In early June, pharmacists from across Canada attended PxP, a conference jointly hosted by the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) and the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA). At this event, Canada’s largest pharmacy conference, Waterloo Pharmacy alumnus Michael Kani of Rx2014 received the New Practitioner Award from the Canadian Pharmacists Association.
Michael receiving his award from CPhA Chair Christine Hrudka. Photo credits: Flashbox Event Photography
After two years of working in a big box chain pharmacy, Michael Kani knew he needed something different. That’s when he opened Michael’s Pharmacy Remedy’s Rx in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s most populous city.
My goal was to create a big city pharmacy with a small town feel. I was inspired by the pharmacist-patient relationship I enjoyed while working in small towns across Saskatchewan, and I thought ‘how can I foster this in a big city’?
To do this, Michael adopted a variety of unique services that would benefit his patients. Point-of-care tests, pharmacogenomics consults, pet medicine, and more. When Michael realized that few health care professionals were talking to patients about cannabis, he became one of Canada’s first pharmacists to offer non-biased and evidence based medical cannabis consults.
The investment in these clinical services has paid off: Michael’s patients keep coming back, and he’s shared his innovations with other health care professionals through developing and delivering continuing education at events across Canada.
The CPhA New Practitioner Award recognizes a pharmacist who has been practicing for less than five years and also demonstrates strong commitment to and promotion of the profession.