In January, the School of Pharmacy was pleased to host Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy Executive Director Dayle Acorn. CFP visited the School as a stop on a cross-country book launch of the first new pharmacy management textbook since 1988.
Pharmacy Management in Canada has a special place in the School of Pharmacy curriculum because several of our faculty participated as chapter authors and reviewers. The textbook, which was reviewed by panels of practicing pharmacists and academics from pharmacy schools across the country, covers a wide-range of topics from developing a strategic business plan, to marketing and quality control. The book fills a gap in the literature by providing a current and comprehensive overview of an element of pharmacy practice that is too easily neglected: the management of your own business.
Associate Professor Roderick Slavcev wrote three chapters for the textbook and acted as editor for two sections. He emphasizes the importance of leadership, management and business skills for graduating pharmacists.
I believe that it is the responsibility of any educational program to properly equip its graduates with the necessary skills and capabilities to not just survive in their professional environment, but thrive and lead. This [textbook] is a noble step in this direction and will serve as required text for the core strategic management course at the School.
The book launch was well-attended by Waterloo staff and students, and speakers ranged from our in-house authors of textbook chapters – Associate Professor Roderick Slavcev and Assistant Professor Kelly Grindrod – to CFP team members and textbook sponsors. As a goodwill gesture from sponsors and CFP, textbooks were also donated to our School, and raffled off to six lucky student winners.
Pharmacy Management in Canada will become a required text in our strategic management course and a recommended text for several other classes. Learn more about the book on the Canadian Pharmacist Association's website.