On Sept 25, Waterloo Pharmacy held its sixth CE Saturday, an event that brings grads together for a morning of professional development. This was the second iteration of CE Saturday held virtually, and it brought together alumni from cities across Ontario. The event was sponsored by MNP.
“The School is so proud of our alumni and their commitment to and impact on the health of their communities,” said Andrea Edginton, Hallman Director, at the event.
The day covered clinical, business and professionalism topics and featured a record number of alumni speakers. Alumni Anthony Amadio (Rx2011) and Kim Chvala (Rx2012) walked the audience through cases, sharing their systematic pharmaceutical care processes. They were followed by an alumni panel: Rx2011s Jeannine Oliver, Catherine Nolin and Ben Austin. Moderator Donnie Edwards led the panelists through a conversation about pharmacy ownership, and each alumni shared their journey, challenges and reflections on the path to ownership.
Top row: Ben Austin and Catherine Nolin. Bottom row: Jeannine Oliver and Donnie Edwards.
Keynote speaker Zubin Austin encouraged reflection in the audience with his talk “Finding ‘Flow’ – The Psychology of Engagement in Pharmacy Practice.” Austin walked the audience through his recent research on the COVID-19 pandemic, explaining what traits in pharmacists and pharmacies contributed to resiliency in times of crisis. He then dove into the psychology of work and burnout and explored what it means to be a professional, leaving the audience with questions for reflection about their own professional identities.
The CE Saturday event is also an opportunity for Waterloo Pharmacy to recognize several award winners. This year, Farzan Dadfar was recognized with the 2020 School of Pharmacy Alumni Achievement award in acknowledgement of his work improving access to high-quality pharmaceutical care for patients requiring specialized therapies, and his role as an emerging leader in the field of biologics.
Waterloo Pharmacy also recognized two supporters of the experiential learning program. Boluwaji (Felix) Ogundipe received the Outstanding Preceptor of the Year award and Heidi Huang received the Outstanding Co-op Supervisor of the Year award. See the article on these awards to learn more.
Many thanks to event sponsor MNP who supported CE Saturday. They are hosting a follow-up virtual workshop for pharmacists, alumni and students interested in learning more about pharmacy ownership. Registration is required and the event is free.