Robin Andrade receives 2022 Excellence in Pharmacy Teaching Award
Andrade coordinates Pharm 228 which is the first exposure pharmacy students have to lab-based professional practice courses. This series of courses prepares students for the realities working with patients, using pharmacy software, managing logistics of a pharmacy and more. Andrade creates a supportive, welcoming and challenging environment where students discover their identity as pharmacists together. She also oversees the logistics of all OSCE examinations run at the school.
Nominators clearly indicated that Andrade is favourite instructor, consistently described as approachable and supportive. As a result of the pandemic, she was required to discover creative techniques to deliver in-person lab activities remotely and was among the first instructors to find ways to safely bring students back into the classroom.
In addition to providing students with high-quality teaching, her commitment to her own educational journey is evident as she finishes up her Bachelors of Adult Education and is starting her Master of Education in the fall. Her passion for pharmacy was recently recognized by the Ontario Pharmacists Association, who named her the 2022 Pharmacy Technician of the Year.
For Andrade, customizing education to suit the class in front of her is a priority.
“I enjoy modifying my labs to suit the needs of all learners,” she says. “Not only is the inclusive, but it allows students to experience different methods of learning styles such as visual or reading/writing. I also love learning from my students. When they come back from co-op placements, I hear so many interesting stories regarding dispensing, and sometimes they even give me ideas. It’s a win-win.”
Andrade is also an active member of the School’s Green Team and has taken her commitment to sustainability into the classroom. She recently implemented the Kroll paperless workflow model in the Professional Practice lab. This new system tracks prescriptions through the various stages of the dispensing process and cuts down on paper waste.
She is always looking forwards to improve all aspects of her teaching and the student experience and we are lucky to have her at the School. Congratulations, Robin!