Marc-André Gravel is the Executive Director of the Centre de santé communautaire de Kapuskasing et région, a Community Health Centre located in northern Ontario. He continues to work part-time as a consultant clinical pharmacist and leads the centre in the creation of programs that will improve patient health outcomes.
Where they’re working:
Kapuskasing is over 7 hours northeast of Sault Ste. Marie by car. The town and the surrounding areas are about 70% francophone, and a great number of people in the area face limited access to primary healthcare providers.
The Community Health Center that Marc-André leads is one of the newest healthcare facilities in the region.
Our centre is fairly new,” Marc-André explains, “and as a result, it is not unusual for new clients to have not seen a healthcare provider in many years.
Reflections on the Program
“The co-op program really provided exposure to various types of practice I might not have had the chance to explore.”
Marc-André’s diverse career in pharmacy saw him practicing bigger cities like Hamilton and Ottawa before he landed in Kapuskasing. For him, returning to northern Ontario after studying and working in southern Ontario meant going home.
Though he’d worked for several years as a clinical pharmacist in a variety of settings, Marc-André’s recent promotion to Executive Director means that he will play a direct role in creating interdisciplinary programming for his community. These programs will have the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes of francophones in Kapuskasing and the surrounding area.
As a Director of an interdisciplinary workplace, Marc-André collaborates with a diverse group of healthcare professionals.
“The work at the Centre is similar to the work occurring in a family health team, but with more of an emphasis on programs targeting social determinates of health and health promotion initiatives to promote community health and wellbeing.”
Alumni Answers
UW: What advice do you have for students working in a rural area?
MAG: Although pharmacy can be an under-utilized profession, their representation is even more important in rural areas, which often lack the presence of multidisciplinary teams. It is essential to showcase what the profession is capable of doing and the patient-centered benefits associated with our work.
UW: What are some of the challenges in moving into a director role from an exclusively pharmacy-based role?
MAG: My first experience with the Community Health Centre was as a part-time consultant pharmacist. I will continue to consult with the centre on a part-time basis as this will allow me to keep in touch with the target population that the Centre serves. But I will also continue to work some relief shifts in order to keep my Part A license.
Non-Pharm Fun
