Sherilyn Houle

Associate Professor

Location: PHR 7004

Phone: 519-888-4567 x21378

Biography

Dr. Houle's research interests are on the roles, outcomes, and uptake of pharmacy practice to full scope, with particular interest in the clinical areas of immunizations and travel health. Dr. Houle is also a regular provider of continuing professional development programs across topics including injection technique, vaccine hesitancy, travel medicine, and vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza, herpes zoster (shingles), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), meningococcal disease, and pneumococcal disease.

Current areas of research include:
* The impact of pharmacy-based immunization services on vaccination rates, health system costs, and productivity
* The integration of regulated pharmacy technicians into community pharmacy immunization services
* Vaccine hesitancy and vaccine fatigue
* Vaccination screening and assessment by community pharmacists
* Pre-travel assessment and care provided by pharmacists for individuals planning travel
* Regulation of pharmacy practice, including discipline and standards of practice
* Preparedness of new pharmacy graduates to practice to full scope

Research Interests

Clinical and economic outcomes of pharmacist’s full scope of practice activities, including prescribing and administering injections
Pharmacist-provided care in travel health, immunizations, and anticoagulation
Systematic reviews of pharmacist interventions
Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice
Pharmacoeconomics

Education

2014 PhD Experimental Medicine, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
2014 Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
2006 BSc Pharmacy, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Canada

Awards

2020 Outstanding Faculty Mentor in Graduate Program. School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo
2019 Best Paper Award, Canadian Pharmacists Journal
2019 Associate Member, Faculty of Travel Medicine, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
2018 Certificate in Travel HealthTM, International Society of Travel Medicine
2015 Wellspring Pharmacy Leadership Award, Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy
2014 Best Paper Award, Canadian Pharmacists Journal
2013 Magnum Opus Award, Canadian Healthcare Network

Service

Licensed pharmacist (Ontario College of Pharmacists) with a practice at the International Travel and Immunizations Clinic, Centre for Family Medicine, Kitchener, Ontario
Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy Journal (Editorial Board member)
Columnist (Travel Health), Pharmacy Practice + Business magazine
Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada Research Committee
Ontario College of Pharmacists Assurance and Improvement in Medication Safety (AIMS) Safety Insights Group
Ontario Pharmacy Evidence Network (Executive committee member)

Professional Associations

Ontario College of Pharmacists
Pharmacist Professional Group, International Society of Travel Medicine
Canadian Association for Immunization Research, Evaluation and Education
Canadian Immunization Research Network
Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada Research Committee

Affiliations and Volunteer Work

Cross-appointed to the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo

Teaching*

PHARM 155 - Introduction to Drug Information Fundamentals
- Taught in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
PHARM 221 - Integrated Patient Focused Care 2
- Taught in 2021
PHARM 329 - Professional Practice 5
- Taught in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
PHARM 653 - Methods in Clinical and Applied Research
- Taught in 2022

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

Selected/Recent Publications

Cho H, Houle SKD, Alsabbagh MW. The Trends and Determinants of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination After Cardiovascular Events in Canada: A Repeated Pan-Canadian Cross-Sectional Study. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can 2023;43(2):87-97.
Lip A, Pateman M, Fullerton M, Chen HM, Bailey L, Houle S, Davidson S, Constantinescu C. Vaccine hesitancy educational tools for healthcare providers and trainees: A scoping review. Vaccine 2023;41:23-35.
Waite N, Pereira JA, Houle S, Gilca V, Andrew MK. The impact of influenza on the ability to work, volunteer and provide care: results from an online survey of Canadian adults 50 years and older. BMC Public Health 2022;22:2119.
Houle SKD, Timony PE, Waite NM, Gauthier AP. Identifying vaccination deserts: The availability and distribution of pharmacists with authorization to administer injections in Ontario. Can Pharm J 2022;155(5):258-266.
Nasreen S, Gebretekle GB, Lynch M, Kurdina A, Thomas M, Fadel S, Houle SKD, Waite NM, Crowcroft NS, Allin S. Understanding predictors of pneumococcal vaccine uptake in older adults aged 65 years and older in high-income countries across the globe: A scoping review. Vaccine 2022;40:4380-4393.
Foong-Reichert EA, Fung A, Carter C, Grindrod K, Houle S. Characteristics, predictors, and reasons for regulatory body disciplinary action in healthcare: a scoping review. J Med Regul 2022;107(4):17-31.
DeMarco M, Carter CA, Houle SKD, Waite NM. The role of pharmacy technicians in vaccination services: A scoping review. J Am Pharm Assoc 2022;62(1):15-26.
Houle SKD, Evans D, Carter CA, Schlagenhauf P. Ayahuasca and the traveller: A scoping review of risks and possible benefits. Travel Med Infect Dis 2021;44:102206.
Fonseca J, Violette R, Houle SKD, Waite NM. Distributing Publicly-Funded Influenza Vaccine – Community Pharmacies’ Perspectives on Acquiring Vaccines from Public Health and from Private Distributors in Ontario, Canada. Pharmacy 2021, 9, 94.
Waite N, Pereira JA, Houle SKD, Gilca V, Andrew MK. COVID-19’s impact on willingness to be vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19 during the 2020/2021 season: results from an online survey of Canadian adults 50 years and older. Vaccines 2021, 9, 346.