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Expanding beyond

our traditional roles

SPRING 2012 | 32 | RXCELLENCE MAGAZINE

RXCELLENCE RXCELLENCE

Contents

Lifelong Learning Continues with Rx&D

Rx&D partners with the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy to improve the health outcomes for Canadians

10 Ghana Health Team

8

Walmart Canada Commits to

Pharmacy Education This landmark donation has led to the creation of the Walmart Canada International Pharmacy Education Centre

Running with Andrea Cameron

Tips on marathon running from an 8T1 graduate who has completed over 30 marathons since 1992.

Pharmacy Without Limits

Exploring alumni careers

Summer Internship Programs

Students recount their experience with the World Health Organizationand the Katutura Health Centrein Namibia

YoungAlumni Spotlight

“I’d rather try and not succeed, than look back and wonder why didn’t I try?”

17

18

22

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SPRING 2012 Vol. 12 No. 1

RXCELLENCE, the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy’s Alumni Magazine, is produced by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. The University of Toronto respects your privacy. We do not rent, trade or sell out mailing lists. If you do not wish to receive this magazine in the future, please contact us at 416 946 3985 or 1 800 463 6048 or [email protected]

EdItoR Desiree Chan [email protected] MANAGING EdItoR David White [email protected] PhotoGRAPhy Linda Dresser, Shutterbrugs Photography and Tegan Mierle dESIGN & ILLUStRAtIoN Pilot Interactive



It has officially been one year since I started here at the Faculty. I have had the pleasure of getting to know many of you through reunions, the golf classic and this magazine. Thank you so much to those of you who contributed to this issue and helped me get acquainted along the way. As you can tell, I’ve created a new look and approach to Rxcellence. This magazine isn’t only about keeping in touch with one another as the years go by, but it’s also a place to learn about the other wonderful people who fall into this circle, years before and years after you. With over 10,000 pharmacy alumni, all with their own unique experiences, I know you have great stories to share. I encourage you to contact me with ideas and content for future issues, so don’t be shy! I also want to draw your attention to the calendar of events where you’ll find dates of when we’ll be in your city. Please take note of those dates and know that we are looking forward to seeing you! I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Rxcellence – this magazine was created especially for you!

- Desiree Chan

The 2011 year has been a transformative one in the history of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. In September, the Faculty began delivering our new undergraduate curriculum, and ushered in the first group of students to participate in a new program - the Combined Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy-Doctor of Pharmacy program.

The new curriculum features several substantial changes over the previous curriculum including moving several courses into prerequisites, increasing the number of pharmacotherapeutics courses, integrating medication therapy management into the curriculum, and incorporating greater experiential components into the program beginning in first year. The new curriculum directly addresses the changing scope of pharmacy practice in Canada, while including elements that will further shape and define the profession in the future.

At the same time, the Faculty introduced a new program that joins the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree with the Doctor of Pharmacy degree to

As one of North America’s largest Faculties of Pharmacy, we stand in a great position to lead and affect change in our profession, but we cannot do this alone. As alumnae of this great institution, I welcome your thoughts, your input and your participation. I truly believe that together we can achieve our goals and be one of the top faculties of pharmacy in the world.

- henry Mann

create a Combined Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy-Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Open to students entering the 4th year of the BScPhm program at the Faculty, this program provides students with an opportunity to continue their education and begin working on a second, advanced degree concurrently with the undergraduate program course requirements.

The Combined Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy-Doctor of Pharmacy program combines two of the Faculty’s most successful degrees into a single program that equips students with the skills, knowledge, and experience required to excel as advanced practitioners.

Throughout 2011, the Faculty has been preparing its strategic plan, a document that will guide the Faculty’s vision and direction over the next five years. Building programs that enhance the pharmacist’s standing in the healthcare field is at the foundation of this new vision. Our goal is to become one of the top faculties of pharmacy in the world. We hope to achieve this ambitious goal through a number of key priorities including shaping the profession through excellence in teaching and learning, creating the future through research, fostering leadership by empowering and engaging our people, strengthening our infrastructure by effecting change, and championing success by enhancing the student experience.

this year, dean henry Mann announced the appointment of six new jointly funded positions at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. All of these positions carry full faculty responsibilities with a focus on research or on teaching. Each of these new faculty members will be extremely important to the future growth of the Faculty and in ensuring our ability to meet the needs of our new curriculum.

Dr. Marisa Battistella 9t8

Dr. Marisa Battistella has been appointed to the position of Pharmacy Clinician Scientist at University Health Network (UHN). In her new role within the Division of Pharmacy Practice, her primary focus will be clinical research with expectations to develop and build a self-sustaining clinical/translational research program in affiliation with the Faculty and UHN. She will continue to provide leadership and mentorship for scholarly activity to practitioners, pharmacy residents and fellows. She will also continue to have teaching responsibilities in the professional pharmacy curriculum. Marisa’s main practice, teaching, and research area has been in hemodialysis/nephrology at the Toronto General Hospital. Dr. Battistella is appointed at the rank of Assistant Professor.

Dr. Natalie Crown 0t8 Pharmd

Dr. Natalie Crown has been appointed to the position of Clinician Educator at Women’s College Hospital (WCH) and Assistant Professor at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.

New Faculty

Message From The Dean Editor’s Note



scientific excellence through scholarly activity in affiliation with the Faculty and CAMH. A major focus will also be her teaching responsibilities in the professional curriculum, and participating in graduate and postgraduate education. Dr. Kellar is appointed at the rank of Assistant Professor.

Dr. Carlo De Angelis 8t1

Dr. Carlo De Angelis has been appointed to the position of Clinical Scientist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The primary focus of Carlo’s new position is clinical research in oncology. He will continue to provide leadership and mentorship for scholarly activity to practitioners, pharmacy residents and fellows at Sunnybrook, as well as fulfilling teaching responsibilities through the Division of Pharmacy Practice at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto. Dr. De Angelis is appointed at the rank of Assistant Professor.

Dr. Lisa McCarthy 0t2 0t5 Pharmd

Through a shared faculty agreement with Women’s College Hospital, we have hired Dr. Lisa McCarthy. Lisa will be at the rank of Assistant Professor (Status-Only). She has completed an ambulatory care residency with Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre, a fellowship with the Centre for Evaluation of Medicines, and most recently, a Master’s of Science in Health Research Methodology at McMaster University. Lisa will be responsible for development of a clinical practice with the Complex Care Clinic of the Centre for Ambulatory Care Education at WCH. She will also have responsibility for teaching within our Faculty and providing service to both organizations. Her research will focus on optimizing safe medication use in ambulatory care as well as models of pharmacy practice in the ambulatory care setting. Lisa comes from Hamilton Health Sciences Centre and the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University where she practiced clinically with the McMaster Family Health Team.

Dr. Crown is a graduate of the Pharmacy program at Dalhousie University and the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Toronto. Prior to accepting this shared position, Dr. Crown was a clinical pharmacist in the Atrial Fibrillation/ Anticoagulation clinic and Residency Coordinator at the London Health Sciences Centre, where she also held the position of Adjunct Assistant Professor, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, at the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Crown is teaching in the PharmD program and is developing a hospital Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Practice at WCH. Natalie has also been charged with leading the development of a post-graduate pharmacy residency program in Ambulatory Care at WCH.

Dr. Beth Sproule 8t4

Dr. Beth Sproule has been appointed to the position of Pharmacy Clinician Scientist/Advanced Practice Pharmacist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Dr. Sproule has many years of teaching at our Faculty within the graduate program as well as the PharmD and undergraduate professional programs. In her new role within the Division of Pharmacy Practice, her primary focus will be clinical research in the area of prescription drug abuse. She will continue to provide leadership and mentorship for scholarly activity to practitioners, pharmacy residents and fellows. Beth will also continue to have teaching responsibilities in the professional curriculum and will participate in graduate and postgraduate education. Dr. Sproule is appointed at the rank of Assistant Professor.

Dr. Jamie Kellar 0t4 1t1 Pharmd

Dr. Jamie Kellar has been appointed to the position of Pharmacy Clinician Educator/Advanced Practice Pharmacist at CAMH. Jamie has extensive experience in mental health through her recent position at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Services. She recently received her PharmD from the University of Toronto. As a new member of the Division of Pharmacy Practice, Jamie’s primary focus will be clinical education and she will provide and promote the highest quality of pharmaceutical care by teaching and mentoring pharmacists, pharmacy students, residents and fellows, and by contributing to

The Arbor Awards were created by the University of Toronto in 1989 to recognize volunteers for outstanding personal service to the University.

Since then, the University has annually acknowledged the alumni and friends whose loyalty, dedication and generosity has added substantially to the quality of the University of Toronto experience for students, faculty, staff and alumni. The Arbor Award is the University’s way of thanking them and letting them know that their contributions of time, energy and expertise do not go unnoticed. Sponsored by University Advancement, the award ceremony takes place each September at the President’s residence.This year, five volunteers at the Faculty were honoured for their outstanding contributions:

Scott Walker 7t7

Scott has served as an active volunteer with the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy for close to three decades. During this time, Scott has provided outstanding work on a number of important Faculty committees, has served as a mentor to numerous students in the undergraduate and graduate programs, and remains a key supporter and partner of the Faculty in his role as Director of Pharmacy at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Tom Paton

Tom has been a volunteer, mentor and educator at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy for over 35 years. Tom has served on numerous Faculty Committees, served as a preceptor and mentor to dozens of undergraduate and graduate students and has taught and lectured in numerous courses in the graduate and undergraduate program. As a Pharmacist, and eventually as Director of Pharmacy at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for 35 years, Tom has been a key partner in the Faculty’s development over that time.

Emily Musing 8t3

In over 25 years of dedicated service to the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Emily has personified the notion of alumni giving back to their alma mater. Emily has sat on tens of Faculty Committees, lectured and tutored in numerous courses, served as a speaker at many student events, and has personally mentored close to 50 pharmacy students. In addition to this, Emily continues to serve on the Executive of the Class of 1983 and is the Class’ social representative.

Allan Mills 9t8 Pharmd

Since graduating from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree in 1998, Allan has become one of the Faculty’s most active alumni. Allan has sat on over 10 Faculty Committees, numerous workgroups, has acted as a mentor and preceptor to several students and continues to lecture in the Faculty’s undergraduate pharmacy program.

Wayne Marigold 6t9

In just over three years of involvement, Wayne has become one of the Faculty’s most trusted volunteers. As the Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Wayne is one of the Faculty’s vital partners, providing mentorship opportunities to many of our students in various years of the pharmacy program.

Tom, Scott, Alan, Emily and Wayne join the ranks of 20 other volunteers who have been recognized for their contributions to the Faculty over the past two decades. They are:

dIANNE AZZARELLo 8T3, dAvId BLooM 6T7, JUdIth

CARtER 8T2, LESLIE dAN 5T4, WILLIAM dINGWALL 7T3,

dR. J. GRAhAM NAIRN 5T2, hoN. doUGLAS FRIth 6T8,

NANCy GIovINAZZo 8T0, GRAhAM hARdIE, SAMUEL

hIRSCh 5T8, dR. F. NoRMAN hUGhES, MURRAy

KoFFLER 4T6, JohN RoBERt KRALL 7T2, MAdELINE

JEAN MoNAGhAN 7T0, doNALd oRGAN 5T7, JACK

PINKUS 5T4, LINdA PRytULA 8T4, LINdA SPARRoW 7T0,

MALCoLM SPARRoW 7T0 & SUSAN tREMBLAy 7T6.

thANK yoU to this year’s Arbor Award recipients for their endless support

and the contributions they have made to our Faculty over the years.

Arbor Awards



Lifelong learning continues with Rx&DStepping back from the daily demands

of a clinical setting to fully assess the

effectiveness of current patient care

requires a significant amount of support.

That’s where an organization like Rx&D

comes in.

Establishing and validating

guidelines for dosages of paediatric

patients with Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis,

and critical illness sets the required

precedents on which to model

guidelines for a more extensive

variety of critical care situations.

Specialist and Associate Scientist in Critical Care at Mount Sinai Hospital, is leading a multi-site, multidisciplinary team to determine the relationship between psychoactive drugs –benzodiazepines and opioids that are routinely used in the care of critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients – and the development of delirium. “It is currently unclear if psychoactive medications are associated with delirium. Recent literature has established an independent relationship between delirium and mortality, thus making it important for us to determine if these medications are worsening patient outcomes,” Lisa explains. She adds “the Rx&D Clinical Research Grant gives our team access to needed resources to carry out a comprehensive study to determine if our prescribing practices for this population should be changed.”

The Rx&D Grant provides the necessary funding for the technologies and additional patient care costs needed to meet the complex needs of both these research projects. But according to Winnie, “a more important benefit is simply a feeling of confidence that we’ll have the help and resources needed to fully carry out our projects and continue to advance patient care.” Dr. Raymond Reilly, Associate Dean of Research at the Leslie Dan Faculty, notes that “these projects are part of an exciting new initiative of the Faculty to build capacity for clinical pharmacy research, and we are delighted that Rx & D has partnered with us on this initiative, which we expect will improve the health outcomes for Canadians”.

“We have no textbook for this,” explains Winnie Seto (9T2, 9T5 PharmD), from the Hospital for Sick Children. “We are creating evidence one critically ill paediatric patient at a time,” she says, regarding her research project in paediatric dosing. “Being a good clinician means you are in a continual process of advancing patient care,” explains Lisa Burry (0T0) of Mount Sinai Hospital. They are both Clinical Pharmacists at their respective institutions, and graduates of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. “The PharmD program gave me a firm grounding in evidence-based care, and instilled me with a constantly questioning outlook” recalls Lisa. Stepping back from the daily demands of a clinical setting to fully assess the effectiveness of current patient care requires a significant amount of support. That’s where an organization like Rx&D comes in.

Rx&D is the association of fifty leading research-based pharmaceutical companies dedicated to promoting research into the discovery, development, and optimal use of new medicines and vaccines. Through the support of Rx&D’s Health Research Foundation, with additional funds from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, two grants of $25,000 were offered to support Clinical Research at our affiliated teaching hospitals.

Winnie Seto, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Coordinator, Critical Care Pharmacist, and Project Investigator for Child Health Evaluation Sciences at SickKids’ Research Institute, and her team are developing new antibiotic dosing guidelines specifically for critically ill children. Evidence from paediatric patients with cancer and cystic fibrosis demonstrated that administration of the antibiotic Gentamicin once daily, rather than the current practice of three divided doses, improves the ability to fight infection. “Establishing and validating guidelines for dosages of paediatric patients with Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis, and critical illness sets the required precedents on which to model guidelines for a more extensive variety of critical care situations,” explains Winnie. “My current project in validating dosages for critically ill children completes this triumvirate and sets us on a truly translational path for the future.”

Knowledge translation is endemic to the kind of clinician produced by the PharmD program. Lisa Burry, a Clinical Pharmacy

L: WINNIE SEtoTherapeutic Drug Monitoring Coordinator

SickKids’ Research Institute

R: LISA BURRyClinical Pharmacy Specialist

Mount Sinai Hospital



RX: You were there for two weeks – can you give us an idea of what that was like?

CAthy: I had a small thermometer with me. It registered 35º+ every day. It was very humid, so I suppose it was in the 40’s every day. Our days started about 6:00 am and finished with the pharmacy top up about 10:00 pm. I have never worked so hard...We ran solid at the clinics with sweat where you have never had sweat before, about a 10 minute lunch and run again. Even when we thought we had seen the last prescription we needed to pack up the pharmacy. When I say I have never worked so hard before, just imagine doing that every day for two weeks in that heat.

SUSAN: The first clinic was a half-day clinic at the project site for the NEA workers, so that the entire team has an opportunity to see how our process works. We have fine-tuned it over the last four years to be as efficient as possible. The next four days our clinics were held in remote medical centres or schools, without power or running water. All of our equipment, supplies and translators travelled to each location by truck.

LINdA: It is hot and cramped and things just don’t happen the way you want it – for example one of the printers may not work. The fact that we have

Known as the “Ghana Health Team,” Rxcellence caught up with them shortly after they returned home.

RX: I understand that the team consists of two community pharmacists, two hospital pharmacists and one technician. Could you describe the working dynamic?

ShERRy: Everyone on the team brings their own experiences and skills…We complement and learn from each other. Although each of us is capable of filling any of the duties within the pharmacy setup, as you go along you seem to fall into an area that you have a greater comfort with and that’s when the efficiency is at its peak…Last year we took our first steps in blister packaging treatment protocols for STI’s, peptic ulcer and diarrhea. They were a huge time saver during our clinics. Martha’s extensive experience and organizational skills in setting this up last year proved the value of expanding our use of this dispensing system. This year, Cathy pre-packaged enough STI protocol kits that the doctors were able to diagnose, treat and counsel these patients quickly and efficiently, eliminating what was previously a significant portion of the pharmacy workload…It was great having Linda’s expertise in infectious diseases. She became the go-to person for the doctors when they had questions on which antibiotic to use and I think she was a great asset to the entire team. Cathy’s experience in inventory management helped keep things organized, especially as the day went on and more non-pharmacy staff arrived to help out. Her ability to supervise and guide minimized the chaos that can develop as everyone tries to help wrap up at the end of a busy clinic day. Susan is the inspiration and motivator for the team. In her five years of organizing the pharmacy component of the mission, she has streamlined the process to the point where this year we met the target of finishing the clinic day before dark, most days!

LINdA: I agree…We all found our natural roles within the team and we meshed well…It is really a neat model of pharmacy practice that we shared in Ghana. It is kind of like a community pharmacy and an ambulatory care clinic and an urgent care centre all mixed into one…the dispensary role itself was much like either a hospital dispensary (non-unitdose!) or a community practice model.

MARthA: Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists don’t often get to work together

There is nothing more satisfying

than being a part of something

that is bigger than ourselves and

makes a difference to the lives of

those who are disadvantaged. It

is my way of giving back.

SUSAN FoCKLER 7t9

has gone on this mission to Ghana every year since 2007.

Photos by LINdA dRESSER 8t7

Ghana Health Team

In 2007, dr. Jennifer Wilson, an Uxbridge family and ER physician, approached David Mensah, the Director of the Northern Empowerment Association (NEA), about providing medical care in Ghana under the auspices of his organization. David and his wife, Brenda, had already been working in Northern Ghana for 20 years to provide the determinants of health for this impoverished rural area – determinants such as clean water, agriculture, micro-finance for small businesses, education and healthcare. For the last five years, alumni of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy have travelled to Ghana with a team of medical, dental and eye professionals to provide nine mobile medical clinics in the same area on an annual basis.

The pharmacy component has grown in numbers from one pharmacist in its first year (Susan Fockler, 7T9), to four pharmacists and a technician in 2011. This year, the pharmacists involved were Susan Fockler, Martha Bailkowski (7T8), Sherry Doodchenko (8T9), Linda Dresser (8T7) and hospital pharmacy technician, Cathy Wright.

professionally. Here was an opportunity to take skills of both specialties, meld them and put them to good use for a good cause. As we worked together, we found that we in community pharmacy had access to customers/patients who were so interested in what we were doing and willing to support us in so many ways. Community pharmacists also tend to “do everything,” like answer phones, fill prescriptions, check and sign, etc. I think this ability really helped us in a Third World country where resources were scarce. The skills of the hospital pharmacists lent themselves to the organization of the process that was put in place.

SUSAN: What makes our Pharmacy work so well is that everyone is more than willing to do whatever is needed, yet defer to someone with more expertise in a given area. For example, our technician started the day dispensing, but by mid-afternoon she was mostly providing directions to others who joined us to fill prescriptions.

CAthy: It was perfect in my opinion. The four pharmacists rotated through order entry, checking and working with the interpreters giving out the prescriptions to the patients…In the afternoons, as nurses and the doctors finished their duties, they joined us.



laptop computers and printers working in a remote village in Ghana is remarkable in itself. Dealing with the unidentified animal droppings that are appearing on a regular basis on the table beside you, in the drug bins – now that takes strength of character! You adapt, you problem solve, you are a professional and you utilize the skills and knowledge that you have the privilege to embody and you get through the day with a smile (and a lot of “personal wipes”). The patient counselling was unique in that it required a translator and lots of charades and it was done on the steps of a building in 30-plus-degree Celsius weather with chickens running past your feet but otherwise just the same as here at home. Well, maybe not quite the same – more children vomited on me, or almost on me, in Ghana and many of the elderly patients had never tried to take the cap off a bottle let alone a ‘childproof ’ cap. Sometimes the translators would seem to need many more words to say something than I did, which would make me ask them to tell me what they had told the patient. This sometimes led to interesting answers – for example, one translator who was helping me teach an eight-year-old boy how to use an inhaler was telling the child to inhale in like he was smoking a cigarette! Another day my translator told me he was telling the patient that she needed to be very serious about taking her medication, that it is very strong and will

knock down and cure her – she has hypertension – I had to try and explain that the medication we were able to provide was not likely going to cure her and that it was very important that she follow up in the local clinics to get more medication when the supply we gave her was getting low.

MARthA: Getting to Carpenter is no easy feat, either. We leave on a Friday evening from Toronto and arrive for dinner in Carpenter on Sunday. It requires two flights and a 13-hour bus ride…Social times tend to be on the bus rides to the villages. These trips range from 1 to 3 hours each way. When we get to the village, we are greeted by the Chiefs and Elders and we must ask permission to do our work. Then we set up our room, get the computers and printers up and running (always an issue) and then put our heads down and work. Lunch is usually 15 or 20 minutes at most. The end of the clinic finds us rushing to finish so that we can be on the bus before dark. It is dangerous to travel in Northern Ghana after dark. Once back in Carpenter, we shower, eat dinner and head back to the resource centre to replenish our supplies for the next day.

RX: What was the most memorable part of the trip?

ShERRy: Aside from seeing elephants from within only a few metres away, being able to watch a hernia surgery from start to finish, while standing right beside the surgeon, was amazing. As a community pharmacist, that would never happen at home.

CAthy: Lives being saved right in front of our faces. The hernia team that was with us had three operating rooms running and did approximately 244 hernia surgeries. These adults and children would have never had their hernias repaired and would have died from complications…We had set up in a village one morning when a man from a surrounding village came running in saying that his wife was haemorrhaging. A doctor and two nurses flew off in one of our trucks. She had actually given birth to twins, and with simple Oxytocinon the woman’s life was saved.

SUSAN: It is hard to define one most memorable part and some of my memories are quite personal. It is wonderful to arrive in Carpenter each year to be greeted by the NEA workers and the translators that we have built such ties with. If I were to cite one specific part that was most memorable,

I would say stopping at a waterfall on the way home from a village called Banantiewe. The trip to the waterfall was especially significant, because it was only possible because of the efficiency of the team. In years gone by, pharmacy would finish two hours after the doctors – as the sun was setting. Last year, we fine-tuned our dispensing system with a Kaizen event but still finished after dark each day. This year the blister packs that Cathy and her family made allowed us to achieve our goal, ‘done before dark.’

LINdA: I agree with Susan – it is hard to pick just one moment. One of my favourite moments was looking out the window of the school classroom we were working out of in Banantiewe and seeing a herd of cows encircling the dental clinic. Kyle, the dentist, and Amanda, his trusty assistant, just carried on as if this was a typical day at the office. I wasn’t able to get out of the pharmacy and didn’t really know what was going on until much later but Susan and Sherry had a very special moment with a patient one day in Carpenter, a woman who is an albino and therefore very susceptible to skin related problems. Susan and Sherry ensured that this year we brought sunscreen products for this specific patient. The woman was so thankful and appreciative that they had remembered her that she came back to clinic the next day (I can’t remember how many miles she had to walk) and brought them three yams – a huge personal sacrifice for her – as a gift to Susan and Sherry to say thank you.

RX: What were your greatest challenges?

ShERRy: Knowing that we are not going to be able to help everyone who needs help. Part of our group preparation meetings highlight this very challenge and remind us to focus on the patient in front of us, doing the best that we can for one patient at a time. Being away from my family for two weeks is also a challenge. The final flight home seemed to stretch on forever.

CAthy: Running out of certain drugs and having to auto-sub.

SUSAN: Working efficiently and accurately, with a smile on your face, while dealing with heat, noise, confusion and possible illness! It is a huge physical and psychological challenge. The need is so great and we can only offer so

much. I believe we are making a difference, but it is heartbreaking to learn that a patient needs a medication that we did not bring or that they cannot get a refill for a chronic condition.

LINdA: I know that we do a lot of good as a team for a lot of people, but I worry about times when we could potentially do harm unintentionally. If we are only in a village for two days, will anyone recognize if a patient is having an allergic reaction to a medication, or will it be missed? Will anyone remember tomorrow how to use their inhalers or when to use them? Will patients who require long-term medication for a chronic illness, like some of the glaucoma patients we saw this year, continue to receive the medication they need after the supply we have given them runs out or will they even take the medications we have provided correctly? I wonder if we have been culturally sensitive enough in our approach to medicine…For example, we encountered on this trip the issue of prescribing Arthrotec (diclofenac/misoprostil) to women of childbearing age. Asking women in this culture to ‘not get pregnant’ while taking this medication is not being culturally sensitive.

I found it challenging as a pharmacist to surrender the patient counselling so extensively to our nursing and physician colleagues…We have worked hard to assess a prescription for appropriateness, fill the prescription accurately and completely and then to just let go and not be involved in the final step of delivering this prescription to the patient was a challenge and there were definitely days when this process was at worst, chaotic. As a team we have identified this as an area to think about tools to improve the accuracy, relevance and completeness of the information delivered by our colleagues.

The hernia team that was with

us had three operating rooms

running and did approximately

244 surgeries. These adults and

children would have never had

their hernias repaired and would

have died from complications.



MARthA: We are able to leave a three month supply of chronic medication such as blood pressure pills, but it is always a concern as we wonder what happens when the supply is used up. David and Brenda Mensah try to take a role here to follow-up. We always wonder if the information that we try to impart about the medications through the translators is actually getting through to the people. David and Brenda have been able to provide valuable information about the value of the work we do each year. They have told us that the people of Northern Ghana are healthier and therefore able to work, feed their families, etc. We need to hear this.

RX: How many patients did you treat and did you come across anything that you never thought you would ever see?

CAthy: Over 10,000 patients…As a technician, I don’t get to see too many sites. I was surprised how many cases of children with hernias there were.

ShERRy: One day I heard that a young girl had been found outside, moaning in pain on the ground with severe ascites. She was brought into the treatment area and the team was able to drain a significant amount of fluid from her belly but she was still very sick. Unfortunately, we did not have spironolactone with us. Later that same day, I processed another prescription which also asked for spironolactone. As I read the physician notes I was surprised to see this was also for ascites but for a middle aged male. I don’t believe this had ever been encountered on any of the four previous missions, but now spironolactone will be added to the list of meds that will be taken next year.

SUSAN: Every year, more people come to our clinics…There were approximately 1,000 patients at each clinic. Those that are not ill receive deworming medication and some free medications such as vitamins, acetaminophen and eye lubricants. About 500 ill patients were actually seen by a doctor and received prescriptions (I estimate an average of 2-3 per person). Hundreds of others had teeth removed or were fitted for glasses. Every year, we see some tropical diseases that are new to us, such as yaws and Buruli ulcer. This year we were grateful that we had procured ivermectin locally to treat scabies because we also needed it for cutaneous larva migrans and other parasitic infections.

RX: There is obviously a lot of organization and planning involved – how do you go about sourcing the medications?

SUSAN: Our main source of medications is Health Partners International. Last year we purchased 10 of their “Physician Travel Packs,” which are purported to provide medications to 1,000 people each for $550. We also place orders with CanMap (part of Teva Canada) and Alcon and collect

physician samples. Our employers, pharmacist colleagues, physicians and pharmaceutical representatives also donate medications. Drugs which cannot be purchased in Canada, such as anti-malarials and albendazole, are bought by the NEA from the nearest hospital (I have established an email connection with their pharmacist). As a general rule, we try to use the same medications for chronic conditions that are ‘available’ locally, so we end up purchasing some drugs through the hospital I work at. Many developing countries have an ‘Essential Medicines List,’ which is a good starting point for understanding what is available locally.

LINdA: This takes months and months of planning and organizing! The amount of pre-trip work that was done, especially by Susan, Cathy, and Martha in terms of pre-packaging and blister packing all the STI and other kits is incredible. And Sherry spent numerous hours updating the computer program to ensure the inventory and the pre-programmed set orders were all in place…The RxTrack system, developed by a previous team member and her husband to facilitate generating prescription labels, is amazing!

CAthy: We actually started making kits weeks ahead of time, 750 in total. We made PID kits, STI Female, Male and Pregnant Female, Diarrhoea/Typhoid, Peptic Ulcer. We spent many hours organizing the drugs, eliminating excess packaging, and prepacking. On our last day, we did inventory and logged any leftover drugs that can be used next year…Drugs that would be expiring by the time we returned next year would be divided up among the local clinics.

ShERRy: The medications that we cannot get through other means, we buy, using funds donated from private and corporate sponsors.

RXCELLENCE: If other alumni are interested in doing this type of work, could you recommend some websites or organizations for them to visit?

SUSAN: Dr. Wilson and I started our preparation by attending the annual conference of the Institute for International Medicine (INMED) in Kansas City. At the conference we were able to connect with others who had worked in Northern Ghana and obtain some great references. INMED also offers on-line and intensive courses in International Medicine. The Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists has a Professional Specialties Group Global Health which is free to any member. This group ran a workshop at the Professional Practice Conference in Toronto last winter. I have found the World Health Organization and the Ghana Health websites to also be helpful.

LINdA: And what’s so great about the WHO website is that it contains the ethical guidelines about taking medications abroad. They are very specific about what kind of measures should be taken when dealing with medications that are expired or about to expire.

MARthA: All in all, it is an amazing collaboration of professionals. It is hot. The work is hard. There is little time to socialize. Often we don’t feel well. Yet, there is nowhere I would rather be than in Northern Ghana for two-and-a-half weeks in November. I have learned so much. I have so much….They have so little, yet somehow they teach us what is valuable and important in life.

I know that we do a lot of good

as a team for a lot of people,

but I worry about times when

we could potentially do harm

unintentionally. If we are only

in a village for two days, will

anyone recognize if a patient

is having an allergic reaction to

a medication, or will it be missed?



On April 19, 2011, the Leslie Dan

Faculty of Pharmacy announced

a landmark $1 million donation

from Walmart Canada.

Walmart Canada Commits to PharmacyEducation

this donation, one of the largest single corporate donations ever made to the Faculty, has led to the creation of the Walmart Canada International Pharmacy Education Centre.

The establishment of the Walmart Canada International Pharmacy Education Centre has allowed the Faculty to renovate the current International Graduate Program (IPG) learning space and create a physical centre with designated instructional and breakout space for this important program. It has also allowed the program to expand enrolment, enhance course offerings, consolidate operations, and develop alternative learning modules to accommodate a wider variety of participants. Ultimately, this transformational gift from Walmart Canada provides internationally-trained pharmacists increased access to specialized Canadian pharmacy education, which, in turn, will enhance the health and well-being of families in communities across Canada.

Established in 2000, the IPG program is a university-based bridging program that provides internationally-educated pharmacists with

the knowledge and skills necessary to meet Canadian pharmacy practice standards and licensing requirements. Since inception, close to 800 students have completed the IPG program, which has established itself as a model in bridging education. Offered twice a year, this program prepares over 150 internationally-trained pharmacists to practice pharmacy in Canada through instruction in a comprehensive educational program based on the Faculty’s undergraduate curriculum. This commitment from Walmart Canada will facilitate an anticipated 30 per cent increase in enrolment over the next several years, which will make a significant difference in meeting the growing demand for qualified pharmacists in Canada.

“Walmart Canada’s generous donation provides the funding and physical infrastructure to increase enrolment, augment program offerings and enhance the overall learning experience,” noted Dr. Henry Mann, Dean of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. “The Centre will provide students with a designated space to study, attend classes, and interact with faculty, staff and pharmacy practitioners, so they can develop the skills and support networks necessary to succeed in Canadian pharmacy practice.”

“Canadians are increasingly turning to Walmart for healthcare solutions, and our pharmacists play an

Frank Kwiecien Memorial Scholarship

Frank Kwiecien passed away on September 12, 2011, after a brave battle with brain cancer. Frank graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto in 1980 and from there embarked on a long and illustrious career in retail pharmacy, eventually serving as Vice-President, Pharmacy, for Loblaw Companies Limited. He also served on the Board of Directors of numerous industry associations, organizations and not-for-profits.

On October 16, 2011, family, friends and colleagues of Frank’s gathered at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy to honor his passing and pay tribute to a true leader in the field of pharmacy. Through a combination of moving videos and a series of remarks, the pharmacy community recognized the incredible personal attributes and professional contributions achieved by a man who referred to himself as just a “simple pharmacist.”

In memory of Frank’s life and in celebration of his contributions to the profession, a student award has been established in his honour at the Faculty. To date, industry, friends and family have contributed over $90,000 to the Frank Kwiecien Memorial Scholarship. All donations

to the scholarship will be matched dollar for dollar by the Government of Ontario’s Ontario Trust for Student Support program, effectively doubling the value of the scholarship.

The Faculty would like to thank the organizers of the memorial event and all of the generous donors. Gifts to the scholarship will not only celebrate the life and memory of Frank Kwiecien, but will ensure that his legacy as a caring, committed healthcare practitioner and member of the community will carry on.

Want to make a donation?

If you would like to make a donation to the Frank Kwiecien Memorial Scholarship, please contact David White at [email protected] or give online athttps://donate.utoronto.ca/give/show/6



integral role in delivering these services,” said Eric Muir, Senior Vice-President, Health and Wellness for Walmart Canada. “Through the establishment of the Walmart Canada International Pharmacy Education Centre, together with the University of Toronto, we are investing in the future of healthcare to ensure Canadians have access to pharmacists that meet the highest standards. International pharmacist graduates continue to be an important part of providing healthcare services to Canadians representing up to 30 per cent of practicing pharmacists. Walmart will continue to provide programs supporting our Canadian pharmacy students and are proud to have this opportunity to also support international graduates in Canada.”

Walmart’s investment in pharmacy education has enabled the Faculty to enhance what is already a premium Canadian pharmacy educational experience and offer it to an expanded base of qualified applicants in diverse locations. This summer, the IPG program began offering a hybrid online program developed to increase access to the program for students who live outside of Toronto or work part-time. A small number of students are piloting this program, which is anticipated to become a popular option for internationally-trained pharmacists.

While the program and the individuals participating in it will benefit from this expansion, it is also important to recognize that the benefits of this gift will be felt in the community. An increased pool of competent and qualified pharmacists will clearly be a blessing to communities across Canada where, in many settings, it will mean having greater access to front-line healthcare professionals who can play a vital role in the health and well-being of their community. With the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists increasing every day, an increased pool of pharmacists equipped with the latest knowledge and practice skills will likewise position these communities as integral healthcare sites. Pharmacies hiring IPG graduates will gain valuable team members with a wealth of skills, knowledge, experience and maturity whose contributions will immediately impact customer service, customer confidence, and customer loyalty.

over 5,000* people found themselves running one of the two (or both) marathons in Toronto last year, including Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy alumna Andrea Cameron (8T1).Andrea has completed 31 marathons in 11 different cities since running her first one in November 1992. These races have taken her as far east as Prague and to Honolulu in the west.

“Running 26 miles through a city and countryside is a great way to see many different parts of Canada and the world. Some races, like Boston and Toronto, have seen my feet from start to finish numerous times. I have been doing about 3 a year in the past few years. Sprinkled in amongst these would be several shorter races a year – such as 10K and half marathons. These shorter races are an important part of a marathon training plan to let the body get used to running faster.” – Andrea Cameron

1,305.1 KMS!

RX: How did you get into running? AC: I got into it a little bit during my university days, running laps on Queen’s Park north. Marathon running started in 1992 when a group of friends talked one another into doing a race together.

RX: What was your most memorable race? AC: The 2007 Boston Marathon with my

Running with Andrea CameronHow many of you listed

“to run a marathon”

as one of your New

Year’s resolutions? mother waiting at the finish area. The 2nd most memorable was my first marathon, when I staggered across the finish line and then felt my knees give way and got taken to a medical tent for a cup of warm hot chocolate.

RX: How do you prepare for a run when it’s that cold? AC: Layers and hope for sunshine! Start heading into the wind, so it’s at your back on the way home.

RX: Do you have any shoe preference? AC: I used to be stuck on one kind for years. Now I am trying some of the more lightweight ones.

RX: Does anything hurt after a run? AC: Not usually, but sometimes some stiffness here or there.

RX: Music or no music? What songs get you going? AC: Springsteen is one of my favourites, but most often I listen to podcasts or long novels (e.g. Jane Austen) that I would never get around to reading.

RX: Do you have any post-run rituals or treats? AC: Starbucks coffee and a bagel!

RX: Do you have any upcoming races? AC: Boston in April 2012 and maybe Mississauga in May 2012.

RX: Where do you keep your finishers’ medals? AC: Hanging on my dresser or in a basket.

RX: Do you do any cross-training? AC: A bit of strength training and cycling in better weather.

RX: How does running a half compare with running a full marathon? AC: The full is more than ‘twice’ the effort of a half, since your body tends to run out of glycogen stores at about miles 18-20. It is said that the marathon only really starts at mile 20 – I believe that is true.

*totals have been calculated as total marathon finishers

on their respective registration websites

If this year is going to be

your year, here are 5 things

for the first time marathon

runner to consider:

Find a training program

either at a running

store, or online

And give yourself 4 to 6 months lead time to build up gradually.

Find a training partner

or group if possible

Don’t be obsessive It’s okay if you miss a run from time to time. However, stay focused on achieving your goal.

Enjoy the day of the race

Don’t go out too fast – and gather energy along the way by exchanging high fives with the spectators.

Expect to be exhausted

but exhilarated at the

finish line

Expect to tell yourself and anyone near you who will listen that ‘I am never going to do this again.’ But be prepared to change your mind in a day or two when the soreness subsides.

A few tipsFrom Andrea



Stay Connected

Make sure you join the IPG ALUMNI FACEBooK PAGE for news on events and updates from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.

Since 2000, the IPG program has assisted almost 1,000 pharmacists trained in countries outside Canada to meet Canadian entry-to- practice standards. It has been just over two years since Selasi Badasu graduated from the IPG program and we were able to catch up with her for this edition of the IPG Alumni Spotlight.

RX: Where are you from and where were you educated prior to attending the IPG program? S: I am from Accra, Ghana and studied at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

RX: When did you graduate from the IPG program?S: September 2009

RX:What have you been up to since graduation?S: I moved to the Niagara region and I love it here! For the most part I’ve been working. I volunteer for the public health department of the Niagara region and I’m still very involved with the IPG program working as a TA when I can make it to the labs. I’m also working on rejuvenating the IPG Alumni Association.

RX: What is your favourite thing about working where you are now?S: The people! Everyone is so nice and they make me feel like I belong.

RX: What is your fondest memory from when you were in IPG?S: Preparing for role-plays! Now I look back on those days and laugh at the stress of it but I’ll be forever grateful for the great preparation they gave me for practice.

RX: What were your greatest challenges?S: I would say studying and working at the same time. It was difficult to balance it all but I live for challenges. I’m glad I made it through!

RX: Do you still keep in touch with many of your classmates? S: I try to keep in touch but everyone is so busy! I have phone numbers and emails of everyone but the best way for most of us is through facebook. Every alumni should join our facebook page. It’s a great way to keep in touch and be in the know!

RX:What’s exciting or coming up for you in 2012?S: I am looking forward to going to Ghana! It will be so much fun to see all my friends again. And then I’ll be off to Mozambique to volunteer with initiative360. I’m really looking forward to it!

If you’ve attended our reunions, you’ll know how much fun they are. Last year, Luke Ome Agada addressed IPG Alumni at the 2011 Reunion. In case you missed it, we’ve re-printed his delightful words:

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2nd edition of the International Pharmacy Graduate Alumni Reunion.

Last night I told the pharmacy assistant working with me that I will not be coming to work on Thursday because I will be attending the IPG alumni reunion - she looked back at me and said IPG? Sir, I guess that means “INTELLIGENT PEOPLE’S GROUP” ALUMNI?

I don’t think that she was wrong with her definition of the acronym IPG.

I believe that we are truly a group of intelligent but humble people with the same goal of serving our community through the delivery of good pharmaceutical care. We are not only a group of intelligent people but we represent a large proportion of Canadian pharmacists. The Ontario College of Pharmacists Annual Report, 2009-2010,

Welcome to our

new Alumni

In November, the International Pharmacy Graduate (IPG) program held a graduation ceremony for close to 200 students who participated during 2010 and 2011.

Always well attended, this year’s graduation featured addresses from Dean Henry Mann, Maria Bystrin (Director, Continuous Professional Development), Kathy Moscou (Manager, International Pharmacy Graduate program), Chisanga Puta-Chekwe (Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Immigration), Sherif Guorgui (President, Ontario College of Pharmacists) and the Hon. Deb Matthews (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care).

Participants in this year’s IPG graduation ceremony included individuals from Egypt, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ghana, China, Japan, Iran, Korea, Jamaica, Trinidad, Syria, Ethiopia, Chile, Senegal, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, Cuba, Peru, Ecuador, and Iraq.

indicates that of the 649 newly registered pharmacists, 295 were IPG, 43 from the United States and 302 from within Canada. IPG make up 45% of the newly registered pharmacist population in Canada last year and this represents a strong force. This is why your support and active participation in our Alumni program is priceless to the Canadian pharmacist community and to the population at large. While I acknowledge your immense contribution and support to IPG thus far, I implore you to get more involved with IPG; be a complete part of this great group.

IPG represents the most colourful, multicultural and multi-racial unit of the Canadian pharmacist community. Along with rich international skills in diverse disciplines, you bring the great pharmacy skills learnt at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, to Canadians.You know, I don’t know what you hear when you practice, but I hear a lot of nice things said about me as an IPG pharmacist. Some of my favourite compliments have been:

“I like your accent”“That’s very thoughtful of you”“You so nice, so humble. I am glad I came here today”

I am proud to be an IPG pharmacist and I know that you are too. There is an adage in Africa that says “for every good child there is a good mother,” IPG is indeed a good child and we have several great mothers behind IPG, many of whom are here tonight: Dr. Henry Mann, the Dean of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy; Kathy Moscou, Program Manager &

Lecturer, International Pharmacy Graduate Program; Doris Kalamut, Course Coordinator & Lecturer, Communication Skills in Pharmacy Practice; Tim Mickleborough, Coordinator for Pharmaceutical Care skills and Self Care courses; Mahmoud Suleiman, Coordinator for the Professional Practice & Pharmacy Management Theory course; Vincent Teo and Amita Woods, Coordinators for Therapeutics for the International Graduates Program; also present here are the hard working administrative staff of the IPG -- Cherylyn Stina, Rebecca Thorpe, Jessy Balendra and Linda Kang. To everybody else, I say, “welcome.”

Finally, please enjoy the evening; be relaxed, exchange business and social contacts, and may God bless IPG ALUMNI.

LUKE oME AGAdA

B.PHARM MSC RPH

IPG Alumni Association

The first IPG Alumni Association meeting was held in early February 2012. New officers were voted into the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Events. If you are interested in getting involved, it’s not too late! Please check out the facebook page for more information and the updated list.

Save the Date:

2012 IPG ReunionSaturday, June 9, 2012 11:30am – 2:30pm

Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building 144 College Street, TorontoSpecial Guest: MARShALL MoLESChI Registrar, Ontario College of Pharmacists

IPG ReunionsIPG News A familiar face – IPG Alumni Spotlight



In 2010, a group of enterprising, young pharmacy students established Pharmacy Without Limits (PWL) with the vision of presenting an annual and sustainable lecture and workshop series in which pharmacy students and recent graduates can explore the choices and options they have upon graduation. Pharmacy Without Limits is a forum where students can meet and learn from experts in the various and diverse fields in which pharmacy is present, as well as network with students with similar ideas and ambitions.To date, the response to Pharmacy Without Limits has been overwhelmingly positive. Over 400 students have attended the three lectures that have focused on the areas of entrepreneurship, teaching and academia, and pharmacy within an industry or corporate setting. This road of discovery that Pharmacy Without

Pharmacy withoutLimits

Limits is exploring will lead to the broadening of opportunities for pharmacy students and graduates, and will create and develop the innovators and leaders of our profession locally, provincially, nationally and globally. Pharmacy Without Limits inspired us to step outside of the preconceived notions of pharmacists and over the past few months, we met with the following individuals to discuss their non-traditional, innovative and incredibly successful pharmacy related careers.

Carolyn Keystone 7t1

Carolyn Keystone began her professional career working in a community pharmacy for a small chain and then joined Shoppers Drug Mart in 1974. A year later she was offered the job as Pharmaceutical Buyer for Tamblyn Drug Mart, a 200 store chain. Tamblyn’s was owned by Loblaws and as the head pharmacist she was tasked with the development of private label vitamins and toiletries for both the drug and food chains. This was the first time that a large chain had developed a line of private label products in these categories.

A few years later, Tamblyn’s was sold to Boots, the chemist of England, and Carolyn continued on as the Pharmaceutical Merchandise Manager.

Boots operated differently from the pharmacies in North America and Carolyn was sent to the United Kingdom for four months of training, returning to Canada to eventually build a team of twelve buyers in Toronto and Vancouver. To gain wider exposure to the entire store operation, Carolyn became the Health and Beauty/Fashion Merchandise Manager. Though not novel today, Carolyn introduced baby food into the drug chain. Before this time, baby food was only sold in grocery stores. She also started the first natural health food sections in drug stores.

In 1980, she introduced an exclusive brand of bath products, DuCair Bioessence, to Boots Canada, which sold extremely well. Recognizing an opportunity to become the Canadian Distributor for this line, in 1981 she started her own business, Carolyn Sales, which eventually became the Carolyn Corporation. Even though she had moved to the sales side, her network and contacts continued to be many of her fellow pharmacy graduates. She was able to establish and build working relationships with many of the pharmacists to whom she sold products.

The company grew over the years into a major Canadian distributor of toiletries, cosmetics and fragrance. Carolyn sold the company in 1992 to an American subsidiary of a Japanese company called Tsumura. Although after 1992 the American company changed ownership twice, Carolyn was asked to continue to lead the Canadian operation as President until she retired in 2007. Throughout these years the company distributed products for Unilever, Elizabeth Arden, Coty, L’Oreal, Guess Watches and Yankee Candle. In addition, the company developed numerous children’s toiletries under major licenses such as Barbie, Batman, Harry Potter, etc. The company also owned the Vitabath and Claire Burke Brands. One of Carolyn’s proudest professional achievements was running a business with low turnover. She had over 80 sales representatives selling in three classes of trade and 35 people who worked in the office and warehouse, including some that were with her for over 20 years.Carolyn credits her success in business in part to the education she received at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, noting that “what I learned in the program helped when assessing new products,

determining the chemical makeup of products, and packaging for contract manufacturing.”Even though she “retired” in 2007, Carolyn continues to stay busy as President of Trimin Capital Corp, a Canadian private equity company. In addition, Carolyn is involved in many philanthropic activities, some of which utilize her pharmaceutical background.

Catherine Kroll 8t4

Catherine Kroll has had a number of varied experiences in her pharmacy career. After her second year, she spent a summer in research at the Faculty, on a Medical Research Council scholarship. After third year, she worked in industry for the summer as part of the PMAC student program. After graduation, Kroll worked as a pharmacist for a few years with a small retail chain. She left there to do freelance relief work, mostly in retail, with some hospital work. During this time, Kroll became familiar with several computer systems and work-flow methods. Eventually, she found a pharmacy that felt like “home.” It had a wonderful, caring staff, and patients that were like family. She was able to devote substantial time to patient counseling, and it had her favourite computer system (Kroll, of course). Catherine became a partner in this pharmacy, did some OPA committee work, and thought she was settled for life.

Then, she met Tony Kroll. They fell in love and got married, and she moved to the Toronto area. She worked part-time in a medical pharmacy and part-time at Kroll Computer Systems, a company founded by Tony. Kroll Computer Systems is a national sales and support company solely dedicated to providing end-to-end solutions for the pharmacy software and hardware marketplace. Gradually, the Kroll Computer Systems job became more and more time consuming, and she stopped her retail pharmacy work. At Kroll, she provided telephone support, training, drug file maintenance and served as a liaison with the Ontario College of Pharmacists, the Ontario Pharmacists Association, government and other third party payers. She started with Kroll at the time the ODB on-line was just beginning, so that became her niche. She helped Tony

ABOVE RoChELLE StENZLER and CARoLyN KEyStoNE



with the general look of the program and scheduled dedicated phone lines for pharmacies and talked the pharmacists through the initial set-up. When her son was born, Catherine quit work to be home with him and that’s where she continues to be to this day. While she hasn’t practiced in a patient-care setting in over 15 years, she has maintained her pharmacy license, continues to think of herself as a pharmacist, and believes she always will. In a few years, when her son has gone to university, she plans to do something else. She does not see herself going back to retail pharmacy, but thinks she might like to try research again.

Susanne Priest 7t6

Thinking outside of the box and taking risks is an attitude that served Susanne Priest well over an incredibly successful career with Shoppers Drug Mart. After graduating from the Faculty in 1976, Priest returned to her hometown of Grimsby, Ontario, to work with “the pharmacist,” Albert Dyson (4T8). She became Dyson’s business partner and continued to work in the pharmacy. Working in the pharmacy not only allowed Priest to hone her patient care skills, it also introduced her to the business side of running a pharmacy, prompting her to return to school and pursue an MBA from McMaster University. The pharmacy was sold to Shoppers Drug Mart shortly thereafter.

After graduating with her MBA in 1986, Priest spent the next 11 years as a Shoppers Drug Mart Associate, owning two stores, one in Grimsby, the other in Belleville. In 1997, she was appointed Vice-President, Operations, Western Ontario for Shoppers Drug Mart, responsible for 120 associate locations across Western Ontario. In 1999, she was named Vice-President of National Operations, and in 2001, Senior Vice-President, Western Canada Operations.

In 2004, Priest was selected by the CEO of Shoppers Drug Mart to return to Toronto and develop and launch the company’s new innovative Healthcare Division. As Senior Vice-President Healthcare Division and Home Health Care Division, Priest led every phase of the Divisions’ development, from designing a compelling value proposition for all stakeholders, to building a sustainable operating model and marketing position.

Her outstanding success in the Healthcare and Home Health Care Divisions led to her appointment as Senior Vice-President, Pharmacy, Innovation and Patient Care in 2009. In this role Priest led a team that developed the operational framework and IT infrastructure required for Pharmacy Services across Canada. She also built a unique, cross-functional operations model with Human Resources, IT and Operations, increased the company’s presence in outpatient hospital pharmacies, and created new revenue streams to offset the decline in pharmacy fees.

In 2011, after 35 years, Priest left Shoppers Drug Mart. Since leaving she has focused on her family (she is married with three sons) and her volunteer work (she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Westpark Hospital Foundation and The Scarborough Hospital Foundation). Despite her varied career path, Priest loves working in healthcare and continues to work once a week in a pharmacy in Uxbridge.

Rochelle Stenzler 7t6

A classmate of Susanne Priest, Rochelle Stenzler also rose to the top of her field in a non-traditional role. After graduating from the Faculty in 1976, Stenzler went directly into retail pharmacy. She completed her internship with Tamblyn

Drugmarts, and then accepted the position as a Co-Pharmacy Manager, as her first full-time role.

For Stenzler, it was always the interaction with people, more than the science, that drew her to pharmacy. By 1981, she began to feel that there had to be more to gaining fulfillment as a pharmacist than simply “lick, stick, stamp and pour,” so to speak. This led her to accept a position as Retail Pharmacy Coordinator in the Toronto office of Boots Drug Stores (formerly Tamblyn Drugmarts). This is when what Stenzler refers to as “life in the office,” began.

Over the next eight years, Stenzler held a number of different operational roles with Boots, from District Manager to Director of Retail Services to Vice-President, Retail and Pharmacy Services. In 1988, she was appointed Senior Vice President, Store Operations. Stenzler remained in this position for four years, through the Oshawa Groups’ acquisition & re-branding of Boots Drug Stores to Pharma Plus Drugmarts and the subsequent amalgamation with a sister division, Drug City, under the Pharma Plus Drugmarts banner. In 1992, Stenzler was appointed President and General

Manager of Pharma Plus Drugmarts. Under her leadership, Pharma Plus’ revenues increased by over 7% (net of losing almost 8% resulting from the ban on tobacco sales in Ontario drugstores), they opened 20 new retail locations, acquired 11 independent businesses and introduced significant technological enhancements and new retail systems.

After five years as the President and General Manager of Pharma Plus, Rochelle was appointed President of Revlon Canada in 1997. As President of the Canadian division of a world leader in the manufacture & sales of cosmetics, fragrance personal care and professional products, Stenzler oversaw the launch of the revolutionary ColourStay Hair Colour product line and grew overall revenues during some challenging times. In 1999, Stenzler was appointed President, International Operations of TLC Laser Eye Centers Inc., a publicly-traded $300 million laser vision correction business with operating centres throughout North America. She left TLC in 2000 to accept the role of President and CEO of TouchLogic Corporation. In this capacity, she was responsible for the day-to-day direction, management, sales, marketing and technical development for this new business

The Pharmacy Without Limits

events have truly helped me

explore the many career options

I will have with my pharmacy

degree. Through this exploration,

I am now truly confident that

I will be able to find a fulfilling

career for myself in a field

of interest.

– A third year student

RIGHT CAthERINE KRoLL and SUSANNE PRIESt



that develops and markets scaleable, low-cost inbound and outbound Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solutions and services to North American businesses.

In 2004, after completing the sale of TouchLogic Corporation, Stenzler decided to pursue a totally different career direction at a time when she needed to spend more time with family. She founded Rochelle Stenzler Consulting, a practice that specializes in strategic business planning, operations process design, concept ideation/business development, retail and brand management and corporate governance consulting. In addition to being busy with her work as a consultant, Rochelle serves as a member of the Board of Directors of a number of companies, and not-for-profit organizations.

When looking back on her career and her tremendous success, Stenzler believes in the importance of excellent communication and knowing how to interact with people, be it patients or employees. “If you take your time and spend the extra 30 seconds...The more you explain, the more people will likely react positively and cooperate. And if you bring people in the loop, while they might not always agree...The more they know and understand, the more likely they will buy in. You have to remember that success is never achieved as a one-man show,” she advises. She also believes that over the past 30 years, the business of pharmacy has also changed quite dramatically on many fronts, noting for example, that “in the early days, almost every major pharmacy retailer had a pharmacist as its President/CEO. Today, as the number and type of retail pharmacy operatorshas increased tremendously, this is no longer

the case.” Throughout her executive career, Stenzler believes that it has helped tremendously to be a pharmacist, and attributes a great deal of her success to the values of ethics, honesty and integrity – all qualities of a good pharmacist.

Karen Agro (Chapman) 8t9 (BSc.Phm.) 9t6 (Pharm.d)

Paul Agro 8t0 (BSc.Phm.)

Christine Folia (Zyma) 9t4 (BSc Phm.) 9t6 (Pharm.d)

Karen Agro always knew that she did not want to practice community pharmacy full-time and that she would go into academia or industry. But nonetheless, she gave it a try. After a short stint in community pharmacy, she made the move to Boehringer Ingelheim and worked in regulatory affairs, medical services and clinical research. Knowing that Karen would eventually find a way to pursue her ultimate desire to start her own company, husband and fellow Pharmacy Alumni Paul Agro encouraged her early on - prior to graduating from the PharmD Program Karen registered the company name Agro Health Associates. She formally launched Agro Health Associates in 1996. She immediately hired three contract employees and meetings were held at either her dining room table or at a nearby Starbucks. They didn’t have business cards or a website for the first six years but they didn’t need to, people would just call, and the client base grew from referrals. It was their pharmacy network that drove the business – and their connections through the alumni of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.

In 1995, after 18 years in community pharmacy with Big V Pharmacies, Paul Agro moved to industry, spending the next three years in a variety of capacities for Boehringer Ingelheim. In 1998, Paul decided to leave Boehringer and join Karen at Agro Health Associates. Paul now serves as President of Agro Health Associates. His years of experience in community pharmacy have provided him with a keen sense of the needs of patients and healthcare professionals, while his vast and diverse experience with industry, especially in the areas of sales, marketing and market access, have prepared him well for the challenges of marketing a pharmaceutical product or service.

Christine Folia, discovered hospital pharmacy in high school. She loved it and knew that she wanted to her pursue her Doctor of Pharmacy from the

time she was 18. Folia graduated from the BSc.Phm program in 1994 and went straight into the Faculty’s Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program. It was during this time that she met Karen Agro, who was also enrolled in the program. The two became friends and roommates while they completed their Pharm.D. together. After graduating with her Pharm.D. in 1996, and taking some time off to have a family, Christine joined Agro Health Associates on a part-time basis in 2000. She now serves as Vice-President, Operations of Agro Health. Today, Agro Health Associates is a boutique firm with “knowledge” as their cornerstone product. While they specialize in education, market access and reimbursement strategies, clients seek their assistance for a variety of other services, including professional development programs, pre-examination OSCE preparation courses, and health care communication projects.

When discussing the importance of their pharmacy education, Christine points out how pharmacists have a “unique skill set,” the ability to understand therapeutics, the impact of medications, the ability to critically evaluate studies and differentiate between “good” vs. “bad” science. Also, knowing how to communicate is critical, something you hone in on during your time in the BSc.Phm program. Karen went on to note that “the problem based learning within the Pharm.D. program really opened her eyes to how to learn and how to think.” Both attribute their training in the Pharm.D. program to their ability to understand health systems and active practice.

While it has been over a decade since they left the classrooms at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, both Karen and Christine found themselves back “at school,” Karen completed her Masters in Clinical Epidemiology, which assists with the type of research in which she specializes, and Christine is currently working on her MBA.

Pharmacists have a unique

skill set, the ability to understand

therapeutics, the impact of

medications, the ability to

critically evaluate studies and

differentiate between good

vs. bad science.

It was truly great to see so many turn out for perhaps one last time to say hello, update our fading memories, share some of the old stories, meet wives, husbands, widows, perhaps for the first time. Thank you, Mo, for so many phone calls and your insistance we go so that all this manifested! Congratulations to all classmates and families, and thanks for the memories.

When I stood in line the Friday afternoon to register, I was immediately joined by Augie, John A. and wives. Before we could say much, there were more and more old faces arriving to scrutinize and try to recall. So much to take in and absorb. What a lovely time!

In the Convocation Hall ceremony, there still was much to ponder such that I could only momentarily push my mind back 50 years to when we actually graduated -- when we could now go out into the world and make our marks in Latin, French, English, whatever. The world was our oyster, and I, oops, was a vegetarian!

Back to the ceremony, and I started to applaud the efforts of each participant who, in spite of so many obligations, responsibilities and limited time, made the effort to be there. A very special group of friends on a very special day.

RoN LovIS 6T1

Looking BackSpring Reunion

This Year’s Reunion

If you graduated in a year ending in 7 or 2, this is your Spring Reunion! Invitations and more information will follow. We know that many of you have already begun planning, particularly if you will be celebrating a milestone reunion.

We would love to be included in your plans. For assistance, please contact Desiree Chan at 416-946-3985 or [email protected]



As I had arrived early via the subway, to see what was new, I entered through the impressive new facade of the Royal Ontario Museum. That is, I was impressed until I saw the price of admission: $27.00 after a large discount for senior citizens! “Why, I could remember when it cost only $___!” In reality, I couldn’t even remember that! The walk down from Bloor Street through Philosopher’s Walk seemed longer. Perhaps because I wasn’t in that much of a hurry. I could still walk, if not fast, at least halfast! I had lots of time to get to the reception by Convocation Hall. Although there were more buildings encroaching the Walk, the feeling of spaciousness persisted.

Upon arriving early to the registration line, I immediately felt the excitement prior to meeting “new” people. Yvette and John Adamkovics then manifested (I had recognized Augie previously). Lovely. Inside, many more lovely people. It was difficult to maintain a conversation with so many old friends arriving to greet and to try to catch up. Impossible. I’m afraid many conversations were truncated. Some didn’t get resumed.

Morley had commented that I wouldn’t recognize some people, but that Pick, I would.

Soon I heard his beautiful, melodious voice, and he manifested. These wonderful expected “surprises” continued for a long time. I thought, “What a shame that everybody couldn’t make it!” I did understand the limiting health reasons of some, and the strong conflict of family dates with others.

On to Convocation Hall, where dozens of people were congregating and segregating, convoking and joking. A small band of earnest helpers was trying to put us into some kind of order for the ceremony, but nobody was particularly interested in following instructions. I went with the flow (of people) and sat to the left with our group, leaving a smaller bunch of familiar faces to the right. It felt OK to be a leftist for a change. . .

The speeches were inspiring; the “projector” of images still wouldn’t work correctly. Something old, something new for the Varsity Blue! The words for our school song were thankfully visible on large screens for the benefit of those of us who hadn’t brushed up lately, say since 1961. A thrilling moment.

Then, on to Hart House. A slight drizzle didn’t dampen the spirits of many. We continued to talk, reminisce, and do other things which would probably

Ramblings about our 6T1 Reunion

also require a dictionary to spell correctly. I’ll stop with reminisce.

I was very happy to see Dr. Graham Nairn at the festivities. Other than being a little grayer, he looked exactly the same! An excellent role model. We all enjoyed his classes and friendship.

I was pleasntly surprised to see Neil Katzman in the reception room. He had somehow left the hospital the previous night and made his way over to be with us! And he looked pretty good. What great devotion and desire to be with us!

We arrived to our assigned room for the formal banquet, and continued with a new mixture of old faces. A fourth-year student gave an inspiring speech; I was enchanted by the high quality of our young people who will be filling in the spaces as we choose to retire and/or move on to other things.

The time went by too quickly. Soon the speeches were over, we were posing for a group photo and the people started disappearing. I do so hope we can meet again!

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By RoN LovIS



Thank You

To our 2011 Golf Classic Sponsors for their generous support. Together we raised over $45,000 for undergraduate student assistance and activities. We hope you will join us for another great day in August at the Thornhill Golf & Country Club.

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Congratulations

Contratulations to our 2012 Early Bird Draw Winner – ZELLERS PhARMACy who won two Platinum Leafs Tickets!



Because of the international

connections of many of our

faculty, students in the Bachelor

of Science in Pharmacy program

have the opportunity to take

the skills and knowledge they

have acquired in the classroom

and participate in Summer

Internships across the globe.

Summer Internship Programs

through these experiences, students witness first-hand how pharmacy is practiced in other countries, and measure what they learn here against what is happening in other parts of the world.

Third year student Sarah Bonazza interned for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. During her internship, she focused on the Good Governance for Medicines (GGM) Programme. The goal of this group is to improve access to medicines, reduce vulnerability to corruption, and improve transparency in health systems, especially in the pharmaceutical subsector. Sarah elaborates: “they use a three-phase process to evaluate and improve a country’s situation. To advance the work and prepare for an upcoming conference, I conducted a detailed and critical review of methodologies used to measure the impact of corruption, good governance, and transparency in a wide variety of organizations worldwide. I compiled my research into a background report

my interest in pharmacy and global health together in the future. Meeting other pharmacy student interns broadened my knowledge of other pharmacy schools and how pharmacy is practiced in their individual countries. I learned to adapt to living in a new country and completing difficult tasks with little prior knowledge. I also learned about different areas of global health and current issues happening around the world.” – Sarah Bonazza

At the end of May, Heather Bannerman and Priya Bansal left Toronto to spend 10 weeks in Namibia, where 15% of the population has HIV. Their internship, at the Katutura Health Centre, enabled them to work in a facility that provides specialized services for HIV and tuberculosis. In this role, they counselled patients, dispensed antiretroviral and tuberculosis medications to HIV patients, and assessed patient adherence. In addition to these daily responsibilities, Heather and Priya developed educational posters and videos that demonstrated the importance of medication adherence. “In class, we were taught that health is no longer considered to be just the absence of disease, but an all- encompassing outcome of many aspects of a patient’s life, and that in order to provide proper

patient-centred care, practitioners must first try to understand their patient. Nothing necessitates developing this skill more than placing yourself in a culture and environment completely different from anything you have ever known. Living in Namibia made us aware of many aspects of health as we saw our patients struggle with adherence to their HIV medications, while dealing with issues surrounding stigma, unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, and malnourishment. The Namibia 2011 Internship program provided us an opportunity to develop this skill and we will forever be better practitioners for it.” – Priya Bansal and Heather Bannerman

Maria Zhang participated in an internship program with the Stop-Tuberculosis Partnership that was also housed at the World Health Organization in Geneva this summer. Through this International Pharmaceutical Students Federation sponsored internship, Maria worked as part of the Global Drug Facility, an organizationthat provides access to high quality tuberculosis medications, and has supplied more than 18 million patient treatments since it was established ten years ago. In this role, Maria called upon her knowledge to create a pharmaceutical Product

The experience has helped

me realize what pharmacists

can do outside of the typical

community or hospital roles.

– MARIA ZhANG

for the conference and proposed a direction for GGM to take to make the current evaluation tool more standardized. The ultimate goal was to develop a quantitative or quasi-quantitative method of demonstrating changes at country or global levels of corruption in the pharmaceutical subsystem. Some of you readers may be thinking these goals are far-fetched, and yes I often felt the same way. But, I do believe this transparency in the pharmaceutical sector is a very important area in improving access to medicines, and thus improving the GGM assessment tool is necessary.”

Last year, Sarah was one of Dr. Jillian Kohler’s work-study students and it was during this time that her interest in pharmaceutical policy grew. “When the position became available, I was keen to apply, as the World Health Organization has a large role in global health policy.” As part of her internship, Sarah performed an intensive global literature review, developed a background report, presented her findings to WHO staff and interns, and composed a journal article to educate others on these issues. Sarah explains: “I presented my research to a group of WHO staff and interns during my last week in Geneva and also re-formatted it into a journal article to educate others on these issues.”

There were weekly intern meetings and newsletters with opportunities both during and outside of work hours. There were many “Experts for Interns” talks, often on controversial issues such as funding of the WHO, the reputation of the WHO, the current WHO reform, the bureaucracy and politics involved in United Nation’s organizations, accountability in philanthropic foundations, and marketing of the WHO. I attended the launching of the World Disability Report, education sessions on publishing papers, and a question and answer session with the Director General, who was very down to earth and honest with her opinions. I believe that the most beneficial part of my experience was seeing first hand how the WHO functions daily and the structure of the Organization. I highly recommend this internship to anyone interested in global health issues.”

“The experience benefited my overall educational experience by increasing my knowledge of different pharmacy careers available. Many staff I worked with and met were pharmacists at the WHO, so it was great to see that I could potentially combine

DesireeC

Highlight

DesireeC

Sticky Note

please remove the end quotation.



Catalogue - a tool that was well organized, user friendly, and desperately needed. Interested in global and public health, Maria also completed an HIV/AIDS internship in Namibia last year. When asked how the two internships compared, Maria said that “it was a great juxtaposition…since this one was on a macro level and housed in one of the most expensive countries in the world, and the Namibia internship was working with patients at the ground level in a low-income developing country.”

“The experience has helped me realize what pharmacists can do outside of the typical “community” or “hospital” roles. At the WHO, my supervisor was a quality assurance technical officer and she helped ensure that the Stop-TB Partnership was acquiring and providing high quality anti-tuberculosis medicines to those who need it the most. It also provided me with a new perspective on health care and how it interplays with things like transportation and the environment. I am now exploring the options of pursuing a Masters of Public Health or Psychology and/or going into teaching while still using my pharmacy degree.” – Maria Zhang

These global internships would not be possible without funding from the Faculty’s Enhancing the Student Experience Fund. This alumni-supported Fund lives up to its name by enhancing the undergraduate student experience by providing students with the ability to pursue their interests, develop their skills, and participate in the most diverse and unique educational experiences.

Maria has the following advice for people interested in internships: “I strongly recommend looking into internships for all students, interns and even alumni. There were quite a few practicing pharmacists who had a special interest in Public Health at the WHO, conducting a six-month internship. Whether it is working at an international organization where important decisions on world-wide policies are made, or on the ground-level where important decisions regarding individual patients are made, it will be an eye-opening experience.”

Want to know more about the guy who oversees the largest pharmacy faculty in Canada? He took a short break from his busy schedule to answer your questions in Time with the Mann:

What is your favourite meal?

Steak and potatoes, although BBQ ribs are very close.

What basketball team do you

cheer for in March Madness?

University of Kentucky Wildcats

What person/event had the biggest

influence on you growing up?

Attending the PharmD and Residency program at the University of Kentucky

Time With the Mann

If you have questions that you would like answered in Time with the Mann, please email them to [email protected].

Nothing can stop Kason Chan from becoming a pharmacist now, thanks to great determination and the generosity of a U of T legacy donor. By including U of T in your will, you could help someone like Kason achieve his potential and ultimately, contribute to the health and wellbeing of Canadians.

To find out more, contact [email protected] or 416-978-3846

give.utoronto.caKason ChanPursuing a BSc in Pharmacy

“It’s more than financial support I’m getting. It’s a reminder that I need to keep doing my best.”

GiftPlanning-fullpage-2011.indd 1 28/02/2011 3:52:04 PM



By supporting the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, you will:

Annual FundThe support of donors goes a

long way in helping us students

achieve everything we want

to get out of this degree…

– MARKo toMAS, 4th year student

Thank you. I had a life

changing experience, and I

would have never been able to

do it unless I had some support,

so thank you because it’s going

to make me a better practitioner

and a better person to be able

to help people in my career

– PRIyA BANSAL

PRIyA completed a 10 week internship in Namibia last year. You can read more about her experience on page 33 in SUMMER INtERNShIP PRoGRAMS

Please consider making your gift today

Every gift will truly make a difference!For more information or to give today, please visit: http://pharmacy.utoronto.ca/alumni/giving.htm

Increase Financial Assistance

With rising tuition fees and increased living expenses, the cost of a pharmacy education is now well in excess of $25,000 annually. As a result, many students pursue their studies without financial assistance. To continue to attract the best students and ensure that the most talented are never turned away because of need, increasing the size and number of scholarships and bursaries available at the Faculty is a top priority.

Enrich Student Internship Programs

Learning beyond the classroom is a crucial element of the student experience at the Faculty. Every year, a number of students participate in outstanding programs at organizations around the world, including the World Health Organization and the Katutura HIV/AIDS clinic.

Enhance Dedicated Learning Spaces

The construction of our new building has dramatically enhanced the amount of space available for our students, but we must continue to expand this space to meet their ongoing needs. Your gift will allow us to update and enhance the laboratories, lecture theatres, resource centre and student study spaces which are essential in providing our students with the best educational experience possible.



Richard Sevazlian, Chair

Leslie Dan, Honorary Chair

the dean’s Circle at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy recognizes individuals whose annual support exceeds $1,000. Annual gifts at this level are critical in advancing Pharmacy’s top priorities each year. Thank you to the following members for their gifts made between January 1, 2011 and January 2, 2012.

$1,000,000+

Walmart Canada Corporation

$25,000+

Kwiecien-Fisher FamilyLoblaw Inc.Medical Pharmacies Group

$10,000 - $24,999

Ontario College of Pharmacists

$7,500 - $9,999

Sidney & Elaine Kadish

$5,000 - $7,499

Anonymous (1)Apotex Inc.Health Mission OutreachLila Keller/Pear HealthcareMcKesson CanadaLorna M. Teare

$2,500 - $4,999

Christine J. AllenJacques BergeronEli Lilly Canada Inc.Kwok-Chak FungGlaxoSmithKline Inc.Hudson’s Bay CompanyCatherine M. MayRho Pi Phi Pharmacy FraternityNikki RoyGeorge J. Schaller, 5T2 PhmBShoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix Life FoundationJohn A. StoutWilliam D. Wilson

$1,827-$2,499

Anonymous (1)Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical GroupBarrie CadeDrug Trading CompanyMahlon M. DyerFederation of Chinese Canadian Professionals of Ontario Education FundRichard A. HainsworthLori A. HowardDr. Henry J. MannMerck Canada Ltd.

Ernest J. MiatelloJanet L. NoonanSteve & Gail PearsonMark RosenhekDavid Fooksun Tong

$1,000 - $1,826

Anonymous (1)Reina BendayanBrian P. DonnanSolomon David GarshowitzJack GwartzWayne HindmarshArt ItoWilliam KasselKatz Group Canada Ltd.Heather KertlandMona KwongGeor-Ming LeeJean MacieWilliam MacEachern, MDMichael ManciniMielke-Vasic Pharmacy Professional Corporation Mary L. MorrisonWilliam D. NicholsonNycomed Canada Inc.Pellow PharmasavePfizer Canada IncorporatedVince PurificatiLalitha Raman-WilmsYvonne SalminenDavid E. SinewitzIan R. StewartTeva Canada LimitedYu Chung & Annie TsangHelen WaltonDavid WhiteHeather WiegandPeter WonderUndergraduate Pharmacy SocietyMarita Zaffiro

Deans Circle

More Information

Thank YouIf you have any questions or would like to join the Dean’s Circle, please contact Desiree Chan: [email protected] 416-946-3985.

New AwardsEstablishedin 2011the Leslie dan Faculty of Pharmacy awards over 80 scholarships and 50 bursaries to undergraduate students based on academic achievement, extracurricular participation and financial need every year. With the cost of a pharmacy education now in excess of $25,000 a year combined with an award payout that averages $700, increased funding for scholarships and bursaries is a top priority at the Faculty. In 2011, we established six new scholarships and bursaries and would like to thank the following donors for their generosity:

Ward Charlebois Scholarship

Est. by Drug Trading Company Limited

The Erast Huculak Award

Est. by Erast Huculak and Medical Pharmacies Group Limited

The Sydney Shrott Award

Est. by Medical Pharmacies Group Limited

The Rho Pi Phi

Sidney Faibish Memorial

Entrance Scholarship

Est. by the Rho Pi Phi Pharmacy Fraternity

The Frank Kwiecien

Memorial Scholarship

Est. by industry, friends and family of the late Frank Kwiecien

The Deanna Williams Award

Est. by the Ontario College of Pharmacists

Andrew Parkes, President of Drug Trading Company Limited, spoke with Rxcellence about the Company’s most recent contribution toward student financial assistance at the Faculty. Awarded to a student who has completed Year Three of the Undergraduate Program, the Ward Charlebois Scholarship recognizes a student who has achieved second class honours, was born in a town in Ontario of less than 20,000 people and who has experience working in an independent pharmacy.

The scholarship speaks to the late Ward Charlebois’ (8T8) passion for controlling your own destiny, a passion he achieved through ownership of his own independent pharmacy. Charlebois was a strong advocate for independent pharmacy and often spoke to pharmacy students about independent stores and how much pleasure he had working and owning one and encouraged aspiring pharmacists to follow in his path. Charlebois’ first store was in Angus, Ontario. He and his wife, Christine (8T8), worked there together and over time they bought the store. It was a good store when they purchased it, but it became a great store under Ward’s and Christine’s ownership. It became such an important element of their community that when competition started to sprout up from the larger chain stores, it didn’t have a significant impact on their business because of the relationships and high level of customer service they provided.In addition to his pharmacy,

Ward was a member of the Board of Directors of Drug Trading Company Limited and in this role, he demonstrated that he was a very intelligent and practical business man. Known to colleagues as a man of few words, when he spoke, he quietly made his points known and was truly an inspiration. He was also very proud of his connection to the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, both as an alumni and a preceptor and was always enthusiastic about the goings on at the Faculty.

When asked why this award was established for Year Three students specifically, Parkes noted that, “there are already many awards offered to students when they enter Pharmacy school but not as many for those who have continued to pursue their education and had felt the ‘crunch of debt’ two years later. Hopefully this award will help those who have chosen to focus on community pharmacy in small Ontario towns to continue their path and help relieve their debt load.”

Award Spotlight



Jennifer Kadwell graduated from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy in June of 2011. At the time I interviewed Jennifer, she was employed as a full-time intern at a community pharmacy in Stoney Creek.

I sat down with Jennifer and she shared her enthusiasm for working in a smaller community, the relationships she was building with patients and the application of the knowledge she acquired at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy in the “real world.” She noted that she knew from an early age that she wanted to work in healthcare, to interact with people, and ultimately, to help them. This led her to pursue a degree in

Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of Western Ontario, and eventually, enrolment in our undergraduate Pharmacy program.

Jennifer described her experience at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy as “high school all over again.” Eager to participate, she quickly became involved in a number of extra-curricular activities, including the CAPSI Symposium and intramural sports. When asked what her favourite memory at the Faculty was, she raved about the endless good times with friends, a particular Faculty member and his lectures on drug and therapeutic knowledge, and the events of what would become a defining day for her at the Faculty:

In each issue of Rxcellence, we profile a

young member of our alumni who has

graduated within the last five years. Many

of our young alumni are experiencing career

firsts, and while every one of our alumni has

their own wonderful story to tell, in this

case, we are proud to share with you a truly

inspirational one.

Young Alumni Spotlight:Jennifer Kadwell

LEFT: Photo by Shutterbrugs Photography



“Other students had done presentations in class before to raise money and awareness for their various charitable projects, so I thought I might as well too. So one afternoon in Therapeutics class Lalitha Raman-Wilms gave me permission to speak to the class. I announced to the class that I was participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a two-day, 200-km bike ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls in support of the Campbell Family Research Institute at the Princess Margaret Hospital. I also announced that the reason I was doing this, was that I had cancer. It felt good to get if off my chest, but the greatest thing, and I’ll never forget it, was the response from my classmates and the Faculty. In total, students and faculty at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy helped me raise an outstanding $1,500 toward my goal. It was amazing”.

What many of her classmates didn’t know is that Jennifer had been fighting this battle for a while. She describes her struggle, in her own words, below:

“The summer prior to entering pharmacy school, I was suffering from what seemed to be a case of allergies. I had the usual runny nose and other allergy symptoms, but what was most bothersome was this dry cough. My family doctor thought it was probably just allergies and so I went home to ride it out. When school started in September, the allergy symptoms had cleared, but the cough was still there and seemed to be getting a bit worse. On a weekend in November, during a trip home, my mom finally forced me to go to a walk-in clinic (I don’t go to the doctor’s too voluntarily). That doctor told me that if it wasn’t allergies then it had to be asthma. So, armed with some inhalers, I returned to school. School was going great – I was meeting

new friends and learning some interesting things – but I still had this cough and people were starting to notice. Along with the cough came extreme shortness of breath. It had gotten to the point where walking up one flight of stairs, and even finishing a sentence, would leave me breathless.

In February 2008, I went to my family doctor complaining of severe shortness of breath and a persistent, aggravating cough. A chest x-ray found a tumour the size of a softball in my mediastinum. I was diagnosed with Stage II Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was told by a lot of people that this was the ‘good kind of cancer’ – a 90-95% cure rate. Don’t ever let anyone tell you there is a ‘good kind,’ because there is not. I started chemotherapy in March. I went home to Hamilton every other Friday for a full day of treatments at the Juravinski Cancer Centre that included blood work, an appointment with my oncologist, and finally, hours of chemotherapy. I would then return to school on Monday. I successfully completed first year in April, and then successfully completed six months of chemotherapy in August. My oncologist said that I had responded well to the chemo but that some radiation would help to shrink the remaining mass.

I returned to school in September and decided to do the radiation treatments at Princess Margaret Hospital. How convenient that it was just across from the pharmacy building. Every day after school, I would walk over to the hospital, get my radiation treatment, and then walk home. I did a month of radiation. A follow-up CT showed that all the cancer was gone and the chance of it coming back was slim. Success, right?Four months later, another follow-up CT showed

Other students had done

presentations in class before

to raise money and awareness

for their various charitable

projects, so I thought I might

as well too.

something at the top of my abdomen. Because they don’t generally scan this area (usually just head, neck and chest), they repeated the scan, this time including my whole body. What they found was not expected; the lymphoma was now in my abdomen.

The protocol for individuals with Hodgkin’s lymphoma who are not successful with initial chemotherapy and radiation is an autologous stem cell transplant. This is where they collect stem cells from my blood and then they freeze them so they can return them to my body later. I went to the hospital to have a Hickman line (a central venous catheter) placed in my chest. This was followed by three more rounds of chemotherapy and then the stem cell collection. I missed all of my final exams in second year because at the end of April, I was hospitalized for a month for the transplant. Now the way a transplant works is

they give me super high doses of chemotherapy, the highest doses you can safely give a human being, in hope that it would kill all the bad cells that were in my body. Unfortunately, it also kills the good cells, like all my red and white blood cells. This is when they transfuse my stem cells back into my body, so that they can differentiate into the blood cells I need. Things went well, besides the hair loss for the second time, the nausea, the vomiting, and I went home the day before Mother’s Day in May (what a gift, eh?).

I spent that summer recovering and studying. The Faculty was very understanding and allowed me to write my exams in August (a big thank-you to Registrar Brenda Thrush for all her help and support). The summer was rough and somehow in July, I knew that something wasn’t right. I asked my oncologist to move up my CT and they found that the tumours in my abdomen had not responded to the transplant and they

ABOVE: Photo by Shutterbrugs Photography



had actually grown and spread to other areas in my abdomen, as well as my lungs. I was back to square one. But, I wrote my exams anyways and returned, once again, to school in September.

My next step in treatment was an investigational clinical trial, which continued for almost a year followed by more chemotherapy, which ended in November of 4th year, and then finally some radiation in February. So that leaves me where I am today, working full-time as an intern at a community pharmacy in Stoney Creek, visiting my oncologist every other week, and planning the wedding to the man of my dreams.

As much as I don’t like to be the ‘girl with cancer’ or like to be defined by the disease, I know that it is an important part of who I am as a person, and also as a pharmacist. When I think of pharmacy school and my time at the Faculty, unfortunately my experience with cancer is completely intertwined. I really do think that it has shaped the pharmacist I will become. Although we learned that you should never tell a patient ‘I know how you feel,’ I really do think that I can relate to patients when they are scared of a new diagnosis.”

Jennifer graduated with her BSc.Phm in June 2011 and one week following her Convocation, participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer. She is working as a community pharmacist in Stoney Creek and on October 8th, 2011, she married her high school sweetheart, Len.

We are proud to be able to call Jennifer a young alumna of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Her courage and strength are truly amazing and her personal motto “I’d rather try and not succeed , than look back and wonder why didn’t I try?” is inspiring to us all.

Since Rxcellence will be published once a year, we wanted to give you the opportunity to keep in touch with your class and share messages, in your own words. Please feel free to email your submissions at any time to [email protected]. This is a new initiative and there is no template – it is meant to be fun and relatively painless!

5T1

Since my retirement from Big V Pharmacies in 1989, my wife and I have been cruising to many areas of the world. We have given up our Florida residence and have moved to a condo in Dundas. Together we founded a charitable organisation that supports mentally and physically handicapped adults living in group homes and who have little or no family support. I keep busy with our local Lions Club and was a member of our condo board for 2 years. I also keep busy with our SIM group (Seniors In Motion) a local fitness organization. – BILL hASLEhURSt

In the years following graduation, I practised hospital pharmacy at St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s Hospitals in Toronto until 1973. My work with CSHP over the years culminated in my presidency of the Society (1969-71). With studies in health care management with CHA and McMaster University complete, I worked in management at St. Michael’s Hospital, Providence Villa and Hospital and Metro Homes for the Aged until 1993.

Living in Madoc since 2011 changed my lifestyle – but not my focus! As a volunteer and board member of our Centre for theMentally Challenged, I continue to be in the caring profession – with time for my dogs and garden.

– JACqUELINE MCCARthy

5T4

Pharmacy 5T4, classmates for a lifetime.The above slogan adopted at the 30th annual reunion of the class tells it all. Pharmacy 5T4 is a unique group. During their undergraduate years, the forty men and five women (a disproportionate ratio compared with today’s demographics), developed a cohesion, camaraderie, team spirit, and joie de vivre which the years have failed to erode. During third year, at yet another Saturday morning lecture following the Pharmacy at Home dance and preceding a three hour lab, the professor remarked to the bleary eyed attendees that he, “would always remember this class as the one that would never let studies interfere with their social life.” Subsequent examination results proved that an active social life did not necessarily constitute a detriment to academic achievement.

Immediately following graduation, spouses were automatically involved in frequent get togethers, and actually reinforced the enthusiasm for partying – so what began as a class became a family. Spouses deserve most of the credit for keeping the action going. Over the years, annual reunions have taken place from Ottawa to Windsor, and as far north as North Bay and Sudbury. We try to hold every fifth reunion in Toronto.The fifty-seventh reunion was held in September at Niagara-on-the-Lake, and was attended by more than half of the surviving class members. Already a volunteer committee is in place arranging next year’s reunion in the London/Stratford area.

– doN MANoRE

We’ve done it again! The Class of 5T4 celebrated our 57th Annual Reunion in September at Niagara-on-the-Lake. We enjoyed the ambiance of the Hilton Garden Inn as well as the local scenery, the lush vineyards, the tender fruit orchards and the beautiful flowers in town and along the Parkway.

What a lovely area!

The local committee, consisting of Helen and Clyde Keene, Murray Shantz and Marv Williams, did a wonderful job with the arrangements. Our Annual Dinner was held at the Hotel with thirty-one attendees. Sadly, Barbara Gould and Sam Siegelman are no longer with us.

We were treated to a history of Niagara-on-the-Lake presented by Sarah Mahoney, Managing Director of the Niagara Historical Society and Museum. Special attention was paid to the factors leading up to the War of 1812 and we were reminded of the battles which occurred in the area so long ago.

Our second day began with a wine tasting and lunch at the Ravine Winery in St. David’s. We were transported by bus to and from the hotel, the theatres and the Botanical Gardens - relaxing for us as we were able to sightsee along the way. Our President For Life, Jack Speare, got the ball rolling for the 58th. It will be held in Stratford with Mahlon Dyer in charge. – EStRId MANoRE

5T7

Looking Beyond ’53!Yes, I know we graduated in 1957, but what about those who started with us in 1953 but were unable to finish? We may be forgetting the ones who did not. Good times with our pharmacy colleagues who started with us do not fade from our memories. I miss all those colleagues – those we started with and those we finished with.

Well, the truth be known, all those alumni gatherings or CE events that I have attended were not to have much needed camaraderie, but to satisfy my curiosity as to whether some of those colleagues who were present have lost their hair or have grayed, got shorter, and maybe increased their mid-sections like I have! But after just celebrating 53 years of marriage with 4 children and 9 grandchildren, I am still doing the “honey-to-do” list.

– SId KAdISh

6T2

After retiring as Registrar of OCP in 2000, I returned to my roots in community pharmacy for about 3 years, as well as doing some consulting. This included providing regulatory and planning services to several sister Colleges, associations and the pharmaceutical industry. Other clients included the Ministry of Health & Long Term Care, the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council, the

ClassUpdates

Get Involved

We are looking to form an Alumni Ambassador Committee and are looking for local representatives in every region. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact us at [email protected] or call us at 416-946-3985.



Ontario Association of Specialty Compounders and complementary and alternative medicine providers. I also served as Interim Registrar for midwifery and dental technology as well as a stint as Executive Director of NAPRA. Currently, I am assisting the Transitional College of Homeopaths as their President and teaching jurisprudence/ethics.

– JIM dUNSdoN

6T3

I practiced pharmacy in Markham for 25 years - from 1963 until 1988 - owning stores in Markham, Unionville and Whitby. A month after graduation, I won a US AAU Championship in Track and Field, and the following year won an Olympic Silver Medal. I ultimately represented Canada in two Olympics (Tokyo and Mexico City), two British Commonwealth Games (Perth, Australia and Kingston, Jamaica), one Pan Am Games (Winnipeg) and one World University Games (Budapest) - competing in about 25 different countries around the world.

I was very much involved in the community serving on many boards and organizations, including: Canadian Fitness and Amateur Sport directorate, Metro Toronto Police Public Complaints Commission, United Way of York Region, York Region Children’s Aid Society, Participation House, Giant Steps, Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, Intercounty Tennis Association, York South Community Living Assoc., Ontario Sport and Recreation Centre, Canada Sport Centre (Ontario), and the University of Toronto Governing Council. For 22 years, from 1988 until 2010, I was a Trustee with the York Region District School Board, serving 15 of those years as Chair.

I have been married for 42 years to Morven, also a graduate of U of T and have two daughters (an engineer and a nurse) and a son (a teacher) who have collectively attended a total of 5 different universities.

I currently play ice hockey 5 times a week in the winter and lots of golf in the summer, with a smattering of tennis thrown in. We love the theatre, the Toronto Symphony and to travel.

- BILL CRothERS

6T4

GERALd ZIEdENBERG graduated from the University of Toronto in 1964 with a degree in Pharmacy. He went on to a lengthy and highly successful career in retail Pharmacy with Canada’s largest and most successful drug chain, Shoppers Drug Mart. Before his retirement he was running 3 large franchises simultaneously. When his business career wound down, Gerald entered the academic world to pursue his first and greatest passion: history.Following his retirement from retail pharmacy, Gerald earned two history degrees – a BA with high distinction in 2003, and an Honour BA, again with high distinction, in 2005.He has now finished a Masters History program studying modern European history, specializing in Eastern Europe, Russia, WWII and the Cold War.

Gerald has lectured and consulted in Canada, the United States and Israel on business and history. He has spoken to a variety of service groups including the Rotary, Knights of Columbus, and the National Council of Jewish Women, as well as many other groups. He has also appeared at many Churches, Synagogues, and a number of cruise lines speaking on a variety of historical topics. He recently won a scholarship from the University of Toronto as the best part time Graduate History student. He has also taught courses at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers and Naples on Historical figures and events for the last two years. Gerald has written two books, “Inspiration Through Adversity,” an autobiography depicting his physical struggles and successes, and a second book, a history book, “Blockade,” telling the story of Jewish immigration to Palestine from 1933-1948. Both books are available through Amazon.

7T3

I practiced community and hospital Pharmacy in Englehart,Ontario from 1973 to 1976 then onto London, Ontario operating an SDM franchise. Spent nearly 20 years at SDM Central Office, culminating as VP Pharmacy Operations, Canada. After leaving the corporate world in 2001, I spent 7 years at Faculty of Pharmacy as the Mentorship Co-Ordinator for the IPG Program, served on the Board of OPA, various OCP Committees, and on the Executive of the Markham Pharmacists Association as well as many Rx locums in between. I have also served on many community Boards eg: fundraising for the

North York General Hospital, Unionville Home Society, and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy building fund. Pharmacy has been a passion for me since the beginning of my professional career but due to a severe allergy to cold, snowy Canadian winters, I have now fully retired to focus on charity work while at our winter home in Mexico. I also serve on the Board of an annual music festival in Mexico. My wife Kathy is also involved in charity work in Mexico. I am pleased to serve on the Executive of the SDM Alumni Association and assist with the Alumni Association at the Faculty. We hope to have continued good health and be able to continue traveling...often on our motorcycle! – BILL dINGWALL

7T4

Since graduating 37(!) years ago, I have practised as a community pharmacist in Windsor, Lakefield, and Toronto, taking time out to bring up our two boys.I still enjoy the niche that community practice occupies, and am amazed when I think how far the profession has evolved since graduation.I have also been privileged to work in various capacities for OCP, PEBC, and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, which has afforded me the opportunity to meet many wonderful representatives of our profession. It would be difficult to choose just one ‘highlight’ of my career so far, but being the covergirl of the January/February 2010 issue of Pharmacy Connection ranks right up there!

– MARIA NENAdovICh

8T2

Twenty nine years practicing as a community pharmacist has provided me with plenty of opportunity to experience the best and the worst aspects of providing direct patient care, and also to witness significant change in how the profession of pharmacy is viewed by the public.

Over the past 20 years, my career path has taken me through ownership of an independent community pharmacy, as well as a term as president of the Canadian Pharmacists Association. In my view, the biggest asset of our profession is the calibre of my colleagues and the efforts they make on a daily

basis to serve the health needs of the Canadian public. I look forward to continuing to participate in this profession in the years ahead. – Brian Stowe I have spent the past 14 years criss-crossing the US with husband, Wayne, and my now adult kids, Emma and Alex, mostly living in New Jersey but now in Dayton, Ohio. The moves brought an end (to date, at least) of my pharmacy career, although I have kept in touch a little through volunteer positions, working in a hospital-based retail store in NJ and currently at a clinic in Dayton that services the medically uninsured. I am also active with the Dayton Philharmonic and the choir I sang with in NJ. Volunteering has become my full-time job. Special greetings to my 8T2 classmates - I am looking forward to seeing you at our 30th reunion!

– LoRI hoWARd

8T4

For the past 16 years, I have consulted to Canadian pharma companies, providing reimbursement strategy and submissions for new pharmaceuticals. I have my own company (Axia Research) which I operate with a partner, who is also a pharmacist (not a U of T grad though!). This opportunity basically didn’t exist when I graduated, but by the time I completed my MSC in 1990, drug plans were starting to say no, and companies needed to demonstrate the economic value of their products. I have retired my license but did get my Pharmacist Emeritus designation. – ANGELA RoCChI

9T0

ANGELA dM KAShUBA received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from SUNY Buffalo in 1995. She completed a residency at Women’s College Hospital in 1991, and a pharmacology research fellowship at the Clinical Pharmacology Research Center at Bassett Healthcare in Cooperstown, NY, in 1997. Dr. Kashuba joined the faculty of the Eshelman School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997, and became a Diplomat of the American Board of Clinical Pharmacology in 2001. She is currently Professor of Pharmacy, Vice Chair for Research and Graduate Education in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, and Director of the UNC Center



for AIDS Research Clinical Pharmacology and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory. She is the 2009 recipient of the Leon I. Goldberg Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. She has authored over 130 publications and book chapters, has received over $12 million in research funding, and has mentored approximately 70 undergraduate, professional, postdoctoral, and graduate students. She leads a preclinical and clinical pharmacology research group focused on optimizing antiretroviral drug regimens to prevent HIV transmission.

9T1

Since graduating in 1991, I went back to school and got an MBA and moved to the corporate world, doing stints in pharma industry and investment research, before moving to San Francisco in 2000 and joining a dot.com (BioSpace.com). I arrived at the peak of the dot.com boom and rode out the dot.bomb, remaining in the Bay Area and moved into management consulting for 5 years. The last 5 years, I helped a medical device start up launch a new technology that is changing orthopedic knee replacement. Thecompany OtisMed made custom fit cutting guides personalized to each patient, giving surgeons a new 3D tool. The company was bought by Stryker Orthopedics in 2009 and I remain with the organization as Sr. Director of Operations.

– dAvId ChIN

9T3

After graduation in 1993, I completed a Hospital Pharmacy Residency at The Toronto Hospital (Toronto General). Afterwards, I worked at Kingston General Hospital in General Medicine and Nephrology. What a big year 2001 was for me – I moved to British Columbia and got married. I now spend my weekdays as a Clinical Pharmacist at Royal Columbian Hospital, caring for patients after cardiac surgery and coordinating clinical trials. This year, I officially became a soccer mom and in my spare time, I shuttle my six year old son between activities and birthday parties. I love to ski, so I live in the right place. I try to fit running into my schedule and completed the Vancouver Half Marathon last spring. I met several close friends at U of T that I still keep in touch with. Seven of us

went swimming with dolphins last fall to mark a milestone birthday (but I’ll never tell which one!).

– ANN-MARIE tURNER

9T6

Hi, this is Charlene. I am doing well since I graduated from U of T nine years ago. I have moved three times and have two kids. Since 2004, I have been working in New Jersey for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products in the research and development of new products in areas of oral dosage forms, medical devices, and now, medicated skin care products. I enjoy new product development, especially in conceiving new products and claims that bring meaningful ways to help people manage their health issue, so that the consumer can focus on pursuing what is important to them. New product ideas do not come singly from books or experimentation. Instead, new inspiration and insights are often found when I talk to the consumers or visit their homes to see how they go about their daily living. Grocery or drug store shopping can turn into a lengthy trip as I evaluate other new products or a competitor display. Remember the lessons we had about drug release, kinetics, chemistry, pharmacology, physiology, therapeutics, biomaterials and even that half a credit of communication – they are all useful and need to be integrated into my everyday work. Being curious with attention to details, as well as being able to communicate the science in a big picture way to other non-scientist colleagues, are lessons that I pick up along the way. I miss living in Toronto. Luckily, and without any prior discussion or planning, there are four other U of T friends who also live in the New Jersey area. We do meet regularly to talk about the “good old days.” Keep well and hope to catch up with some of you when we meet.

– ChARLENE NGU of T Pharmacy Class of 9T6

U of T PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences Class of 0T2

Upon graduation in 9T6, I worked for Shoppers Drug Mart in Timmins, ON. In 1998, I travelled to Australia backpacking and still haven’t returned home!I am the Deputy Head of the Pharmacy Department at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth Australia. Since commencing in 1999, I

have acted or held nearly all positions within the department, from Pharmacy Technician whilst re-qualifying for Australian registration, to my current role. We are a large teaching hospital with a Pharmacy staff in excess of one hundred people. I do miss Canada but not asmuch as I love the weather!

– GILLIAN BABE

9T8

Currently I am the manager of pharmacy operations at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, CAMH, in Toronto. After working in community pharmacy, I started at CAMH in 1999 as a clinical pharmacist working with inpatient units serving forensic, schizophrenia and geriatric patients. I received my geriatric pharmacist certification in 2005 but switched gears to managing in 2009. I married my beautiful wife, Anna, in 2002. It was great to see many of my classmates at the wedding and at recent graduation anniversary hoedowns. We miss you Richard and Grace. Anna is a skilled equestrian and as a result I have learned the art of the groom. Anna and I love to travel. Eastern Europe, Carribean, Mediterranean, Central America, North Africa and of course bella Italia. So when I finally learn how to say trihexyphenidyl in Italian, I may be working somewhere on the Amalfi coast. Ciao,

– PEtER (BABIShUK)

9T9

I am currently the clinical pharmacist in renal transplant and the Residency Coordinator at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton. With two parents who were teachers, teaching was inevitable for me! I’ve also gotten myself heavily involved with PEBC, do the odd locum shift for Dell Pharmacy, and a bit of consulting. I live with my husband and two cats in Hamilton (the nice part!?). In my spare time, I take pottery classes and we try to see the world one trip at a time!

– CAthy BURGER

After spending most of the last 10 years owning a Shoppers Drug Mart retail store, I made the move

to the company’s central office to work with the Simply Pharmacy stores nationally. It’s allowed me to help improve store operations, as well as work with the stores to enhance the collaborative relationships with their physicians. It’s been a great challenge for the past year and I have enjoyed the various aspects of the job. In my off time, I’ve also enjoyed travelling to various parts of the world.

- KAthy dJoRdJEvIC

After completing a General Hospital residency at St. Michael’s Hospital in 2000, I started working at Toronto East General Hospital covering inpatient mental health. After three years, me and my family moved to Owen Sound where I have been since 2003. I have continued to be a preceptor for the SPEP program as well as a teaching assistant at the University of Waterloo. We have three wonderful sons living in an old house on a large lot that backs onto a river right in the middle of town.

– StEPhAN SAdIKIAN

0T0

JEFF NAGGE B.Sc.Phm 0T0, Pharm.D. 0T4 is practicing at the Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team in Kitchener, Ontario and is a Faculty member at the School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo. He also teaches medical students at the Waterloo Regional Campus of the McMaster School of Medicine, and medical residents in the Kitchener-Waterloo McMaster Family Medicine Residency Program. Jeff is careful not to get too busy though, so that he can always fit in a round (or two) of golf.

0T1

dR. ShIRIN ABAdI has been working as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Oncology and Clinical/Education Coordinator at the BC Cancer Agency over the past several years. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy at the University of British Columbia, where she teaches for the Faculties of Pharmacy, Medicine, and Dentistry. At present, Shirin is the President of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (BC Branch), and devotes much of her time advocating for the profession of hospital pharmacy and the provision of exemplary patient care.



February 22

Wills and Powers of Attorney 101Does your current will reflect your wishes? Why do you need a Power of Attorney? Do you know your duties as an executor? Join two seasoned estate-planning professionals in this free seminar to gain answers to these questions and more. 5:30 - 7:00pmLeslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building, 144 College StreetRSVP 416-978-3846 or give.utoronto.ca/estateseminar

February 28

hallelujah! George and Leonard: how two tunes exemplify

peak musical experienceOpen to current President’s Circle members, this evening will be present by Don McLean, the Dean at the Faculty of Music. A reception will follow the presentation. Please find full details in your invitation in the mail!

March 10

Alumni Event in Kitchener-Waterloo, ontarioOpen to U of T Pharmacy alumni who would like to join us for light refreshments and conversation with the Dean, Henry Mann. Following the event, we invite you all to cheer on our undergraduate hockey team, as they compete against

the University of Waterloo in the annual OPA Cup. Alumni Event 3:30 - 5:00pm K.M.A. Complex, Subscribers Lounge, 400 East Avenue, Kitchener, OntarioOPA Cup Game 5:00 - 7:00pmK.M.A. Complex, Arena, 400 East Avenue, Kitchener OntarioRSVP [email protected]

April 3

Uncovering texts and temples from the Biblical PeriodOpen to current President’s Circle members, this evening will be presented by Professor Tim Harrison, of the Department of Near and Middle East Civilizations, Faculty of Arts & Science. A reception will follow the lecture. Please find full details in your invitation in the mail!

May 31

Spring Reunion: young Alumni Event in toronto, ontarioCalling all alumni who graduated within the last five years! You’re invited to attend a young alumni event to reconnect with your classmates and have an opportunity to visit with the Dean, Henry Mann.Crush Wine Bar, 455 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario 5:30 - 7:30pmRSVP [email protected]

June 1

Spring ReunionGolden T Dinner for 5T2 and 6T2, Hart House, Toronto

Planning yourown event?

If you are planning any class reunions and would like to advertise it through the faculty, please let us know. You can reach us at [email protected]

AlumniEvents

June 2

Alumni Event in Whistler, British Columbia Do you live in the Whistler area? Or will you be attending the Canadian Pharmacists Association Conference? Join us for a casual and relaxed Saturday night and connect with other U of T alumni.9:00 - 11:00pmRSVP [email protected]

June 4

Alumni Event in vancouver, British ColumbiaDo you live in the Vancouver area? We’re coming out West! Please join us for light refreshments and conversation with Dean Henry Mann. 5:30 - 7:30pmThe Shore Club, 688 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, British ColumbiaRSVP [email protected]

June 9

IPG Reunion in toronto, ontario Open to all IPG alumni, this reunion, featuring guest speaker Marshall Moleschi, Registrar, Ontario College of Pharmacists, is an event not to be missed! 11:30 - 2:30pmLeslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building, 144 College Street, TorontoRSVP [email protected]

June 20

Presidents’ Circle Garden PartyOpen to current Presidents’

August 20

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Charity Golf Classic

The golf tournament is one of our most

successful fundraisers for Enhancing

the Student Experience at the Leslie

Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Sponsorship

opportunities and alumni foursomes

are available. Thornhill Golf and Country

Club, 7994 Yonge Street, Thornhill Ontario.

For more info contact David White: [email protected] or 416-978-6749

Circle members, this reception is hosted by Professor David Naylor, President, and Dr. Wendy M. Cecil, Chairman, Presidents’ Circle at the President’s residence. Please find full details in your invitation in the mail!

Also in 2012

Alumni Events in ottawa, ontario and London, ontario – more details to come!

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