2T3 valedictorian commends class on tenacity and resilience in face of adversity

Katarina Pessina explored diverse professional interests and gained new skills through learning in and outside of classroom

As Katarina Pessina, valedictorian for the 2023 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) class at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, reflects on her time at the Faculty, she says that one of the most important lessons she learned during the PharmD program is the value of learning from her mistakes.

“Some of the best lessons come from our mistakes, whether it’s small ones like a wrong answer on a quiz, or something larger. In those moments, it’s important to not focus on what happened but how can you learn from it and become better,” says Pessina. “When I reflect on my own mistakes, I think how can I be a better leader, a better manager, a better colleague, or a better friend? What can I take from this mistake to flourish and grow?”

When Pessina started the PharmD program in 2019, she expected that most her learning would be in the classroom. She had already completed a Bachelor of Science and a master’s degree in experimental medicine at McGill University in Montreal, and she said she wanted to simply focus on her studies and had no plans to get involved with student clubs and activities. But she soon found herself exploring opportunities outside the classroom, joining a variety of groups that allowed her to explore diverse professional interests, gain new skills, and make new friends.

With her interest in improving access to medications globally, she joined the Global Medicine Initiative. She was also one of the first members and communications director of the NCODA U of T Student Chapter, which provides education and opportunities related to pharmacy oncology practice.

In second year, she and three classmates won first prize in the Business Case Competition, for their pitch to develop an app that could calculate a person’s likelihood of pregnancy based on a number of customized parameters.

Pessina also became interested in student governance and advocacy, serving as the 2T3 representative on the Ontario Pharmacist Association (OPA) U of T Student Chapter, where she was able to voice student concerns about the changing profession to the provincial advocacy body. She served as a faculty representative on the 2T3 Class Council, where she could act as a bridge between students and the Faculty to voice concerns and suggest solutions.

For example, when learning was taking place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her co-representative worked with faculty to develop support and resources including holding online Q&A and summary sessions prior to midterms and exams to help students could reach their full potential.

“I’m somebody who has the mentality that if there’s a change you want to see, make it happen. There’s no point in being unhappy about anything if you’re not going to do anything about it,” Pessina says. “Together with my co-representative, we made very positive and lasting changes toward the connections that exist between the 2T3 class and the Faculty.”

“The PharmD program at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy not only trained us to be drug experts, but also problem solvers who remove barriers for our patients and create solutions to accessing equitable, safe and optimal care.”

With her degree now complete, Pessina plans to find a pharmacy career that encompasses both direct and non-direct patient care. She says that the quality of education at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy prepares students to be adaptable and pursue diverse opportunities in health care and industry, and she is looking forward to seeing her classmates launch careers across these areas.

“The PharmD program at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy not only trained us to be drug experts, but also problem solvers who remove barriers for our patients and create solutions to accessing equitable, safe and optimal care,” says Pessina.

“Every class over the last few years has faced a unique set of challenges, from the pandemic to the evolving scope of pharmacy practice, and I have been consistently impressed with the 2T3 class’s absolute tenacity and resilience in the face of adversity. They set the bar so high that it pushes me to keep climbing, and I thank them for that because it made me a better pharmacist.”