Five pharmacists receive student-nominated 2024 APPE Preceptor of the Year awards
Five pharmacists have been recognized as the 2024 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) Preceptors of the Year. These pharmacists, practicing in a range of pharmacy settings, were nominated by students in recognition of their outstanding teaching and mentorship during the final year advanced practice rotations.
Preceptors have an essential role in educating the next generation of pharmacists. They provide practical experience and learning opportunities during rotations, and their guidance and perspective help shape how students approach their new practice.
“We are fortunate to have many enthusiastic, committed and engaged preceptors providing excellent coaching and mentorship to our APPE students,” says Marcia McLean, assistant professor – teaching stream and academic lead experiential education, professional programs at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. “The five awarded APPE Preceptors of the Year were described by their nominees as being committed to providing excellent patient care, providing guidance and understanding, and being exemplary role models. We thank them for their passion for teaching and for inspiring our next generation of pharmacists.”
Congratulations to the APPE Preceptors of the Year!
Vickie Chang
North York General Hospital
"The most rewarding part of being a preceptor is helping students apply the knowledge they learn in school to real-life practice. I enjoy guiding students through complex cases and seeing how they evolve throughout their rotation. Every student has a unique learning style, and it is important to provide them with a supportive environment that suits their needs. [...]
Being recognized by students with this award validates the impact I have on pharmacy students throughout their professional journey. It means that the time and energy invested in mentoring have made a real difference in their educational careers, and it motivates me to continue inspiring and empowering future pharmacists.”
Robert Taglione
Trillium Health Partners – Mississauga Hospital
“Being in the ICU, many students are initially nervous and apprehensive about where to start when taking care of a patient; however, as the rotation goes on, I am able to see the transition from nervousness to excitement and apprehension to confidence. This transition and the of the development of their therapeutic thought process are my favorite parts about being a preceptor.
Being recognized by my past students is one of the greatest gifts I could have received as a preceptor. It gives me the confidence that my teaching and precepting style is effective in preparing students and residents for their future careers as pharmacists. I truly feel that each of my students has helped me become a better pharmacist by the end of the rotation.”
Molly Yang
Wholehealth Pharmacy Partners
“Each student brings unique experiences, skills, and perspectives. Being able to work closely with students to reach their specific professional and personal goals and witnessing that growth in real-time is incredibly rewarding. Being around students also energizes me and helps with innovation!
I am humbled to be recognized for this award – I am fortunate to have been able to precept so many amazing students! I hope to inspire students and future preceptors to strive to create great training environments for the benefit of our students and our profession as a whole.”
Hyewon Kim
Shoppers Drug Mart #986
“I enjoy sharing real-world scenarios with students in which they get to instill their knowledge and soft skills into their practice, which becomes more solid as they practice. I also enjoy witnessing their confidence growing – this is truly inspiring. Their progress and passion for proficiency have profoundly constructive influence on my own practice.
I’m grateful for knowing that I might have had as much of a positive impact on students as they certainly had on me. This is tremendously generous encouragement from my future colleagues for me to improve and become a better preceptor, following in the footsteps of the great teachers I had.”
Becky Wright
Women’s College Hospital
“One of my favourite things about precepting is helping students transition from student to pharmacist. …. I love helping students learn to embrace the grey areas by honing their skillsets and seeing how this launches their confidence and independence. It's truly such a rewarding moment to see a student in the last week of rotation work through a complex patient case with confidence and then sit and reflect with the student just how far they have come! … I have also learned so much from my students and they encourage me to continue to learn and improve, which I am grateful for!
Sometimes precepting can mean working longer hours, missing lunches, taking on extra work, etc., and to be recognized by your students means that all of this dedicated time and effort is worth it! Having had and worked with some amazing preceptors over the years, I know how many others are deserving of such an award, so this is an incredible honor.”
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