Discovery Pharmacy celebrates grand opening of flagship space

From left: Erin Jackson, Assistant Vice-President, University Human Resources, Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture, U of T; Ernie Avilla, Executive Director, Discovery Pharmacy; Lisa Dolovich, Dean and Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy; Lara Ali, third-year PharmD student; Jonathan Nhan, Pharmacist Lead, Discovery Pharmacy.

On September 25, the Discovery Pharmacy and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy welcomed the U of T community to a Grand Opening Celebration and Interactive Health Fair. Faculty, students and staff from across U of T who attended the event had the opportunity to learn more about services offered through the Discovery Pharmacy, participate in training sessions, and connect with representatives from other health and wellness offices, including U of T’s Integrated Wellness Team, the Sexual Gender and Diversity Office, Family Care Office, and NAVI, U of T’s virtual chat-based assistant and resource finder.

“The Discovery Pharmacy is a unique space where interdisciplinary health care happens in real-time, future health care providers are prepared for practice and where we continuously find and test ways to improve health care delivery,” said Ernie Avilla, executive director of Discovery Pharmacy.

Based in the atrium of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy building, Discovery Pharmacy combines personalized pharmacy services with cutting-edge research and education. Faculty, students, and staff can access essential services like prescription filling and vaccinations, specialized care programs, health and medicine education, and health orientations tailored for international students.

“This is a dynamic place where new ideas can be developed and refined in and for the real world of patient care.”

“What I find most exciting about Discovery Pharmacy is that collectively, we have created a real clinical space immersed in one of the world's best academic health sciences ecosystems,” said Lisa Dolovich, dean of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and chief pharmacist at Discovery Pharmacy. “This is a dynamic place where new ideas can be developed and refined in and for the real world of patient care.”

The new flagship Discovery Pharmacy space features a central retail and interaction area that can also be used as a learning and teaching space and for larger-scale seasonal vaccine clinics. Several private consultation rooms are available for appointments, and new medication pick-up lockers make prescription filling easy and convenient.

Lara Ali, a third-year PharmD student at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, completed an Early Practice Experience rotation in May 2024. “One of the most impactful parts of my time here was being involved in the integrated diabetes program,” said Ali. “This team effort involves nurses, physicians, occupational therapists, and pharmacists. Working alongside other healthcare professionals really opened my eyes to how powerful teamwork is when it comes to patient care.”

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For more information on Discovery Pharmacy services or to book an appointment visit the Discovery Pharmacy website.

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