Brad Grightmire, Rx2021 - Niagara
Navigating the region
I thoroughly enjoyed completing my patient care rotations in Niagara region. Niagara itself is a beautiful region,
There are many great attractions in the Niagara region. There are plenty of beautiful wineries to visit in the Niagara-On-The-Lake area as well as great golf courses in the region. There is also the opportunity to experience a fun and exciting downtown area with many restaurants and cafés on St. Paul Street in St. Catharines. Also, Niagara Falls is an incredible sightseeing spot, due to the famous waterfalls and parks surrounding them.
There are plenty of housing options in the region - especially in the St. Catharines and Thorold areas, which have many student housing options due to the proximity to Brock University.
My
Regional
Clinical
Coordinator,
Donnie
Edwards,
was fantastic
in
all
aspects.
Donnie
hosted
multiple
educational
events
to
help with
our
clinical
learning.
Donnie
orchestrated
a
community
service
event that
involved
helping
the
homeless
population
of
Niagara
by
administering COVID-19
vaccinations.
Donnie
recommended
excellent
activities
to
take
part in
throughout
the
region.
Donnie
was
supportive
throughout
the
entirety
of
our
clinical
rotations
by
responding
to
questions
and
helping
to
facilitate
our interprofessional
requirements.
Donnie
worked
tirelessly
to
ensure
the
students
of
the
Niagara
region
had
a
tremendous
experience,
and
he undoubtedly
succeeded!
Practice site descriptions
Boggio & Edwards: I was fortunate to work in the same building as an optometrist. I also gained insight of the responsibilities of a pharmacy technician, including the important work involved with compliance packaging. I counselled patients on their medications, performed therapeutic checks on new prescriptions, and made recommendations to physicians through the Pharmaceutical Opinion Program.
Niagara Health - St. Catharines General Hospital: I worked with physicians, nurses, pharmacy technicians, and dieticians, which really exemplified the importance of collaborative care. I completed Best Possible Medication History's for patients and performed patient workups. Additionally, I worked with the infectious disease team learning about treating patients with antibiotics as well as antimicrobial stewardship in the hospital setting.
Shoppers
Drug
Mart
Lundy's
Lane:
I
worked
alongside
a
pharmacist
at
all times
and
learned
a
lot
of
valuable
information
through
clinical
discussions.
I
participated
in
COVID-19
vaccinations
and
learned
about
testing
protocols.
Overall, my experiences were unique at each site, which allowed me to continue learning and growing as a future pharmacist. My patient care rotations allowed me to continue developing my clinical and interpersonal skills as the importance of collaborating with others was highlighted during these experiences. My rotations also led me to improve on many of the valuable traits that a pharmacist needs including humility, empathy, and patience. I primarily used the electronic Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties, UpToDate, and Pyrls as my resources for support.
Advice
for
future
students
I
would
advise
future
students
to
not
be
afraid
of
stepping
out
of
their comfort
zone
and
moving
to
a
new
region
that
they
are
unfamiliar
with.
Adventuring
out
is
a
great
way
to
make
new
connections
throughout
the pharmacy
profession.
Enjoy every moment of your patient care rotations! Although it is important to dedicate some time to learning to gain the most out of your rotations, remember to build connections with your peers and enjoy the experience.