than 100 times. In addition, Kreutzwiser is a co-investigator on a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funded research study about chronic pain in HIV.
During her spare time, Kreutzwiser loves to travel. She’s been to nearly 50 countries and her goal is to visit every country in the world. Her next trip will be dog focused with her husband Adam and standard poodles, Chance, Cloud and Daisy. She has also kept up the canning traditions she learned on the farm –pickles, beets, asparagus, and corn relish to name a few – her pantry is brimming with homemade goods!