Madeleine James, Rx2017 - Ottawa and Kemptville
Navigating the region
The Ottawa region has so much to offer students on clinical rotations. From the many notable landmarks in downtown Ottawa to the numerous surrounding communities, the region has something for everyone! The region also has a wide variety of pharmacy sectors including community, hospital, industry, and advocacy. The combination of great clinical rotation offerings and diverse recreational activities outside of work was what I liked best about this region.
During my free time, I had the opportunity to experience numerous activities that the region offered. I personally enjoyed eating around the Byward Market, golfing at nearby golf clubs, watching local sports teams, attending a night out at the Nature Museum and hiking in the Gatineau Hills. I also had the opportunity to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in our nation’s capital. Ottawa has so many diverse activities to welcome anyone to the area!
The Regional Clinical Coordinator (RCC) for the Ottawa region was extremely helpful and supportive throughout my rotations. He regularly sent emails to check-in on progress, inquire about any outstanding questions/concerns, and to inform us about outside learning events of interest. He also set up a meet and greet at the beginning of clinical rotations that all students in the region could attend in order to gain more information and to network. In addition, he set up an informal lunch event midway through clinical rotations with all students in the region to allow us to meet as a group.
Practice site descriptions
My first rotation took place at Walmart Pharmacy in Kemptville. I worked with pharmacists and pharmacy assistants to provide community-based care. Notable tasks I conducted included checking prescriptions for technical/therapeutic accuracy, MedsChecks, pharmaceutical opinions, prescription counselling, providing OTC recommendations, and running an A1C clinic.
My second rotation took place at Shoppers Drug Mart in the historic Glebe area. I worked with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and assistants to once again provide community-based care. Notable tasks I conducted included checking prescriptions for technical/therapeutic accuracy, MedsChecks, pharmaceutical opinions, prescription counselling, providing OTC recommendations, administering vaccinations, dispensing methadone, and running a vaccination clinic.
My third rotation took place at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). I worked with pharmacists and a large multidisciplinary team including physicians, nurses, and various allied health professionals. I was able to work in the general pediatrics unit, pediatric intensive care unit and neonatal intensive care unit. Notable tasks included attending rounds, conducting patient assessments, creating pharmaceutical care plans, conducting monitoring and providing patient education. I was also able to attend morning teaching sessions with the pharmacy director and provide an in-service educational presentation for pediatric nurses.
The patient care rotations really allowed me to cement the knowledge I had acquired throughout pharmacy school in a practical setting. I valued the independence I was given that allowed me to continue to build my decision-making skills and confidence. Furthermore, the rotations allowed me to embrace numerous expanded scope services that I had learned about during pharmacy school. The rotations enhanced my communication skills with other health professionals and patients in both community and hospital settings. The rotations facilitated the smooth transition from pharmacy student to intern upon graduation.
I used a variety of resources to support my professional practice while on clinical rotations. I regularly used the resources provided by the University which included access to primary, secondary and tertiary resources. I also used national guidelines and associated websites to support my practice. I found OPA bulletins to be helpful in order to stay updated on the latest hot topics for pharmacists in Ontario.
Advice for future students
My initial expectations of patient rotations were that they would be challenging and work-intensive. I also had thought that rotations not in my specific areas of interest might not be beneficial to my professional growth. What I found was that although rotations were challenging, the majority of preceptors were extremely committed to ensuring I continued to develop my clinical skills. This enabled me to start my pharmacy career with confidence given the opportunities I had during clinical rotations. Furthermore, I also found that the diverse clinical rotations I had allowed me to be a more well-rounded professional no matter what area I would be working in.
The advice I would give to future students as they prepare for rotations is to try and see every rotation as an opportunity to improve on different skills and areas of the profession. I would advise them to make sure they reach out to their preceptors in advance to learn more about the rotations and any expectations. Lastly, I would recommend to try and enjoy the experience! It’s a great opportunity to ask questions, build new skills, and learn under the guidance of experienced pharmacists.
The Ottawa region has a lot to offer in terms of diverse patient care rotations! Including, those that really welcome the bilingualism that the area is known for. I am sure the regional clinical coordinator will welcome any further questions you have about the region!