When pharmacy student MacKenzie Van Loon (Rx2023) learned about the Student Exchange Program (SEP), she immediately knew this was an experience she couldn’t pass up.
“This exchange allowed me to experience a one-on-one view you typically don’t get as a tourist. I was able to connect with my roots and learn about my profession,” says MacKenzie.
She first heard about the program through an event hosted by the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI) and organized by the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF).
The Netherlands, her first choice, only accepts three pharmacy students each year. MacKenzie was grateful to be chosen because after her grandparents passed in 2019, MacKenzie knew she wanted to visit their homeland, The Netherlands, someday but wasn't sure when she'd be able to do so.
With the help of Anthony Miller, Co-op Experiential Coordinator at the Waterloo School of Pharmacy, and funding available through the School of Pharmacy she was able to take this opportunity.