Across Canada, hundreds of pharmacists serve as co-op supervisors and preceptors who are essential to our program. By supporting our experiential learning program, mentors help students experience real-world situations that impact and inspire their career paths.
Each year the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy recognizes exceptional mentors, nominated by the students, through the Outstanding Co-op Supervisor and the Outstanding Preceptor of the Year Award. Join us in congratulating the 2024 recipients, Edmund Tan and Kirk Wong!
Outstanding Co-op Supervisor Award Winner: Edmund Tan
Edmund Tan has been a co-op supervisor since 2024. He is the pharmacist and owner of Shoppers Drug Mart #298 in Whitehorse, Yukon. Tan is also the winner of the 2025 Employer Impact Award for Impact in Innovation by University of Waterloo’s Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) department.
His commitment to creating a positive, educational and professional learning environment impacts the student’s co-op experience and their vision of their future practice. Tan designed weekly learning plans tailored to each student and their knowledge level, focused on providing experience in critical areas including medication review protocols, drug interactions and patient counselling.
“Edmund Tan exemplifies the highest qualities of an excellent supervisor through his leadership, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to student success,” says a Waterloo Pharmacy student. “When faced with a complex case, he guided me and encouraged me to analyze the situation and propose solutions myself. This experience not only strengthened my clinical reasoning skills but also built my confidence in handling real-world challenges.”
Tan goes above and beyond for his community, advocating for the support of a pharmacy walk-in clinic by leading an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses and technicians.
“This award has tremendous impact to the team and I. Being in a remote location we see all the different types of issues with respect to the delivery of care and addressing the needs of the Yukon community,” says Tan. “Being able to think outside the box and have students support us and driving initiatives that support the health of our community is very impactful and this award represents that spirit.”
Tan shares that students bring fresh perspective and innovative ideas that challenge the status quo. “I’m forced to be uncomfortable which is the best way to learn and continue to thrive. I've learned so much from students and my practice has accelerated in many novel ways as a result,” Tan adds.
Outstanding Preceptor of the Year Award Winner: Kirk Wong
Kirk Wong has been a preceptor since 2021. He is a clinical oncology pharmacist at the Hamilton Health Sciences - Juravinski Cancer Centre Outpatient Pharmacy.
Wong’s commitment to teaching students shines in his supportive work environment – from helping students create checklists for prescription verifications to foster confidence to turning questions as a learning opportunity through mini lessons to encourage discussions around special patient cases. He emphasized working at a comfortable space and applying first principles for clinical decision-making to avoid assumptions and reduce errors.
“Throughout my time at Waterloo, Kirk has been the most impactful preceptor I have had. His unwavering support, exceptional teaching and holistic approach to pharmacy practice has profoundly influenced my growth and career aspirations,” says a Waterloo Pharmacy student. “His ability to balance teaching and maintaining high productivity inspired me to manage my time effectively to deliver optimal patient care.”
Wong also supported students’ interest in learning more about pharmacy ownership through knowledge sharing in inventory, backorder management, bookkeeping and finance. He facilitated networking opportunities for the students where interest arose.
“Although the award bears my name, it reflects my own mentors as well as the team I work with that made it possible, so I dedicate it to them. What makes the award special to me is that a student had taken time to nominate me, expecting nothing in return. It’s a reminder that the little things we do for others are very important, and this is true not only for our professional lives, but also our personal lives,” says Wong.
Wong shares that helping foster future pharmacists also gives him the opportunity to learn from the students he precepts.
“Working in a specialized field such as oncology, students may enter the rotations with some apprehension. However, I consider it an opportunity to spur curiosity and illustrate that the fundamental knowledge they’ve been taught provides all the necessary tools to practice safely and effectively. The corollary of working in adult oncology also means that I potentially have knowledge gaps in other areas of care. I tell all of my students that as much as they are hoping to learn from me, I will also be learning from them as well, since they are graduating with the most up to date data,” Wong adds.
Congratulations Edmund and Kirk!