Faces of PharmSci: Cheyenne Matinnia

What is your academic background and why is this area of research important?

I am a clinical pharmacist (paediatric cardiology and heart transplant) and a graduate student. My research focuses on the conflict experience and its impact on pharmacy students. While this may seem unrelated to my job, I have always been heavily involved with students. Working as a preceptor and staying engaged with current students has given me insight into the difficulties they face during their education, and my thesis provides the opportunity to formally explore these challenges.

So, why is the conflict experience of pharmacy students important? Teaching conflict helps develop communication skills, which are essential for healthcare workers. Conflict is not inherently negative; rather, it is an important teaching tool. Teaching conflict fosters the development of language, advocacy, and critical thinking. When conflict is taught in elementary and secondary schools, it influences students’ professional growth, aspirations, and conflict management skills.

But what about the education of our future healthcare professionals? Some healthcare professionals, such as physicians and nurses, have been the subject of extensive research on conflict, which has demonstrated positive impacts such as improved staff satisfaction, decreased burnout, and improved patient safety.

However, there is little research on this topic for pharmacists, and no research on pharmacy students. We are educating the next generation of medication experts—one of the most trusted and accessible healthcare professions—without understanding their conflict experiences or how these experiences affect their professional development.

As I continue my research, there are two important takeaways I want to share: 1) conflict is an important teaching tool, and 2) how and if we teach conflict can positively or negatively impact our learners. Many of us have been raised to avoid conflict, but navigating it effectively is crucial for our personal and professional development! I hope to use my research to further normalize conversations about conflict.

What led you to your current Supervisor’s lab/research group?

Professors Zubin Austin and Jamie Kellar are professors I’ve admired since my PharmD. Both have been fantastic role models for students and have dedicated time to improving the training environment for PharmD students. They bring a wealth of experience and are incredibly approachable for learners. Collaborating with them on this research is a dream and I can’t imagine working with anyone else on this topic!

What are some of the challenges you had to overcome within your research?

Working on my research has made me deeply reflect on my role as both a student and a preceptor, specifically regarding the power imbalance. I’m a graduate student and a clinical pharmacist who precepts pharmacy students, so holding these two identities while conducting research on student conflict experiences has been fascinating. While both roles offer valuable insight, it’s also important that I don’t let my own experience bias my interpretation of my participants’ experiences. This is where reflexivity has been pivotal in my methods.

My research has also changed how I navigate conflict in both my personal and professional life. I’m learning to truly approach conversations with an open mind and open heart (two-eared listening), and I’ve come to understand the deep importance of clear and direct communication. Initially, I thought that researching conflict would make me a “conflict expert”—someone who knew all the tips and tricks for conflict resolution. Instead, I’ve gained a valuable perspective on approaching conflict with curiosity and an awareness of emotional regulation and power imbalances. I believe this is more important and impactful than trying to “solve” conflict.

One skill I’m currently working on is how to tailor my conflict concepts and content to different audiences. I’ve found this requires an additional layer of consideration I did not initially anticipate. For instance, when presenting to preceptors, I can typically tailor the content specifically to their needs. However, each audience member is at a different point in their own conflict journey, which affects how they hear and engage in conflict. This requires extra consideration. As I continue practicing this skill, I’m learning more about the people around me and growing to appreciate them even more.

How do you see your current research playing a role in your career?

I have already seen a positive impact from my research in my clinical work. I’ve had the privilege of sharing some of my conflict content with our interprofessional team at the hospital, and it’s been rewarding to contribute to my home community. I’ve also been able to share and teach some of my research findings with current preceptors and pharmacy students.

In the future, I hope to discuss conflict and communication more formally in various settings and with different teams—not only within pharmacy or my hospital, but across professions and in any environment that requires communication (which is pretty much everywhere!). I want to apply my research to help students navigate their learning experiences and address existing power imbalances to further improve their educational experience. Additionally, I want to introduce more conflict and communication material into curricula that train our future healthcare providers, including pharmacy students.

Above all, I have a duty to my participants—to each student who generously gave their time to share their stories and experiences with me. To show how much I appreciate their contributions, I am committed to using the learnings from my research to make meaningful improvements for pharmacy students.

What do you like to do when you are not working on research?

I’m a huge fan of strength training—the gym is my happy place. Lifting weights in the morning helps me focus and sets a positive mindset for both clinical and thesis work. Plus, dedicating energy to goals outside of work and school is great for my mental health and keeps me balanced.

I also love trying new foods, which is one of the many reasons I love living in Toronto. For the past couple of years, my friends and I have made it a tradition to try a new restaurant every time we go out, and we have yet to run out of spots to explore. I am always looking for recommendations, so let me know!

I try to stay involved in education and leadership opportunities. At SickKids, I’m part of the Pharmacy Department Education Committee and the Schwartz Rounds Leadership Team Planning Committee. At our faculty, I serve as the CSAP graduate student representative on the Graduate Education Committee.