Newsletter: January/February 2009
Presidents Message
Greetings, everyone! I hope 2009 finds you happy and well. Over the past few months the AFPC Council and Executive have been working on a variety of initiatives, including integrating the Blue Print for Pharmacy into the AFPC Strategic Plan, updating of the French version of the AFPC web-site, reviewing and updating the educational outcomes for the BSc and entry-level-Pharm D degrees, implementing the completed components of the program evaluation guide, and ensuring the long-term financial viability of AFPC.
The AFPC Midyear Meeting took place in Montreal, January 25-26 at the Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal. On behalf of the Council, I want to thank Dan Thirion, AFPC Council member, for hosting and coordinating many of the events of the weekend. The sushi was great!
Over two days, the Council assessed progress made on the top priorities of AFPC, and determined further action to be taken. These priorities include:
Program evaluation: the initial work of developing a logic model and assembling a preliminary set of instruments is complete. The AFPC will continue to support the uptake of the logic model and instruments by each faculty as they endeavor to expand evaluation of their individual programs.
Funding: The Council continues to work to secure financial independence for AFPC through consistent, long term funding for the ongoing operations and special projects. As you are no doubt well aware, today’s economic climate represents a particular challenge, but we continue to actively pursue new funding sources.
Conference Planning relevant to mission:To support this objective, the composition and role of the Education committee will be redefined to better support individual faculties charged with organizing the Annual meeting in any particular year. Council is also proposing changing the name of the Annual conference to better reflect the educational goals of AFPC. The name change proposal will be presented at the AGM in Halifax, with the intent of having the conference’s new name in place for the 2010 AGM in Vancouver.
At the Midyear Meeting, the council also received a number of reports from the various standing subcommittees of council and the special projects undertaken by AFPC.
I also want to remind everyone of the AFPC Conference to be held in Halifax at the Lord Nelson Hotel, June 3-5, 2008, entitled, “The Culture of Pharmacy as we Move Forward”. I look forward to seeing you there.
Finally, I would like to once again express my appreciation to the contributions and hard work of the entire AFPC council. Many thanks as well to Frank Abbott for his continued service.
Sincerely,
Roy Thomas Dobson AFPC President, 2008-2009
Executive Director's Corner
Dear colleagues and friends. Here it is 2009 and we are being told that we will have yet another tough year ahead. Well the winter has already met that expectation and with our pension plans still hanging on for dear life, most of us can probably identify with that prediction. Here’s hoping that there will be no place to go but up during 2009.
As pharmacy people, however, we can take heart in the fact that there are many good things happening in the profession these days. More and more, pharmacists are being recognized for the skills they bring to drug therapy management and are being urged to take an even greater role in the delivery of primary health care. The recently crafted Blueprint for Pharmacy document lays out the template for preparing and nurturing pharmacists in this expanded role and five working groups will soon describe action plans for implementing the many recommendations contained in the document. ADPC and AFPC have been major participants in the design of the Blueprint for Pharmacy and academic pharmacy remains strongly committed to seeing the key recommendations fulfilled to help the pharmacy profession move forward. I mention this because both ADPC and AFPC at their midyear meetings made special reference to the Blueprint recommendations as part of their strategic planning.
The midyear meetings of ADPC and AFPC were held back to back in Montreal over the days of January 22-25, 2009. Accommodation was in the Chateau Versailles (highly recommended for future stays) with the meetings held in a lovely boardroom of the Faculté de pharmacie on the Université de Montréal campus. Many thanks to Dean Pierre Moreau and his staff and to council member Dan Thirion for making the arrangements for the meetings and for their outstanding hospitality during our stay.
AFPC Awards: While there was a bit of a slow start in the number of applications, the midyear report from awards committee chair Mary MacCara of Dalhousie University indicates that there are now a good slate of candidates for all the major awards. These include the AstraZeneca New Investigator Award, the Pfizer Research Career Award, the Bristol-Myers Squibb National Award for Excellence in Education, the relatively new Wal-Mart Canada Future Academic Leader Award, and the Merck Frosst Graduate Fellowship Award. Reviewers have been selected and this year we hope to have the applications rated using an on-line process.
Further award deadlines include the GlaxoSmithKline Graduate Student Research Award. Applications must be submitted to the Executive Director by March 1, 2009. Students intending to compete in the AFPC-Whit Matthews Graduate Student Poster Award and the AFPC Pharmacy Student Research Poster Award competitions should submit their abstracts to the Executive Director by the abstract deadline of March 16, 2009. March 15 is the deadline for nominations for the Rx & D visitation program, Honored Life Membership, and for AFPC President Elect.
AFPC Conference and Meetings June 3-5, 2009 in Halifax: Conference chairs Anne Marie Whelan and Harriet Davies report that the program is fast nearing completion and the schedule will be posted on our web site once the transfer of the site to our new web site management firm is complete. Hopefully the conference schedule, online registration and abstract submission will be up and active on the site (www.afpc.info ) by the time you receive this newsletter. AFPC Conference 2010 is a joint conference with CSPS and will be held in Vancouver June 2-5, 2010. Hotel selection is now underway and details of the program will be revealed at this year’s annual general meeting.
Communications: The web site move to a new management firm has proved more difficult than initially anticipated. Our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. Once available the new site will be updated with new information on program evaluation, revisions to the research directory and translation for the French site. Development of the teaching directory should commence this year. The new chair of the communications committee is Dan Thirion of the Université de Montréal.
PEP Canada: Kelly Brink (Manitoba) and Harriet Davies (Dalhousie – filling in for Wanda Spurrell of MUN) gave a presentation on PEP Canada activities for the Association of Deans of Pharmacy of Canada at their Midyear Meeting. Louise Mallet (Montreal) and Nancy Waite (AFPC representative to PEP) were also in attendance. The Deans were pleased at the progress being made and asked that all PEP members communicate regularly with their respective Dean or Director. The PEP Canada group will hold their annual meeting in Halifax in June and are scheduled to make a presentation as part of the AFPC conference program.
AFPC recently contracted Winslade Consultants Ltd of Pointe Claire, Quebec to undertake the revision of the educational outcomes and levels and ranges for both of the professional degree programs for entry to practice (BSc and entry level Pharm D). This is an 18 month project that requires the input of an AFPC task force group to support the development of the educational outcomes. Volunteers that make up the task force group are Tom Brown (Toronto), Claude Mailhot (Montreal), Terri Schindel (Alberta) and Nancy Waite (Waterloo). The task force group had their first meeting with Nancy Winslade on January 22 in the Faculté de pharmacie, Université de Montréal and expect to meet again during the conference in Halifax.
ADPC: The Association of Deans of Pharmacy of Canada enjoyed a very successful meeting in Montreal. Besides the presentation from the PEP group, the Deans invited David Hill, the executive director of CCAPP, to discuss ways to facilitate and perhaps streamline the process of preparing documentation for accreditation. This was a very fruitful discussion and David took away several good ideas that could be evaluated by the CCAPP Board. In other activities, the Deans used both the Blueprint for Pharmacy document and Moving Forward recommendations as part of their strategic planning session. Revising the benchmark document to simplify data collection within the Faculties was another important item of business. The next meeting of the Deans will take place in Halifax at the time of the AFPC Conference in June.
Other news: Following the midyear meeting of AFPC in Montreal, President Roy Dobson and Executive Director Frank Abbott visited Pfizer Canada Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Inc to thank these two companies for the strong support they provide to our awards program and for sponsoring other AFPC activities. These were quite productive meetings and provided AFPC with the opportunity to communicate with our stakeholders some of the initiatives that AFPC is currently pursuing.
AFPC wishes to recognize the contributions from pharmacy organizations that choose to help make a difference in academic pharmacy in Canada.
ASSOCIATION OF FACULTIES OF PHARMACY OF CANADA/ ASSOCIATION DES FACULTÉS DE PHARMACIE DU CANADA AFFILIATE MEMBERS 2008 - 2009
APOTEX INC.
ASTRAZENECA CANADA INC
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF CHAIN DRUG STORES
COSTCO WHOLESALE CANADA LTD
GLAXOSMITHKLINE CANADA
LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD
MERCK FROSST CANADA LTD
NOVOPHARM LTD
PFIZER CANADA INC
PURDUE PHARMA
RATIOPHARM CANADA
SANDOZ CANADA
SANOFI-AVENTIS CANADA INC
WYETH CONSUMER HEALTHCARE
Frank Abbott Executive Director
Study of Higher Education Research Award
The 2008 Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education Research Award Nominations Now Open
Nominations are now open, and will be received until 27 February 2009 for the 2008 CSSHE Research Award.
The award is meant to be conferred on a practicing scholar in mid-career with an established reputation for publishing outstanding research on any aspect of Canadian postsecondary education. A scholar in mid-career is defined as an individual who, in addition to having an established reputation for scholarship in Canadian higher education, will continue to contribute to research in the field for some time to come.
The award will be made on the basis of published research on Canadian higher education, with particular emphasis given to work published in the last five years. The award is not meant to recognize teaching or service to institutions or the profession.
In reviewing and evaluating nominations, members of the committee shall consider the quality of scholarship and the contribution of each candidate to the study of higher education in Canada.
NOMINATION
Nominations may be made by anyone, though self-nominations will not be accepted. Nominations should include the following and be forwarded in electronic form by 27 February 2009 to Alan Davis, Vice President of CSSHE, at alan.davis@esc.edu.
A letter of nomination explaining who the candidate is and why she or he is being nominated for a research award.
A curriculum-vitae of the candidate.
One or more examples of the published scholarship of the candidate.
For further information, please contact Alan Davis, Vice President of CSSHE, at [alan.davis@esc.edu]alan.davis@esc.edu.
Faculty Spotlight: Université de Montréal
The Faculty of Pharmacy is launching its new B.Sc. program in biopharmaceutical sciences in the fall semester of 2009
Back in the summer of 2001, the Faculty set out the ambitious goal to evaluate the need for a new B.Sc. program in biopharmaceutical sciences. Several steps were completed including an assessment of the current global environment for the pharmaceutical industry related health care industries and governmental agencies associated with medicinal product approval and/or reimbursement. The primary goal of this effort was to identify the current and future manpower challenges in these different workplace settings and identify the professional competencies and skills required to meet their needs.
The last step was to review the adequacy of current training programs and assess the need, relevance and feasibility of establishing a new program and it is with great pleasure that Dean Pierre Moreau has announced that the Faculty will now formally launch this program with the first cohort of approximately (60) students next September.
This program is comprised of (98) credits of which (15) are optional. Upon completion of this program, it is expected that graduates will have a solid basic understanding of the core knowledge and major steps leading from drug discovery through development, manufacturing up to regulatory approval and formulary listing. They will have also gained knowledge around the many considerations required to complete successfully each phase of clinical development (I-IV) for an investigational product. They will have been exposed to the various dimensions (political legal/regulatory, economic and social) facing the various stakeholders from both the private and public sectors. Finally, they will have been engaged in learning and debating the important issues surrounding the ethical challenges and personal integrity requirements for all professionals working in this area.
Specifically, the first year will include topics such as chemistry, biochemistry, cellular biology, physiology, microbiology, pathology and biostatistics. The second year is more focused on pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and formulation development as well as early development and first-in-man use. The third and last year is mostly on late development and includes the option to pursue a structured three-month elective within pre-selected industry or government settings that have expressed an interest to host such students. The program also includes attention to the development of special skills and competencies that have been identified (through the early and on-going consultation steps) as important for success in these professional settings.
Students are expected to have access to a number of diverse employment opportunities in both private and public sectors upon successful completion of the B.Sc. but the Faculty also expects to attract a growing number of students interested in pursuing graduate studies within the areas of specialization currently offered in its pharmaceutical sciences M.Sc. and Ph. D. programs.
We are pleased to introduce Dr. Brian White-Guay who is now assuming the leadership of this program. Raised in Quebec City, he obtained his medical degree at l’Université Laval and completed training as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Community Medicine at McGill University. He then pursued consultancy work until joining Ayerst clinical research in 1984 and then joined Merck Frosst in Montreal in 1986 as head of clinical research. Following relocation to the US in 1988, he spent several years in regulatory affairs where he held positions of increasing responsibility worldwide both in the US and overseas in Brussels, Belgium. Upon returning full-time to the US in 2004, he was responsible for worldwide clinical research operations and subsequently, he joined the Licensing group in March 2007 until September 2008. Dr. White-Guay can be reached at brian.white-guay@umontreal.ca
Michel Saucier Pharmaceutical Chair on Health and Aging
We welcome Dr. Cara Tannenbaum as lead researcher for the Michel Saucier Pharmaceutical Chair on Health and Aging. This pharmaceutical chair was created in partnership with the « Institut de géraitrie de Montréal » with the main objective of fostering research and training on medication use in the elderly. The research professor (Dr. Tannenbaum) and a clinical professor still to be nominated will lead theses activities.
Dr. Tannenbaum, geriatrician and associate professor of the Faculté de medicine, is recognized as chercheur boursier clinicien of the Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ). She has completed numerous projects on medication use and practice in the elderly.
Appointment of Dr. Grégoire Leclair
We also welcome Dr. Grégoire Leclair as associate professor in biopharmaceuticals. Dr. Grégoire obtained his pharmacy degree and graduate training at l’Université de Montréal. He went on to pursue his research activities in this field with Merck Frosst Canada. He will be contributing to the development of the B.Sc. program in biopharmaceutical sciences as well as the entry-level Pharm.D. program.
Entry-Level Pharm.D. Program
The Entry-Level Pharm.D. (ELPD) program is now in the second year of implementation and is recruiting students for the third year! Development is at full throttle while maintaining activities for the remaining 2 years of the B.Pharm. The ELPD provides training within 5 different modules with a strong accent on self-learning. Innovation in teaching is at the forefront of each course which aims at integrating all aspects of pharmaceutical practice within each module. Strong positive feedback has been provided by our practitioners and students. We invite you to attend the upcoming AFPC annual general meetings to learn more about the methodology, teaching innovation, program layout, and results.
Awards ceremony Once every year an award ceremony is held in recognition of student excellence at the Faculty. This year 68 awards recognized the excellence of 56 students in our undergraduate and graduate programs. Congratulations!
Here are selected publications as presented in the 2007-2008 annual report.
Désormeaux A, Moreau ME, Lepage Y, Chanard J,Adam A. The effect of electronegativity and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on the kininforming capacity of polyacrylonitrile dialysis membranes. Biomaterials 2008;29:1139-1146.
Beauchesne MF, Rouleau R, Laurier C, BeauchesneM.-F. The Impact of a continuing education program on community pharmacists’ interventions and asthmamedication usage: a pilot study. Ann Pharmacother 2007;41:574-80.
Ramos E, St-André M, Rey E, Bérard A. Risk of congenital malformations associated with duration of exposure to antidepressants during the gestational period. Br J Psychiatry 2008 May;192:344-50.
Blais L, Forget A. Asthma exacerbations during the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of congenital malformations among asthmatic women. JACI 2008, April 12 [Epub ahead of print].
Domingues Nabais T, Brouillet F, Kyriacos S, Mroueh M, Amores da Silva P, Bataille B, Chebli C and Cartilier L. High-Amylose Carboxymethyl Starch Matrices for Oral Sustained Drug-Release: In Vitro and In Vivo evaluation. Eur J Biopharm Pharm 2007;65:371-378.
Collin J. Relations de sens et relations de fonction: risque, médicalisation et médicament. Sociologie et société 2007;XXXIX(1):99-122.
de Denus S, Tardif JC, White M, Bourassa MG, Racine N, Levesque S, Ducharme A.Temporal variations in hematocrit values in patients with left ventricular dysfunction: Relationship with cause-specifi c mortality and morbidity and optimal monitoring—further insights from SOLVD. Can J Cardiol 2008;24:45-8.
Ferreira E et al. Grossesse et allaitement: guide thérapeutique. Montréal,Éditions CHU Ste-Justine, 2007, 704 pages.
Rivard K, Paradis P, Nemer M, Fiset C. Cardiac-specific overexpression of the human type 1 angiotensin II receptor causes delayed repolarization. Cardiovasc Res 2008;78(1):53-62.
Liberelle B, Giasson S. Friction and Normal Interaction Forces between Irreversibly Attached Weakly Charged Polymer Brushes. Langmuir 2008;24(4):1550-1559.
Sant Shilpa; Thommes Matthias; Hildgen Patrice. Microporous Structure and Drug Release Kinetics of Polymeric Nanoparticles. . Langmuir 2008,24,280-287.
Lachaine J, Hodge WG, Steffensen I, Murray C, Barnes D, Foerster V, Ducruet T, Mensinkai T. Prostaglandin analogues for ophthalmic use: A cost effectiveness analysis. Canadian J Ophtalmology 2008;43(1):33-41
Laliberté MC, Normandeau M, Lord A, Lamarre D, Cantin I, Berbiche D, Corneille L, Prud’homme L, Lalonde L. Use of over-the-counter medications and natural products in patients with moderate and severe chronic renal insufficiency. Journal of Kidney Disease 2007;49 (2):245-256.
Villeneuve J, Lamarre D, Vanier MC, Lussier MT, Genest J, Lalonde L. How to help patients manage their dyslipidemia: A primary care physician-pharmacist team intervention. CPJ 2007; 140(5):300-5.
Lépicier P, Lagneux C, Sirois MG, Lamontagne D. Endothelial CB1-receptors limit infarct size in rat isolated hearts through nitric oxide production. Life Sci 2007;81:1373-1380
Koné AJ, Rivard M, Laurier C. Impact of Follow-Up by The Primary Care Or Specialist Physician on Pediatric Asthma Outcomes after An Emergency Department Visit : The Case of Montreal, Canada. Pediatric Asthma, Allergy & Immunology 2007;20(1):23-35.
Leroux JC. Injectable nanocarriers for biodetoxifi cation. Nature Nanotechnol 2007;2:679-684. NanoTech Web: http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/tech/ 32535.
Lévesque D, Rouillard C. Nur77 and retinoid X receptors: crucial factors in dopamine-related neuroadaptation. Trends Neurosci 2007;30:22-30.
Mailhot C, Mallet L. Concept des « soins pharmaceutiques» (Pharmaceutical care) : une approche systématique de suivi du patient. Dans : Gimenez F, Brazier M, Calop J, et al., éds. Pharmacie Clinique et Thérapeutique. Paris, Masson, 3e éd., 2008.
Mallet L, Spinewine A, Huang A. The challenge of managing drug interactions in older patient. Lancet 2007;370:185-91.
Mulumba M, Céméus C, Dumont L, du Souich P, Ong H, Marleau S. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone-Induced Reduction of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide is Associated with Improved Left Ventricular Contractility and Reverse Remodeling in Cardiomyopathic UM-X7.1 Hamsters with Congestive Heart Failure. Growth hormone & IGF Res. 2007;20:96-103.
Bouvet C, Moreau S, Blanchette J, deBlois D, Moreau P. Sequential activation of MMP-9 and TGF-ß in arterial elastocalcinosis. Atheroscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2008;28:856-861
Moride Y, Hegele RA, Langer A, McPherson R, Miler DB, Rinfret S. Clinical and Public Health Assessment of Benefi t-risk of Statins in the Primary Prevention of Coronary Events: Resolved and Unresolved Issues. Can J Cardiol,April 2008.
Li J, Nekka F. A Pharmacokinetic Formalism Explicitly Integrating the Patient Drug Compliance. Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics 2007;34(1):115-139.
Kanji S, Perreault MM, Chant C, Williamson D, Burry L. Evaluating the use of drotrecogin alfa (activated) in adult severe sepsis : A Canadian multicenter observational study. Intensive Care Med 2007;33(3):517-23.
Blouin J, Dragomir A, Ste-Marie LG, Fernandès JC, Perreault S. Persistence Rate and Adherence Level with Antiresorptive Therapies Used For Secondary Prevention of Osteoporosis among Elderly Women. J Clin Endo Metab 2007;92(3):887-894.
Lordkipanidzé M, Pharand C, Palisaitis DA, Turgeon J, Schampaert E, Diodati JG. A comparison of six major platelet function tests to determine the prevalence of aspirin resistance in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Eur Heart J 2007;28:1702-8.
Clément JF, Bibeau-Poirier A, Gravel SP, Grandvaux N, Bonneil E, Thibault P, Meloche S, Servant MJ. Phosphorylation of IRF-3 on Ser 339 generates a hyperactive form of IRF-3 through regulation of dimerization and CBP association. Journal of Virology 2008;82:3984-3996.
Verweel G, Burger DM, Sheehan NL, Bergshoeff AS, Warris A, van der Knaap LC, et al. Plasma concentrations of the HIV-protease inhibitor lopinavir are suboptimal in children aged two years and below. Antivir Ther 2007;12(4): 453-8.
Weiss K, Bergeron L, Bernatchez H, Goyette M, Savoie M, Thirion D. Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea rates and global antibiotic consumption in five Quebec institutions from 2001 to 2004. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2007;30:309-314.
Michaud V, Vanier MC, Brouillette D, Roy D, Verret L, Noel N, Taillon I, O’Hara G, Gossard D, Champagne M, Goodman K, Renaud Y, Brown A, Phillips M, Ajami AM, Turgeon J. Combinaison of Phenotype Assessments and CYP2C9-VKORC1 Polymorphisms in the Determination of Warfarin Dose Requirements in Heavily Medicated Patients. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2008;83(5):740-748.
Notabaert E, Chauny JM, Albert M, Fortier S, Leblanc N, Williamson DR. Short Term Benefi ts and Risks of Intravenous Iron: A Meta-Analysis. Transfusion 2007:47:1905-18.
Soliman GM, Winnik FM. Enhancement of hydrophilic drug loading and release characteristics through micellization with new carboxymethyldextran-PEG block copolymers of tunable charge density, Int J Pharm 2008;356:248–258.
Faculty News: Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto
The Sixth International Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery Symposium, was held at the Faculty in October 2008 and was attended by more than 200 participants. Chaired by Christine Allen, Associate Professor, the symposium highlighted groundbreaking discoveries and developments in the field of nanomedicine and drug delivery.
Olavo Fernandes, Assistant Professor, was part of a team that recently received a Commitment to Care & Service Award from Pharmacy Practice. The team of researchers from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University Health Network and Toronto General Hospital, led by Dr. Fernandes, received the Hospital Pharmacy Initiative award for their efforts to address the problem of medication discrepancies. Specifically, the initiative was about pharmacists, physicians, nurses and other professionals partnering with patients to develop, implement and sustain organization-wide medication reconciliation practices from admission to discharge.
The Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP) ran another successful Professional Practice Conference (PPC) from January 31 to February 4th in Toronto under the leadership of Olavo Fernandes, Chair and Assistant Professor. Committee members also included Assistant Professors Clarence Chant and Linda Dresser.
Heather Kertland, Assistant Professor, took a leave of absence for one year from her post at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and moved to Grahamstown, South Africa, to become the Director of the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Rhodes University. During this time, she continued to teach in the programs at the Faculty here. Heather returned back to Toronto in January 2009.
At the American Association for Pharmaceutical Scientists’ Annual Meeting, Professor__ K. Sandy Pang received the Service Award for the Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Disposition Section__. This annual award recognized Dr. Pang for her involvement with and contribution to the PPDM Section and the AAPS.
Student News Humanitarian Pharmacy Experiences: On December 1st, students in the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy program spoke about their experiences this past summer in Cambodia, Namibia and Geneva. As part of World AIDS Day activities at the university, Justin Barnaby, Ruby Liang, Jessica Lam, and Jonathan Chui spoke to a full room about their overseas summer pharmaceutical internships through the Initiative for Drug Equity and Access (IDEA). IDEA is a project of Associate Professor Jillian Clare Cohen-Köhler, who established this group to promote greater global awareness of drug equity and access issues. Organized by third-year student Matt Koehler, the four summer experience students participating in the presentation spoke about their experiences in the field, providing the capacity crowd with a greater understanding of a number of global pharmacy issues.
Other News Natural Health Products (NHPs) and Canadian Pharmacy Students: Core Competencies In November 2008, an invitational consensus building meeting was held at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy to develop core natural health product (NHP)-related competencies for Canadian pharmacy students at entry-to-practice using a modified Delphi method. Study participants (n=17) represented pharmacy educators from seven Canadian pharmacy schools, three U.S. pharmacy schools, and representatives from Canadian pharmacy organizations. Delphi questionnaires were developed from research ongoing since 2005 exploring pharmacists’ roles and responsibilities with respect to NHPs, and were informed by stakeholder interviews, focus groups with practicing pharmacists and consumers, and a survey of more than 3300 licensed Canadian pharmacists. Three core NHP-related competencies were identified broadly summarized as providing NHP-related pharmaceutical care, information and education. We recommend wide-spread implementation and adaptation of these core NHP-related competencies by Faculties of Pharmacy, and pharmacy organizations across Canada to better equip today’s pharmacists with the skills they require for entry to practice. To view the NHP-related competencies developed or for further information contact Ani Byrne (ani.byrne@utoronto.ca) or Heather Boon (heather.boon@utoronto.ca).
Faculty News: Université Laval
Individual Faculty News###
Dr. Danielle Laurin has been awarded the Prix de la Coalition 2008, which recognizes the best research on peripheral vascular disease in the category Epidemiology and preventative medicine published in Circulation during 2007 for her article, Ankle-to-brachial index and dementia.
Dr. Matthieu Guitton has received a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to continue his work to develop innovative pharmacological solutions to treat tinnitus.
Dr. Pascal Daleau, Associate-Dean for Research and a Researcher at the Laval Hospital Research Centre is continuing his research, Increase in the ratio of connexins: an early indicator of the risk of atrial fibrillation in diabetics, thanks to a grant from the Chair of the Quebec Heart Institute.
Drs. Benoit Drolet, Paul Poirier and Chantale Simard, all Research Professors, received a financial support at the annual competition of the Quebec Heart Institute.
At the CHUQ Awards Ceremony, Dr. Chantal Guillemette received the Sirius 2008 award in clinical research for her exceptional achievements in basic research with potential short-term clinical impacts.
Retirements
Best wishes on their retirement to Dr. Louise Beaulac-Baillargeon and Dr. Pierre-Maxime Bélanger.
General Faculty News
Our Pharm D. development project was unanimously accepted by the University Council; we continue to work towards its establishment, planned for September 2010.
The news publication, l'Actualité pharmaceutique has selected Julie Racicot as the recipient of the Pharmacist of heart and action award in the category, Next-generation pharmacist. She is a graduate of our Faculty and is now an Instructor.
From July 27 to August 1, 2008, the Faculty took part in the 9th World Conference on Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, which was held in Quebec City and attended by 2,500 people. The Faculty had a kiosk at the Exhibition.
Chantal Morissette, a graduate of our Faculty as well as a Clinical Professor, was the Quebec recipient of the Wyeth pharmacists award.
On Tuesday, September 9, 2008, the Deans of the Faculties of Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing Sciences hosted the students and staff of the integrated health sciences educational complex (CIFSS) to mark the first classes to take place in the new section of the Ferdinand-Vandry pavilion. On Tuesday, September 16, 2008, the White coat presentation ceremony took place, marking the arrival of the new students. On Sunday, September 28, graduates, their families and Faculty staff got together for the traditional football event. On Friday, October 17, the 11th edition of the Symposium Brunet took place, in cooperation with the Brunet chain. The theme was Psychiatry: a reality, a role to play. And on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, the Faculty held its 12th Presentation of bursaries for excellence ceremony. Dean Jean-Pierre Grégoire, along with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, presented close to 61 bursaries, a total of $56,000, to deserving students.
Student News
At the 54th International Congress of IPSF (International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation), held in August 2008 in Cluj Napoca, Romania, Léa Prince-Duthel and Marie-Pier Bouchard-Dallaire distinguished themselves among the top three who competed in the final of the Patient Counselling Competition, beginners’ level.
Faculty News: University of Saskatchewan
General Faculty News A Health Science Deans’ Committee has existed on campus for 25 years to enable health science programs to work together on common issues and initiatives. Changes to University structures and strategies, including the creation of the Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), have pointed to a re-thinking of how to optimize opportunities in the future. The University Provost asked Dean Gorecki to chair a Health Science Deans Visioning Group to propose a new framework for health sciences governance. This January, a White Paper on Health Sciences Governance was presented to the Provost. The heart of the proposal calls for the establishment of a Council of Health Science Deans, comprised of the Provost and Deans of the six health science colleges – Dentistry, Kinesiology, Medicine including the School of Physical Therapy, Nursing, Pharmacy and Nutrition, and Veterinary Medicine. The Council will be supported by a Council Office, and will administer interdisciplinary activities and work to ensure that the outcomes envisioned for the AHSC are realized. Construction on the Centre has begun – with a very large and deep excavation to the northeast of the current Health Sciences Building. Our move over will take place starting in 2013.
An ad hoc committee of faculty, chaired by Dr. Fred Rémillard, has completed a faculty workload analysis, developing a tool and recommendations with the goal of achieving equity in the assignment of faculty duties.
The first Western Canadian Medicinal Chemistry Workshop (www.wcmcw.ca) was held in September at the University. Organized by Dr. Ed Krol from our College and Dr. David Palmer, Department of Chemistry, the workshop brought together western Canadian researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate students interested in different aspects of pharmaceutical sciences. Dr. Brian Hasinoff, CRC in Drug Development (Manitoba), opened the program with “Dexrazoxane – Drug or Prodrug?” Other invited speakers were Todd Lowary (Alberta), Paul Wood (Phenomenome Discoveries) and Allan Rey (Apotex Pharmachem). The poster session was highlighted by awards in the categories of outstanding Ph.D. student (Xia Wang, Saskatchewan), M.Sc. student (Li Wang, Saskatchewan) and undergraduate student (Daniel Kozera, Winnipeg). Brian Fahlman (Ph.D. candidate, Saskatchewan) received the award for outstanding student oral presentation. Building on the success of the meeting, the organizers plan to host a second Workshop in 2010.
In January, Dr. Reinhold Vieth from the University of Toronto and Mt. Sinai Hospital presented “Wonderful Health News about Vitamin D…and why the powers that be are not ready to accept it,” as part of the Edith Rowles Simpson Lecture series. The community lecture was introduced by Dr. Susan Whiting of our College, who is also an expert in the study of this vitamin.
The Saskatchewan Drug Information Service (druginfo.usask.ca/) is in its second year of a pilot to extend hours of service for the public. SDIS Drug Information Consultants are on-call 5:00 P.M. to 12:00 midnight, 7 days a week to provide answers and advice on drug-related questions from consumers. Calls are referred from the Saskatchewan HealthLine or consumers can call SDIS directly. The Continuing Professional Development for Pharmacists website has a new look and expanded resources (www.usask.ca/cpdp).
Individual Faculty News
The search for the next Dean is progressing, and in February, the short-listed candidates will present their Vision for the College of Pharmacy & Nutrition and speak on the topic Reflections of My Academic Career. Recruitment is ongoing for three Pharmacy faculty positions – a new position in Clinical Pharmacology / Pharmacy Practice with specialization in Pediatrics; a new position in Social and Administrative Pharmacy; and a vacancy in pharmaceutical sciences, as the result of Dr. Gord McKay’s retirement.
Darcy Lamb, term faculty member and research collaborator with Dr. Dave Blackburn, presented an oral abstract at the American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans in November. The abstract was titled “Adherence to Beta-blockers and ACE Inhibitors / Angiotensin Receptor Blockers in the First Year after Diagnosis of Heart Failure: 10 Year Observational Trends.”
Dr. Hassan Vatanparast has accepted a tenure track position with the College, effective December 2008. Hassan’s primary appointment is with the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics, and he also has joint responsibilities with the new School of Public Health. His focus in teaching and research is nutritional epidemiology, public health, and nutrition and chronic diseases.
Melissa Smith has joined the College as Research Officer. Originally from Indiana, Melissa recently received a Master’s degree from the University of Victoria and worked as Research Administrative Coordinator for the Prairie Region Health Promotion Research Centre.
Grants
Dr. Ed Krol is recipient of a five-year NSERC grant to study “Toxicity and Biological Reactivity of Naturally Occurring Polyphenols.” Dr. Gord Zello has received a five-year NSERC grant to work on “Gastrointestinal Organic Acid Production and Metabolism.” He is also Principal Investigator, along with Drs. Jane Alcorn, Brian Bandy, Ed Krol and Jian Yang, for a NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grant, to develop “HPLC Systems for Nutrition and Pharmacy Research Groups.”
Undergraduate Students
Our annual White Coat Ceremony was held in November to welcome the Pharmacy Class of 2012 to the profession and the College. Dr. Shannan Neubauer delivered the Welcoming Address. This special event is sponsored Wyeth Consumer Healthcare Inc, the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Pharmacists’ Association of Saskatchewan. The College has adopted an on-line Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) instrument to obtain student feedback on teaching quality and effectiveness. SEEQ assesses nine dimensions of teaching (learning, enthusiasm, organization, group interaction, individual rapport, breadth, examinations, assignments, and overall). Assistant Dean Dr. Linda Suveges is working with health science colleagues to standardize processes for immunization, including flu shots, for students as they undertake clinical placements in health regions and the community.
Graduate Students
Dr. Fred Rémillard, A/Associate Dean Research and Graduate Affairs, and Lee Anne Pinno, Graduate Programs Assistant, held a welcome reception and orientation program for new graduate students this fall. Fred and Lee Anne also organized a booth at the October Pharmacy and Nutrition Career Fair, and there was good interest from students regarding pursuing graduate studies in the future. The College welcomed new students in January – from Alberta, Saskatchewan, China, Nepal and Rwanda.
Fundraising Success
Current fundraising priorities are to increase graduate student awards, provide postdoctoral fellowships and faculty research support, and fund enhancements for the new Academic Health Sciences Centre. The latter includes establishment of a Core Mass Spectrometry Centre and the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment for the undergraduate Pharmacy and Nutrition Science Skills Laboratory. We are pleased to report that $1.8 Million has been assembled to establish a Chair in Patient Adherence to Drug Therapy. We will begin recruitment soon for an individual to lead this exciting initiative. The College has also submitted a proposal to the University to establish an Endowed Chair in Rational Drug Design, and a Canada Research Chair in Natural Health Products, to be located in the College, has recently been approved. We are working out funding arrangements for this position.
Alumni News###
In recent months, Dean Gorecki and Lisa Green, Development Officer, have visited alumni and hosted receptions in Vancouver, Calgary and Regina. On a recent trip to Regina, they had the pleasure of meeting with a number of alumni in their pharmacies, collecting feedback on the BSP Structured Practice Experiences Program, and discussing changes to pharmacy practice and education. Further trips are planned for the Spring.
Faculty News: University of Alberta
Correction to September 2008 communications: The faculty would also like to announce the retirement of Sheila Kelcher in July 2008 (not 2007 as reported in the September communications).
Grants Cheryl Cox: grant support for proposal entitled ““Bridging University and Practice in the Virtual Classroom and Patient Centred Care at the Bedside: Simulation Program for Pharmacy Students and Preceptors”; from the Government of Alberta, Health Workforce Action Plan – Building and Enhancing Clinical Capacity Fund; $514,680.
Dr Christine Hughes and Dr Lisa Guirguis. CIHR Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: PHSI Competition for submission “Partnerships to Evaluate Pharmacists Adoption and Proficiency in Using Laboratory Values.”
Dr Cheryl Sadowski (PI), Dr Scot Simpson, and Travis Featherstone (4th year undergraduate pharmacy student); Alberta Center on Aging Research Development Grant for the project “Characterizing the use of antipsychotic drugs for management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in long term care facilities.”: $4,000
Awards Makowsky M, Koshman S, Tsuyuki R. 2009 CSHP National Awards Program Winners for the Management and Leadership Best Practices Award for the project: “Capturing Outcomes of Clinical Activities Performed by Rounding Pharmacist Practicing in a Team Environment”. Sponsored by Hospira Health Care Corporation.
Dr Nese Yuksel was awarded Fellow status with the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists.
Dr Christine Hughes was awarded Fellow status with the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists.
Dr Margaret Ackman was awarded Fellow status with the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists.
General Faculty News The faculty is sad that Matt Tachuk left the faculty in December 2008. Matt has accepted a position with Pharmacists Network Alberta. We thank Matt for his contributions to the faculty and wish him every success in his new position.
Graduate Student Awards AFPC Pharmacy Student National Poster Award: Sherif Mohmoud Alberta Cancer Board Graduate Studentship: Arash Falamarzian Biovail Contract Research Award of Excellence: Dalia El Sayad University Teaching Services Graduate Student Teaching Award: Wael Soliman Friends of Pharmacy Graduate Bursary: Sherif Mahmoud Antoine Noujaim Graduate Scholarship in Pharmaceutical Sciences:__ Marwa Elsherbiny__ Biochem Pharma Graduate Scholarship: Leila Molavi Dorothy Whiteman Scholarship: Wael Soliman
Dr Leonard Wiebe Graduate Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Ingrid Koslowsky Dr Ronald Micetish Memorial Graduate Scholarship:__ Jigar Patel__ Mike Wolowyk Graduate Scholarship: Anwar Anwar Mohamed Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc Graduate Scholarship: Beshay Zodoky Pharmacy PhD Alumni Graduate Student Scholarship: Sherif Mohmoud Pfizer Pharmacy Research Award: Emily Gamble Provost Doctoral Entrance Award (Renewal): Anwar Anwar Mohamed Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral Level: Basak Acan Clements Shoppers Drug Mart Graduate Scholarship in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: Ketul Chaudhary, Mostafa Shahin, Dalia El-Sayed, Mhed Kamal Al-Hallak Value Drug Mart Mainstreet Cancer Research Graduate Scholarship:__ Mhed Kamal Al-Hallak__
Faculty News: University of Waterloo
Appointments UW has welcomed several new Adjunct Assistant Professors in recent months. These individuals make a part-time commitment to the School of Pharmacy while continuing their work in the health care sector.
Luis Viana works in long-term care with Medical Pharmacies. Luis is developing and delivering curriculum on geriatrics, and assisting with overall curriculum development.
Sally Ebsary is also employed with Medical Pharmacies, and is involved in the development and delivery of curriculum on geriatrics.
Angela Stark works at Grand River Hospital on the pediatric floor. Angela is developing and delivering curriculum on pediatrics.
Barry Power works with the Canadian Pharmacists Association in Ottawa. Barry is developing and delivering the Health Systems in Society course.
Grant Bunston works with St. Mary's Hospital in general medicine. Grant is developing and delivering the Professional Practice 3 course, teaching physical assessment skills in the Professional Practice 3 lab, and coordinating an Integrated Patient-Focused Care module. Grant also acts as a respirology expert.
Vicki Sills is Director of Pharmacy at St. Mary's Hospital. Her role with the School is to develop and deliver the patient safety curriculum.
Certina Ho works at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Certina is developing and delivering patient safety curriculum, managing a patient safety research grant, and assisting with overall curriculum development.
School News The School of Pharmacy’s faculty and staff moved into their permanent home in early December. On January 5, 2009 classes began, and all classes are now being taught in the new facility in downtown Kitchener, approximately 5 km from the main UW campus. Distinctive for its colourful curtain wall featuring images of medicinal plants, the School of Pharmacy and the surrounding campus represent a unique municipality / university partnership. The building optimizes natural light and uses organic materials such as wood and stone to create a welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff and the community. Formal grand opening ceremonies are being planned for April of this year.
On January 8th, the School welcomed its second class of undergraduate students with the traditional White Coat Ceremony. Approximately 325 students, family members and special guests gathered to mark this important milestone. Speakers included representatives from OPA, OCP, the Region of Waterloo Pharmacists’ Association, and the Society of Pharmacy Students.
The University of Waterloo and University of Toronto are partnering to offer a continuous professional development program in Prato, Italy May 10 -14, 2009. Primary Health Care for Pharmacists will focus on new practice patterns, skills and behaviours to support attendees to successfully participate in direct patient care. Details at: cpd.phm.utoronto.ca/primarycare.html.
Individual Faculty News Dr. Michael Beazley served as the pharmacology consultant for the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) report to the provincial Minister of Health on Non-Physician Prescribing. The report was submitted January 31, 2009.
Grants Dr. Nancy Waite is a co-investigator on the project: The Memory Clinic: Translating Inter-Professional Care into Inter-Professional Education, which received a grant of $226,281 from HealthForceOntario. Project partners include the Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team and the Faculty of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Dr. Andrea Edginton has received a Department of National Defense Canada (Toronto) grant in the amount of $92,000, for the project: Modeling the Effects of Operational Stress on Pharmacokinetics.
Dr. Shawn Wettig has received a travel grant from the Embassy of France to Canada through the Mobility in Science and Technology Program. The grant enables Dr. Wettig to pursue a new collaboration with Dr. Reiko Oda at the University of Bordeaux’s European Institute for Chemistry and Biology. Their efforts will focus on the synthesis of novel surfactants and the application of these compounds as novel DNA transfection agents for gene therapy.
Faculty News: University of Manitoba
Academic Appointments Dennis Wong joined the Faculty as a nil salary lecturer on November 1, 2008.
Individual Faculty News Ms Joanna Ayotte recently passed the Certified Respiratory Educator exam. She is now officially certified in COPD and asthma education.
Research Grants & Awards Dr. Mike Namaka’s graduate student Dana Turcotte was awarded a National Multiple Sclerosis Travel Scholarship offered through the END MS program, to present the results of her efforts in evaluating the effects of immunomodulatory treatment in relapsing remitting MS. The results of this research, was presented at the International MS meeting called ECTRIMS that was held in Montreal in September 2008.
Dr. Mike Namaka’s graduate student Wenjun Zhu received a travel grant in the amount of $1,500 from the Manitoba Institute of Child Health to attend the Society for Neuroscience 2008 Annual Meeting held in Washington, DC in November, 2008.
Dr. Mike Namaka received: $90,000 to support the neuroscience research focused on the effects of TNF alpha and neuropathic pain. The research has been done in collaboration with Dr. Emma Frost a myelin biologist at the Health Sciences Centre.
An educational grant in the amount of $8,000 was received from Pfizer Canada towards the development of strategies for managing chronic neuropathic pain and for reducing wait times.
A grant in the amount of $3,700 was received from Serono Canada for a fatigue and cognitive study.
Dr. Lavern Vercaigne received funding in the amount of $5000 from the Manitoba Renal Program for his study titled “Sherbrook Dialysis Citrate Switch Study”.
Dr. Brian Hasinoff received a grant in the amount of $129,961 per year for 3 years from the Canadian Institute of Health Research. Title of grant is “Structure-based targeting of topoisomerase II Cancer Research.”
Dr. Ruby Grymonpre is a co-investigator on a CIHR Synthesis Grant receiving $100,000 over 1 year for the project entitled: "Can Interprofessional Collaboration Provide Health Human Resources Solutions? A Knowledge Synthesis?". This will be a collaborative effort between the 4 Western provinces and the following investigators: Esther Suter, Kendall Ho, Lesley Bainbridge, Ruby Grymonpre, Christine Ateah, Sandra Jarvis- Sellinger, and Liz Harrison.
Dr. Frank Burczynski received a CIHR/MHRC-RPP grant in October 2008 for $79,000 per year for 2 years. His grant is entitled “Role of intracellular fatty acid binding protein in oxidative stress”.
Faculty News: Dalhousie University
Individual Faculty News###
Anne Marie Whelan was recognized by the new ACCP Volunteer Recognition Program for her contributions to the Canadian College of Clinical Pharmacy.
Dr. Peter Zed was appointed to the Federal Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee.
Dr. Peter Zed and co-investigators were awarded two National awards from the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists: Patient Care Enhancement Award for the study, "Incidence, Severity and Preventability of Drug-Related Visits to the Emergency Department: A Prospective Study", Zed PJ, Abu-Laban RB, Balen RM, Loewen PS, Hohl CM, Brubacher JB, Wilbur K, Wiens MO, Samoy LJ, Lacaria K, Purssell RA.
Pharmacotherapy Best Practice Award for the study, "Efficacy, Safety and Patient Satisfaction of Propofol for Procedural Sedation and Analgesia in the Emergency Department", Zed PJ, Abu-Laban RB, Chan WWY, Harrison DW.
Grants
Neil MacKinnon and Ingrid Sketris are co-investigators on a new grant, “CIHR/Health Canada Team in Drug Policy for Equitable Access to Medications” (CIHR Emerging Teams in Applied Health Services and Policy Research - Steve Morgan, P.I.)
2008 CIHR Meeting, Planning and Dissemination (MPD) Grant for study of: “Surveillance Strategies for Identifying Adverse Drug Events: Lessons from Public Health”. Principal Investigator: Dr. Stacy Ackroyd-Stolarz, Co-Investigators: Dr. Raza Abidi, Dr. Neil MacKinnon, Dr. Nancy Murphy, Dr. Peter Zed.
2008 IWK Research Grant Competition for study “SAFER Medication use in Emergency Departments (SAFER MEDS).” Principal Investigator: Dr. Stacy Ackroyd-Stolarz, Co-Investigators: Ms. Eileen Gillespie, Dr. Neil MacKinnon, Dr. Nancy Murphy, Dr. Peter Zed.
Publications
Sketris I. 2009. Extending Prescribing Privileges in Canada. CPJ; 142(1):17-19.
Zed PJ, Abu-Laban RB, Shuster M, Green RS, Slavik RS, Travers AH. Update on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Am J Health-Sys Pharm 2008;65:2337-46.
Student News
Two Dalhousie pharmacy students, Russell Christie and Amy Dickson, have been named Academic All-Canadians, which recognizes their ability to maintain a high academic standing while competing in a varsity sport. Amy’s sport is soccer, while Russell competes in Cross Country.
Faculty News: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Academic Appointments/Leaves
Dr. Roy West has been hired by the School to help prepare the self-assessment report required by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). The School of Pharmacy is in the process of hiring a manager to oversee the academic program.
Dr. Linda Hensman has been back from her administrative leave since January 1, 2009.
General School News
Memorial University was the host school for the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns’ (CAPSI’s) Professional Development Week (PDW), organized by MUN pharmacy students and held in St. John’s Jan. 14-17, 2009.
The School of Pharmacy held its third annual white coat ceremony. As with last year it was a great success.
On January 24, 2009, 65 Memorial University (MUN) teams gathered in the Field House to participate in the third annual Relay for Life. This year these teams raised a total of $52,000 (including luminaries, team contributions and other donations). Pharmacy had seven teams (one from each class at least). The maroon MUN pharmacy shirts dominated the landscape and raised $7,554 in contributions. This was the highest amount from any faculty or school on campus. Social Work was next raising $2,301 with five teams, followed by Psychology with $1127.
Awards
Dr. Linda Hensman was the recipient of the James C. Quick award. This award is meant to recognize pharmacists who, in their day-to-day practice, have raised the expectations of what the public can expect from their pharmacist introducing innovative methods or services into pharmacy care, or who has, by their initiative, broadened the scope of the practice of pharmacy in this province.
Grants
Dr. Rebecca Law is a co-investigator on two research studies which have received funding in 2009:
Health Literacy of Ethnic Seniors in Toronto, Ontario and St. John’s Newfoundland: A comparative study. Wendy Young (MUN Nursing & PI), Kelly Heisz (Seniors Resource Centre), Rebecca Law (Newfoundland and Labrador – Health in Pluralistic Societies and MUN Pharmacy), Yogeeta Sharma (Centre for Urban Health Initiatives), Sharon Buehler, Veeresh Gadag & Peter Wang (MUN Community Health), Lan Gien & Cindy Murray (MUN Nursing), Pablo Navarro & Victor Maddalena (MUN), Anna Chiappa (Canadian Ethnocultural Council). Funded by the Centre for Urban Health Initiatives.
Attracting and Retaining Immigrants to Newfoundland and Labrador: Voices from the Newcomers. Lan Gien (MUN Nursing & PI), Rebecca Law (MUN Pharmacy), Scott Lynch (MUN Economics). Funded by the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development (Immigrant & Settlement Research grant).
Student News
Fourth-year pharmacy student Amena Ghumman took first place in the student literary competition of the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI). Her essay, titled Barriers to the Advancement of Community Pharmacy: Solutions for a Progressing Profession was judged best in the national competition.
Her essay will be published in the Canadian Pharmacists Journal. Ms. Ghumnan’s award was announced during CAPSI’s Professional Development Week (PDW), held in St. John’s Jan. 14-17.
The MUN School of Pharmacy team placed second in the national CAPSI compounding competition, next to the team from the University of Montreal. The Memorial team consisted of Garrett Wells, Meghan Wall, Natacha Donovan, and Danielle Stacey.
Contributors
Roy Dobson, President roy.dobson@usask.ca
AFPC Councilors:
Bev Allen, U of S
bev.allen@usask.ca
Frederic Calon, U Laval
frederic.calon@crchul.ulaval.ca
Nese Yuksel, U of A
nyuksel@pharmacy.ualberta.ca
Ingrid Price, UBC
ingrid.price@ubc.ca
Nancy Waite, U of Waterloo
nmwaite@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca
Lalitha Raman-Wilms, U of T
l.raman.wilms.a@utoronto.ca
Mary MacCara, Dalhousie U
<Mary.MacCara @dal.ca>
Daniel Thirion, U Montreal
daniel.thirion@umontreal.ca
Silvia Alessi-Severini, U of M
< alessise@ms.umanitoba.ca>
John Hawboldt, Memorial U
hawboldt@mun.ca
Frank Abbott, Executive Director
fabbott@interchange.ubc.ca
fabbott@telus.net
Rita Caldwell, CPhA Board Member,
Academia
Rita.Caldwell@dal.ca
Cheryl Cox, PEP Canada
ccox@pharmacy.ualberta.ca
Editor
Rebecca M. Law, Memorial University rlaw@mun.ca