Katie Conroy (above) reflects on the MPharm program and her experiences so far.
In fall 2021, Waterloo Pharmacy launched the Master of Pharmacy in Advanced Pharmacy Practice, one of the first advanced pharmacy training programs in the country. It’s been six months since the program launched, and we check in with Allen, Katie and Faisal, the first three students to join this new program.
See Katie’s profile here or follow the links below to read about Allen and Faisal:
- Allen Cheuk-Ho Tam: full-time MPharm student, 2021 PharmD graduate, community pharmacist
- Faisal Rauf: full-time MPharm student, 1999 BPharm graduate, community pharmacist
Katie Conroy
Katie Conroy was born in the US but moved to Waterloo Region when she was a teenager. She studied at the University of Waterloo for three years of undergrad, then entered the PharmD program, which she completed in 2020. She’s currently working full-time with Manulife where she’s a drug investigation consultant, practices part-time in community pharmacy, and completing the MPharm program full-time.
UW: What made you apply after a year of working, post-PharmD?
KC: I always wanted to know I wanted to find a way to incorporate teaching into my pharmacy career and I enjoy working in a clinical setting. I’ve have worked in and continue to support work in rural Guatemala supporting health care and basic needs in impoverished communities. I wanted to take a step that would give me skills and knowledge to continue to work in all these areas that I’m passionate about, and the MPharm seemed like a good fit.
UW: How do you balance working full-time while completing the program?
KC: My role with Manulife is thirty hours a week, where I get to use my pharmacy knowledge but on the other side of the insurance table. I’m able to make it work with the MPharm because they’ve been a flexible employer and we’ve been working from home through the pandemic. It has been a challenging but great experience!
What I’ve found balancing all my commitments is that when I’m passionate about doing something, I’m on the right path. It becomes easier to make time for all these things.
UW: What are some highlights of the program so far?
KC: I’ve loved how customizable the MPharm program is. It really is what you make of it, blending classwork and research opportunities and placements that you provide input on. I’m honestly shocked about how far I’ve come from September to now, not just in terms of research and critical appraisal skills, but also in terms of translating that work into my practice.
It’s also been so rewarding to connect and form relationships with the faculty and my peers. The small program size makes it easy to do that.
UW: Who might be interested in the MPharm program?
KC: Strong leadership skills are needed, and you should have an independent mindset. The MPharm program is self-directed in a lot of ways – you get to explore your own interests in coursework, research projects and placements. So, if you’re the kind of person who wants to pave their own path and to embrace opportunities, it’s good for you.