The J & J Pharmacy Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Tired of studying hundreds of drug names, brands, and side-effects? Has compounding finally made you go insane? Well, take a break and listen to John and Jared, pharmacy students at the University of Alberta, break down hot topics surrounding the pharmacy world, interview fellow students and faculty, all the while sharing some laughs and just having a good time.
Please email your resume and cover letters to: Pharmasaveclive@gmail.com
To help round out our Pharmasave Miniseries, we had the fantastic opportunity to interview Mehul Patel, the owner of the Clive location.
It’s almost a recurring theme at this point, but Mehul also had an interesting career journey, actually working as a scientist before deciding to switch to pharmacy as he was eager to seek connection with patients. From there, he worked in the corporate world for almost 10 years before partnering with one of his best buddies to open 2 pharmacies, something that he wishes that he would have done earlier.
A fun fact about Mehul is that despite being a vegetarian and having never tasted liquor in his life, he actually owns a Steakhouse restaurant!
This was a fantastic last episode and Mehul was able to share some amazing wisdom about why rural pharmacy is so awesome and the reasons why you should consider doing it yourself.
Disclaimer: These episodes are sponsored by Pharmasave. However, the content and opinions expressed by the owners are explicitly their own and were not influenced in any way by Pharmasave.
Please email your resume and cover letters to: jasperpharmasave317@gmail.com
Joining us on the next installment of the Pharmasave Miniseries is another tandem, Merv and Lauri-Ell, owners of the Pharmasave location in Jasper.
For 28 years and counting, Merv has been a community pharmacist and business owner, and not one year has his love for it waned. Starting off strong following graduation from pharmacy school, Merv actually directly partnered with a long-standing community pharmacy in Hinton. It wasn’t until 16 years later did he open his Jasper location under the Pharmasave banner. Although the space was small and old school, the locals loved it and he was still able to provide exceptional pharmacy services.
Of course, Merv would not have been able to accomplish this without his partner Lauri-Ell. Lauri-Ell plays an integral role in making sure the day-to-day operations of the pharmacy keep moving forward smoothly, and also heads HR, so be sure to make a good impression if you’re interested in working at this location!
Speaking of location, due to COVID and the aforementioned small space, both Merv and Lauri-Ell actually made the decision recently to expand from the original location, but still bringing the best, friendly, “how can we help” customer service, for which they’ve actually been awarded a few times now from the Chamber of Commerce.
This was undoubtedly a fantastic episode, and hey, you never know, maybe you’ll find yourself working at this pharmacy and also joining Merv in his Heli Skiing that he’s been doing for 10 years now!
Disclaimer: These episodes are sponsored by Pharmasave. However, the content and opinions expressed by the owners are explicitly their own and were not influenced in any way by Pharmasave.
Please email your resume and cover letters to: pharmasave.3035.harvestsky@gmail.com
Continuing with our Pharmasave Miniseries, we next interview Heather Brown, another exceptional pharmacist and owner of the Hanna Pharmasave location.
Graduating with her Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1988, Heather had actually worked right out of the gates at the same pharmacy for 33 years! Then, she finally decided to open her own store, and as she puts in her own words - not because I really wanted to, but because there was a need for it in our community. Since then, her emphasis for her pharmacy location has always been towards providing learning opportunities for students and collaborating with other healthcare professionals, thus establishing a sense of belonging and togetherness when working to help care for the community. A fun fact about Heather is that not only does she sell drugs (legally), but she also sings in a band and encourages entrepreneurial spirit in the community by also carrying homemade jams and pickles in her pharmacy.
As you can tell, Heather is a fantastic individual and hopefully her wise words will motivate you to consider working in rural pharmacy as she is eager to find the right pharmacist who is willing to explore their inner entrepreneur.
Disclaimer: These episodes are sponsored by Pharmasave. However, the content and opinions expressed by the owners are explicitly their own and were not influenced in any way by Pharmasave.
Please email your resume and cover letters to: jkitagawa345@gmail.com
In the next installment of the Pharmasave Miniseries, Jared and I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Jim Kitagawa, the owner of the Brooks Pharmasave Location.
With 40 years of practice under his belt, having graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1983, Jim is no stranger to professional and career achievements, having received his PCCA compounding certification, Metagenics Lifestyle Coach certification, injection certification, and of course his APA certification. During the course of this episode, we learned a lot from Jim, particularly his approach to healthcare “Prevention Therapy”, as opposed to the conventional Western medicine perspective. Although probably not part of his lifestyle recommendations, or perhaps it is, Jim spends his free time in the lifelong pursuit of being a Karaoke King.
Disclaimer: These episodes are sponsored by Pharmasave. However, the content and opinions expressed by the owners are explicitly their own and were not influenced in any way by Pharmasave.
Please email your resume and cover letters to: jhadfield@EudaimoniaRx.ca
Keeping it rolling with our Pharmasave Miniseries, we next interview Jessica Hadfield, who is the proud owner of Pharmasave locations, with an emphasis on plural!
As an APA certified pharmacist with additional training in specialty compounding, Jessica actually owns four pharmacies in Northern Alberta, all with potential job opportunities, so pay special attention to this episode! As well, we explore more of Jessica’s interest in compounding hormone replacement therapy products, which are gaining particular traction in rural areas. When she’s not busy managing all these pharmacies, Jessica loves hiking up mountains, which are never in short supply in the province of Alberta.
Disclaimer: These episodes are sponsored by Pharmasave. However, the content and opinions expressed by the owners are explicitly their own and were not influenced in any way by Pharmasave.
Please email your resume and cover letters to: georgina@pharmasavebashaw.com
Helping us kick-off our first Pharmasave owner’s interviews are Georgina and Eric Gaudet, who are the lovely owners of the Bashaw location.
Georgina’s journey to where she is now is certainly an interesting one, as she completed a Bachelor’s of Arts at the University of Alberta. From there, she was a former Communications Advisor for AHS Pharmacy Services, before finally landing in Bashaw and owning a pharmacy with Eric.
Not to be outdone by Georgina, Eric has also pursued a unique career path, wherein he first completed his Bachelor’s in Commerce with Honours before making the decision to pivot and make a pharmacist of himself at the University of Alberta. Since then, his passion for the profession has manifested itself with getting his APA, being a preceptor, and of course owning his own pharmacy.
Together, this one-two punch are also the proud parents of three little girls, with apparently their middlest daughter announcing that she wants to be a ballerina pharmacist!
Tune into this fantastic episode and we hope any pharmacists out there listening will consider applying to this location.
Disclaimer: These episodes are sponsored by Pharmasave. However, the content and opinions expressed by the owners are explicitly their own and were not influenced in any way by Pharmasave.
Hello everyone, welcome to our Pharmasave sponsored Miniseries! When Pharmasave first approached us to hopefully put together some episodes highlighting some of their amazing independently owned rural pharmacies who were interested in hiring new pharmacists, we would have never imagined the fun and innovative practices we would encounter, not to mention the amazing owners behind them. So please, tune in to find out more about these locations and you never know, you just might find your future fulfilling pharmacy career!
Before getting into our interviews with the owners, we wanted to start things off with a conversation with a couple of Pharmasave representatives, Dwain Nottebrock, who is the Regional Pharmacy Manager of Pharmacy West, and Steve Wood, who is the Region Director of Retail and Business Development.
Dwain first began his journey in pharmacy when he received his degree in 2002 after already having a Bachelors of Psychology with Honours in 1995. Since then, he has been a former Pharmacy Manager with London Drugs and Costco, and also a former Compliance Officer with the College of Pharmacists of BC. It was after all that, that he finally moved onto his current position as Regional Pharmacy Manager with Pharmasave West. A fun fact about Dwain is that he moved from Vancouver Island to Calgary around 3 and a half years ago, and surprisingly, still loves it? As well, he has two French Bulldogs named Edison and Newton, as well as a Poodle/Terrier cross named Tilly, with all three I’m sure being very cute.
With an equally fascinating pharmacy journey, Steve actually joined a large retail organization right out of high school in their management development program. This experience granted him the opportunity to build his career with a mix of classroom and on the job learning, eventually leading to many certifications and awards! It was after 20 years that he finally felt like it was the right time to move on and joined Pharmasave in 2010. Using all the skills he had developed and refined over the years, his passion has now evolved into helping pharmacists realize their dreams of owning a Pharmasave pharmacy. Working with a team of professionals to support Pharmasave members, Steve is involved with the entire process, including store planning, operational support, merchandising, and much more! He now strongly believes that his career achievements and professional satisfaction goes hand-in-hand with every successful Pharmasave store that opens. A fun fact about Steve is that he is currently renovating his home…all by himself, which has certainly been a tough but enjoyable challenge where he is forced to learn a completely different set of skills. He revels in taking his time and seeing the fruits of his literal labour!
Now you know a little more about Dwain and Steve, strap-in and tune into our scintillating conversation with them about what Pharmasave stands for, what it means to be an “Independent” pharmacy, and then committing the last half of the episode to discussing what it takes to own your own pharmacy and how Pharmasave can help support you in that process.
Disclaimer: These episodes are sponsored by Pharmasave. However, the content and opinions expressed by the owners are explicitly their own and were not influenced in any way by Pharmasave.
When we first created this podcast, we would have never imagined making it to our 100th episode! From recording audio with our phones to eventually interviewing amazing guests in the pharmacy world, we have certainly grown in the past three years. However, none of this would have been possible without the support of our friends and family, the faculty, various pharmacy organizations, and of course you guys, our loyal audience. As such, take a listen as we reminisce on the past 99 episodes and discuss what is coming up on the horizon!
Lucky number 100! To help celebrate our special milestone of a hundred episodes, we had the amazing privilege of interviewing Dr. May Choi, a Rheumatologist and prominent researcher working in Calgary, Alberta.
Dr. Choi received her MD at the University of Alberta before completing an Internal Medicine residency at the U of C. From there, she completed her Rheumatology Fellowship at the University of Calgary. Still not satisfied, she also has an additional Lupus Fellowship from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital as well as an MPH from the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard.
On top of being a practicing clinician, Dr. Choi also holds a position of Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine. Furthermore, she runs her own research lab, studying novel biomarkers for autoimmune diseases. Her passion for research shows through her nearly 7.3 million dollars in grant funding, 64 published journal papers and 4 book chapters. Finally, I’m not sure how she finds the time to do this, but when she’s not actively practicing or conducting research, she also fits in a monthly education program in conjunction with pharmacy and other disciplines.
A fun fact about Dr. Choi is that she’s actually my older sister, and it was incredibly fun and interesting to hear her talk about her practice and also gain insight into how we as pharmacists can help improve interdisciplinary collaboration with our medicine colleagues.
In this episode Jared reviews a case study from his time at the Calgary remand center. In it he discusses what ADHD is and some novel ways to approach the treatment of ADHD. Sit back and enjoy this penultimate episode before our 100th which will be released 3 years to the date of our first episode!
Taking a step away from our regular programming, we wanted to try something different and invite some of our classmates onto the podcast to talk about something exciting that is happening in the pharmacy world: Pharmacist-Led Health Clinics! Of course, what was discussed during this episode is strictly our own opinions, but hopefully this (sometimes heated) conversation between peers and future pharmacists will spark some more debate regarding this fascinating topic, enjoy!
It’s safe to say that everyone has likely heard that grapefruit can interfere with how your medications work. But do you really know what that means? For healthcare professionals, how would you explain this “interaction” to your patients? And for patients, should you be avoiding grapefruit at all costs? Find the answer to these questions and more in this episode.
What really is the difference between tablets vs. gel capsules? Is it just a big ploy by Big Pharma to make you pay for medications? Well, Jared and I aim to answer this age old question to see if there is in fact a difference between these two common medication formulations. Pay close attention as the answer may surprise you!
How often have you seen prescriptions for statins qhs? And patients swearing they take it in the evening because they were told it would work better? Well, in this next episode of the Truth or Placebo miniseries, we will discuss what statins are, how they came to be, and try to debunk some myths surrounding this medication by digging deep into the research.
To eat or not to eat that is the question? We have all heard that medications are best absorbed on an empty stomach, but is this always true? In this episode we dive into the complex topic that is “bioavailability” and how food can affect the bioavailability of certain medications as well as other factors prescribers and patients alike should consider before avoiding food at all costs.
According to the Oxford dictionary, a placebo is defined as a pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the psychological benefit to the patient of being given a prescription than for any physiological effect.. As such, in this next miniseries titled “Truth or Placebo”, Jared and I will attempt to uncover “Pharmacy Placebo’s”, that is to say, potentially false facts and fictions about medications that both practitioners and patients alike may not realize are simply not true. Tune in, have fun, and you never know, you might just learn something you didn’t know before!
Effective from January 31st, 2023 to January 31, 2026, Health Canada officially granted an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to the Province of B.C., wherein adults are no longer going to be arrested or charged for possessing small amounts of certain illegal drugs for personal use. Take a listen as we discuss the specifics around this new exemption and what this means for the practice of healthcare moving forward.
Happy holidays everyone! We just wanted to make a quick episode to check-in and talk about how we’ve been celebrating the winter break. As well, keeping things light-hearted, we also engaged in a quick discussion about what drugs we’ve encountered that have either a completely abhorrent smell or a rather pleasant one.
Joining us in this episode is a very special guest we’ve interviewed before, Frances Folkman! For those of you who don’t know, Frances is an amazing oncology pharmacist, residency coordinator, and Clinical Practice Leader. Focusing more on her practice this time, we first took a moment to catch up and see what she’s been up to since we last chatted and her experience implementing Connect Care. Next, we had Frances put in her own words her clinical practice and walk us through her typical day in the clinic. Not only that, but we also had the chance to listen to some unique cases she's encountered, and finally ended things with a look ahead to the future of cancer pharmacy.
In this episode we interview two very special guests, Nils Moser and Leah Feltham, both wonderful individuals we are lucky enough to call friends. Even luckier, the conversation we had revolved around hospital pharmacy residency, with Nils finishing his just this past year, and Leah currently going through hers. Together, they share some tips and tricks about their experience with the residency application process, in their opinion the best and most challenging aspects of their respective residency programs, and what they look forward to as their careers progress. Many thanks to Nils and Leah for doing this, and hope you listeners out there are able to glean some helpful information from this episode!
It’s been a while since we’ve had one of these! Following the end of our first mini-series, we just wanted to take an opportunity to sit back and just casually chat about what we’ve been up to now that our 4th year of pharmacy school is in full swing. Also, this episode is officially our first one where we’re recording together in the same room, this was something we were hoping to do for a long time now. Although not technically a new format, we still nonetheless hope you enjoy listening to this fun one!
Now that we’ve finished covering all the sections of the Jurisprudence Study Guide, what better way to finish this inaugural Mini-Series than to interview the very two people who were responsible for creating the Jurisprudence Online Module. That’s right, in today’s episode, we were able to interview both Ravina Sanghera and Stephanie Morton, both exceptionally talented individuals in the pharmacy world!
We finally made it! In this last section of the jurisprudence module, we review all the rules associated with Pharmacy Operations. This included covering the various different kinds of licenses a pharmacy can have, what a “lock-and-leave” pharmacy is, the differences between compounding and manufacturing, what it means to be a licensee vs. proprietor, and much more. Stay tuned as this is a dense one, make sure to take breaks, you’re in the home stretch now, enjoy!
In this second to last section of the Jurisprudence study guide, we cover Pharmacist Prescribing in Alberta. This was a fun one to record as we covered what the fundamentals of prescribing are, which include individual competence, informed consent, and many others. Next, we breezed through what the requirements are for how a pharmacist gets their additional prescribing authority, before switching over to the more heavy discussion revolving around the different situations that are considered appropriate for a pharmacist to prescribe. Don’t miss out on all the important details as this was a very packed episode, make sure to listen closely!
We’re nearing the end of our Jurisprudence Mini-Series! In this episode, we cover the section of Drug and Health Care Products. As the name suggests, we really cover the basics of what the different Drug schedules are and where you might find them, in the pharmacy or otherwise. Then we switch gears to go over the new updated Prescription Regulation Chart by the Alberta College of Pharmacy. Finally, we end the episode with a quick review of the TPP Medication List and some specific medications you should be aware of. This was a shorter episode but we hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
And we keep moving! Here is part 2 of our Dispensing section in the Jurisprudence Mini-Series. We finish things off by talking about the steps to take in cases of fraudulent prescriptions, the standards surrounding providing drug information to patients, what it takes to actually properly label and prepare medications, and finally define what repackaging really is.
In the next part of our Jurisprudence Mini-Series, we talk about Dispensing. It’s a lengthy section, so we’ve turned it into two parts for you guys, making it a little easier to listen to. As such, in this first part we talk about general dispensing procedures, what transfers-in and transfers-out require, how to recognize valid prescriptions (including those tricky ones from vets), and the different prescribing authorities of the various other health disciplines we should be aware of. Thanks for listening and don’t forget to tune into part 2!
Continuing with the next part of our Jurisprudence Mini-Series, we kick things off with the study guide and review the first section, titled: Ethics and Professionalism. As its name entails, we discuss the statutes and legislations that apply to pharmacy practice, the role of Alberta College of Pharmacy, what it means to be a pharmacy professional, and a lot more! This is a bit of a longer episode, but we hope the side stories and opinions we bring forward make it for interesting listening, enjoy!
In this first part of our Jurisprudence Mini-Series, we cover the basics of what the ACP Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam actually is. Notably, we talk about what the exam covers and the specific format in which it is tested. Also discussed was the process in which you need to follow in order to register for the exam, and finally what to expect on the day of the exam itself. We hope this episode serves as a solid foundation for the material dense episodes to come!
Hey! We have a quick one for you today as Jared and I explain the ins-and-outs of our Mini-Series format. Inspired by our earlier Placement Spotlight Series, this new format will allow us to take more time to dive deeper into topics. Don’t worry though, we will still have our stand-alone episodes when a current or interesting topic comes up. Thanks for tuning in!
In today’s episode we cover a virus that has been circulating both in the world and the news. Called Monkeypox, this virus has literally gone viral as cases of it have been reported in countries such as the United States and Canada. Take a listen to learn more about what Monkeypox is, how it spreads, what are some signs and symptoms, how to diagnose and treat it, and finally listen to a first hand account of what it’s like to be infected.
In today’s episode, we are joined by Rhonda Roedler, a Pharmacist, Clinical Practice Leader, Residency Coordinator, aspiring music teacher, and everything in between!
Graduating from the University of Alberta with a Bachelors in Pharmacy degree in 1999, Rhonda then went on to complete a hospital residency with Calgary Regional Health Authority in 2000. Not long after, she began her career at the Peter Lougheed Hospital, where she worked in Cardiology and helped the team expand their services to Critical Care in 2003. It was not until 2007 that Rhonda went back to school to obtain her PharmD degree from the University of Washington. With her additional education, it was a seamless transition into her next role as Clinical Practice Leader within Medicine at Foothills Medical Center in 2008. Fast forward several years, and along the way Rhonda began a clinical practice at Diabetes Center Calgary, became Residency Coordinator with Calgary Zone, and helped open South Health Campus in 2012, where she now serves as Clinical Practice Leader. Despite her ever-changing roles, one thing that remains constant for Rhonda is her passion for Diabetes practice, wherein she has been working with the Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition Strategic Clinical Network on Inpatient Glycemic Management. From her work has sprung various policies and publications on topics ranging from Basal-Bolus insulin therapy, to determining risk factors for patients developing hyperglycemia perioperatively. If that wasn’t enough, Rhonda also is an Education Coordinator, where she is mainly responsible for maintaining clinical orientation and discerning new and alternative methods of delivering education.
Continuing with the education theme, a fun fact about Rhonda that was mentioned earlier is that she is working towards becoming a music teacher through the Royal Conservatory of Music. She currently has 7 piano students and one student on flute!
Well, we had a lot of fun chatting with Rhonda about everything you need to know about the Calgary Pharmacy Residency Program, and we hope it’s also music to your ears!
And we’re back!
In this episode of the J & J Pharmacy Podcast, we welcome ourselves back after a prolonged hiatus from recording. Listen in as we talk about why we were on a break and what we are up to now. As well, find out more about some exciting new formats that the podcast will be introducing. Finally, we both wanted to give our sincerest congratulation to the Class of 2022!
In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Melanie Danilak.
Melanie began her pharmacy training at the University of Alberta, where she graduated in 2004. She then went on to receive her ACPR designation in 2009 with a focus in oncology. With her education, she practiced to full scope in a breast cancer clinic for several years alongside a nurse practitioner, utilizing her prescribing authority to manage endocrine therapy for patients. In addition to practicing clinically, Melanie became the residency coordinator for the cancer program in Alberta, and more recently, the Edmonton Zone. She is also the current chair of the Canadian Pharmacy Residency Board, is a Clinical Practice Leader, and shifted her clinical focus towards osteoporosis and rheumatology/immuno-oncology.
When Melanie is not busy being an amazing individual, she is a self-proclaimed workout class junkie, having always loved doing group fitness classes, and even shifted to online programs due to the pandemic, talk about dedication! In her own words, she said that “movement really is what keeps me healthy and happy”.
Interestingly, at the time of the conversation, she was actually in a transition between roles, switching from Residency Coordinator in Edmonton Zone to Assessment Developer at the Alberta College of Pharmacy. Nevertheless, it was an awesome conversation about her experience as Residency Coordinator, and we hope you guys are able to take something away from it.
In today’s episode, Jared and I had the chance to chat with one of pharmacy’s best in Joshua Torrance. Joshua is the current CSHP Alberta Branch President, so the focus of the podcast was to find out a little more about who Joshua is and what are some of his roles and responsibilities.
Joshua graduated from the University of Alberta in 2009 with a BSc Honours in Immunology and Infections before going into pharmacy and getting his BSc Pharm in 2014. He then went on to complete his residency in 2015, officially getting his ACPR designation. He started his professional career at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, where he re-developed how the outpatient stroke prevention clinic functioned, making pharmacists responsible for the management of stroke risk factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. Not stopping there, Joshua then became a Clinical Practice Leader, during which he collaborated with General Internal Medicine (GIM) to create the first Infectious Diseases consult service in Central Zone AHS. Presently, he works with the AHS Pharmacy Services Connect Care team to develop innovative solutions to implement a seamless clinical information system that will connect all patients and providers with their health information across Alberta.
On the side, he created his own company with a former Pharmacy Manager, QlinicalRx, which provides tools to support community pharmacists in delivering and documenting clinical patient care services.
For “fun”, Joshua is a hobbyist programmer and is always looking for ways to leverage technology to solve health care problems. One notable achievement was the creation of the Alberta Blue Cross Drug Price Calculator (https://studybuffalo.com/tools/drug-price-calculator/), which was designed to help hospital pharmacists determine how much medications will cost a patient to allow better discharge planning decisions.
It was mind blowing to talk with Joshua about his journey through pharmacy, and we hope you guys, the listeners, share our enthusiasm!
In our last and final installment of the placement spotlight series, Jared and I had the absolute pleasure of talking with Nicole Casavant about her practice as a Clinical Thoracic Pharmacist at the Southern Alberta Transplant Clinic at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Alberta. Since completing her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, Nicole has been practicing in nephrology and solid organ transplant for the past 25 years! In her free time, Nicole is also a piano teacher and yoga instructor, as well as part-time staff to Sam the teenager and Lily the dog.
This episode was a perfect way to end this special series, and we hope you all enjoy listening to it!
Up next in the placement spotlight series, we interviewed Lindsay Meyer-Smith, who’s area of practice is an interesting one, where she works as part of the Medication Quality and Safety Team at Alberta Health Services. Lindsay completed her Bachelor of Science in Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of British Columbia in 2005, and followed it up with her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan in 2009. Not satisfied, she then went on to complete her Pharmacy residency with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority in 2010, and most recently actually, received her Master of Health Studies from Athabasca University in 2021. With such a vast amount of education, Lindsay was able to utilize it as a clinical pharmacist working in Pediatric General Medicine and Pediatric Intensive Care. After doing this for five years, she then moved on to her current role as a medication safety pharmacist with the AHS Provincial Pharmacy Services Medication Quality and Safety Team. A notable achievement in this position, which is pertinent to this podcast, is that she is responsible for developing the fourth year PharmD rotation in this area. A fun fact about Lindsay is that she's a marathon runner, having completed two previous marathons and will be traveling to Chicago in October for the Chicago Marathon.
This is an area of practice that not everyone is aware of, but Jared and I hope that our conversation with Lindsay provides a little insight to what other areas of pharmacy exist!
Next up in the series, we had one of the faculties very best, Dr. Rene Breault, come onto the podcast to discuss the exciting opportunities provided by an academic rotation. Dr. Breault received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Alberta in 1998. Following graduation, he worked with AHS at the University of Alberta Hospital for just over a decade. It was not until 2010 that he decided to pursue further education by getting his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Toronto. As a pharmacist, Dr. Breault achieved a variety of honors, one of which was being one of the first 15 pharmacists in Alberta to be granted Additional Prescribing Authorization in 2007. He’s also been the President of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists Alberta Branch, serving from 2019 to 2020. Apart from his teaching duties, he currently works in a hypertension and dyslipidemia clinic operating out of the University of Alberta Hospital. When he’s not busy influencing the next generation of great pharmacists, Dr. Breault enjoys making a great gin martini!
It’s always a pleasure to talk with Dr. Breault and this episode was no exception. We hope you guys enjoy listening to our conversation!
In this episode, we had a fascinating conversation with Pam Nickel and her practice at the Northern Alberta HIV Clinic. Pam graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Alberta in 1992. Her additional certifications include Additional Prescribing Authorization, as well as interestingly completed the pilot course for certification in asthma management. In terms of her professional achievements, she worked as a pharmacist and pharmacy manager at Safeway Pharmacy from 1992 to 2002. It was at this point that she made the transition to hospital pharmacy, where she began working at the outpatient pharmacy in the UofA Hospital. It wasn’t until 2007 that she jumped at the opportunity to work with the Northern Alberta HIV program, where she continues to work today. On the fun side of things, Pam enjoys spending downtime at a family home in Canmore. As well, she enjoys trying different types of dance classes for fun, with notable ones including belly dancing, bollywood fusion, and scottish highland dancing. Jared and I wouldn’t say that this episode was possibly near the amount of fun that the dancing sounds, but we enjoyed talking to Pam nonetheless, so listen closely as she has a lot of advice to share!
Keeping it going with our Placement Spotlight Series, we had the absolute fortune of interviewing Jenny Wichart. Jenny is a graduate of the University of Alberta, getting her Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1998. Not wasting any time, she then went on to complete her pharmacy residency in Calgary in 1999, wherein she developed a passion and love for everything transplant. Even outside of work, she has continued to develop this passion, spending a lot of time enjoying and learning from many opportunities, such being Chair of the CSHP Transplant Pharmacy Speciality Network and also holding various Committee, Executive, and Board positions with the Canadian Society of Transplantation and International Pediatric Transplant Association. In 2019, she was awarded the CSHP Preceptor of the Year Award from the Alberta Pharmacy Residency Program, and followed it up in 2020 with the ACP and RxA APEX M.J. Huston Pharmacist of Distinction Award. In her free time, Jenny enjoys walking and exploring the City of Calgary and surrounding areas. Although, she makes a note that the locations have to be safe from bears, as she admits to having a disproportionate fear of them. All this exercise is to prepare her for the annual September Kidney March, which is a 100km walk through Kananaskis to raise funds and awareness for kidney disease and organ dysfunction. Last but not least, she enjoys cooking for her friends and family, and goes as far to boast a crazy large autographed cookbook collection.
Well, Jared and I definitely had a meal of a conversation in this episode with Jenny, so we hope you all can take some time out of your day to listen to it!
Continuing our Placement Series Special, we next interviewed Phil Wong. Phil has both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Pharmacy. Following the completion of his pharmacy education, Phil went on to work as a community pharmacist for 3.5 years, eventually making his way up to being a Manager of a Safeway Pharmacy. From there, Phil transitioned into working as a clinical pharmacist with Corrections Pharmacy, where he’s been at for the past 7 years and earned a nomination for Preceptor of the Year. Pushing the boundaries of pharmacy practice, Phil is also the owner and founder of Arlo Medical Injections, which is a botulinum toxin and dermal filler injection clinic in Calgary.
In addition to pharmacy, Phil is incredibly passionate about real estate investing, having written a book titled “Real Estate Side Hustle for Investors”, which is available on Amazon, as well as hosts a podcast called “Commonwealth Home Ownership Real Estate Investing”, which has over 4000 downloads to date.
In his freetime, Phil loves traveling and has been to over 30 countries!
Both Jared and I had a blast interviewing Phil, and we hope you all also enjoy listening to this episode!
Hello everyone! Welcome to our Placement Spotlight Series. In these episodes we’ll be interviewing preceptors and students at unique placements. Whether it be a leadership rotation, a specialized clinical experience, or anything in between, be sure to listen in as we dive deep into what these placements offer and how you can best prepare yourself as students for success.
In this episode, we had the opportunity to interview both preceptor and student! On the preceptor side of things, we’d like to introduce Bruce Winston, a pharmacy grad from the University of Alberta. Following just 1 year after pharmacy school, Bruce purchased his first community pharmacy, before co-founding APEX Pharmacies, which operated 20 Alberta pharmacies under the Sandstone Pharmacies brand. Recently, he sold Sandstone Pharmacies to Neighbourly Pharmacy and is now employed by them as Head of Alberta Pharmacy Strategy and Professional Affairs. He is also a member of the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association Board of Directors where he served as past president. In his free time, Bruce is a real fan of watching Major League Baseball, and has even visited all but 8 of the Major League ballparks. He hopes to visit the rest in the next few years. Not to be left out, we’d like to introduce next Sabrina Sunderji, a fourth year pharmacy student currently on rotation with Bruce. Prior to pharmacy, she actually completed her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. Furthermore, she worked as a kinesiologist and a Client Services Director at a private health care clinic for a few years before entering into the pharmacy program.
Hello everyone! Welcome to our Placement Spotlight Series. In these episodes we’ll be interviewing preceptors and students at unique placements. Whether it be a leadership rotation, a specialized clinical experience, or anything in between, be sure to listen in as we dive deep into what these placements offer and how you can best prepare yourself as students for success.
In this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Kim Taube, a pharmacist working at the Edmonton Remand Center. Practicing to her full scope, Kim has her APA and is also a Certified Diabetes Educator. Not to be outdone, however, by our other esteemed guests, Kim’s other roles include being the current Vice-Chair of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists’ Education Committee, a Lab Facilitator for the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Alberta, and is involved with vaccination administration at the Edmonton Remand Center. When she is able to find some free time, you’ll probably have a good chance of finding her at the High Level Diner, enjoying their fantastic cinnamon buns! We hope you guys enjoy listening to this episode as much as we did recording it!
Hello everyone! Welcome to our Placement Spotlight Series. In these episodes we’ll be interviewing preceptors and students at unique placements. Whether it be a leadership rotation, a specialized clinical experience, or anything in between, be sure to listen in as we dive deep into what these placements offer and how you can best prepare yourself as students for success.
For our first episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Kmet. Jason is the owner and preceptor at Polaris Travel Clinic, of which he opened in 2013. Graduating from the University of Saskatchewan in 1994, Jason went on to receive his injection certification in 2008 and his ISTM Certificate in Travel Health in 2009. In his free time, Jason also hosts a podcast called the “Polaris Travel Health Podcast”, which is available via the usual streaming platforms and at www.buzzsprout.com.
This was an amazing first episode to kick things off with this new series, and we hope you guys enjoyed listening to it as well.
On part 2 of our discussion we dive into the clinical trial that Paxlovid was studied in and assess the validity and applicability of the study.
In this first episode of a 2 part special surrounding Paxlovid - a brand new drug tabbed to be the latest treatment for COVID-19 - we discuss all the key information anyone would need to know who is prescribing, dispensing, or taking this medication!
Welcome back everyone to a brand new episode of The J & J Pharmacy Podcast. In todays episode we discuss our plans for the podcast moving forward, why we took a 2 month break, and what we got up to over the winter holidays!
In this episode of the J & J Pharmacy Podcast, we had a really candid conversation about our current mental health. Being that it is Movember, we thought it was really important to be vulnerable and share the trials and tribulations we’ve faced recently. We hope that this conversation is only one of many this month as we all work towards reducing the stigma around men’s health as a whole.
In this week’s episode, we had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Frances Folkman. Frances is a Pharmacy Clinical Practice Leader and Cancer Residency Coordinator, working out of the Tom Baker Cancer Centre at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta. Listen to her powerful story as she recounts her sudden reversal from practitioner to patient when she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2014. No details were missed as we discussed her journey through treatment and how the arduous experience changed her own approach to treating cancer patients!
Diabetes is a well-known chronic disease that affects a significant amount of the population. Specifically, insulin-dependent diabetics are presented with the unique challenge of administering insulin to themselves in order to manage their blood glucose levels. In today's episode we discuss the different insulin regimens with a focus on BBIT and if it is in fact the best choice for all patients.
In this episode, the script flips and this time John takes us through a case he experienced during his second year hospital rotation. By the end of it, you should be able to answer this question: what role, if any, does ketamine play in treating Treatment Resistant Unipolar Depression?
In this episode, Jared takes the lead and walks us through a case he experienced during his second year hospital rotation. By the end of it, you should be able to answer this question: for patients with a history of gout and hypertension, what antihypertensives are available that lower both blood pressure and uric levels, thereby reducing the risk of a gout flare-up?
The dreaded time is finally upon us...it’s Midterm Season! But not to fear, listen to this week's episode where we talk about our (super secret) strategies when it comes to studying for pharmacy exams. Whether you are a 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd year student, we hope that you’re able to glean something helpful from our discussion!
A Freestyle Libre Pro a day, keeps the needles away! In this latest episode of the J&J Pharmacy Podcast, we talk about continuous glucose monitoring and how it works. For many patients living with Diabetes, the conventional approach of finger pricking to measure blood glucose levels can be both expensive and painful. Fortunately, with the introduction of the Freestyle Libre Pro in 2017, the lives of many patients have been forever changed with this amazing technology.
On the eve of both the new Restriction Exemption Program and Federal Elections, this week’s episode explores how the constant flux of today’s society is bringing on a new version of burnout. Specifically, we talk about how this burnout manifests somewhat differently than the conventional exhaustion from schoolwork, but rather finds its leg on everything else that’s happening in life right now. However, not all hope is lost and we hope our lasting message on being kind to ourselves and finding fulfillment in life inspires you to keep going!
Summer’s almost over, but that doesn’t mean you should stop learning about sunscreen! In today’s episode, we are using a new format to talk about whether or not benzene in sunscreen should be something to be concerned about. Listen in as we take a deep dive on the research and how it informs our final verdict!
Congratulations to the Class of 2025! In this special episode of the J & J Pharmacy Podcast, we do our part in welcoming the incoming first years by providing them with some tips and tricks to help situate them in pharmacy school. We can’t wait to meet you in person!
On today's podcast we are thrilled to be joined by a fellow podcaster Meg Luft! Her podcast is fittingly called “Our Bumpy Road”, and the reason why we say it’s fitting is because the podcast focuses on talking about mental health. As we all know, mental health struggles are something we all experience and so life isn’t always smooth sailing and can be quite bumpy.
This is truly an episode everyone should listen to as we can all learn so much from what Meg discusses with us! If you enjoyed this episode please go check out Meg's other podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast!
Follow Meg's podcast on IG @our.bumpy.road
Get a drink. Sit tight. Get comfortable. In this special 50th episode of the J & J Pharmacy Podcast, we celebrate the occasion by combining several segments into one!
Part 1: Jared and John (0-13:15)
We open this special podcast by first reflecting on our lives through the pandemic. Then we transition into contrasting what the podcast was like when it first started compared to how far we’ve come now. Finally, we look towards the future and what it holds for the podcast!
Part 2: Dr. Kaitlyn Watson (13:15-42:25)
For our first guest, we were excited to welcome back a pharmacist who is no stranger to the heat. Dr. Watson is a foremost expert in the specialized field of disaster pharmacy and so it was our pleasure to discuss with her the Canadian pharmacy response to the pandemic.
Part 3: Dr. Carlos Velazquez (42:25-74:20)
For our second guest, we had the legend himself return. Dr. Velazquez is definitely a class favorite but not only because he demonstrates real passion for teaching medicinal chemistry, but also because he is simply a good person. Tune in to learn more about the important message he has for pharmacy students during these turbulent times.
Joining us in today’s episode, we have Nathan Morin, another amazing hospital pharmacist. He received his Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Alberta in 2012. Currently, he works at the South Health Campus in Calgary, where he is responsible for establishing their current orthopedic surgical, and pre-admission clinic pharmacist practice. We are thrilled to interview such an accomplished pharmacist and we hope you enjoy listening to it as well!
For our next guest, we have a brilliant pharmacist who has demonstrated everything pharmacy has to offer. Awarded the 2018 Future of Pharmacy Award, Vincent Ha stands on the forefront of our profession, practicing in both oncology and palliative medicine at the Cross Cancer Institute. Take a listen to gain insight from Vincent about what it takes to remain grounded and stay motivated in such a specialized and heavy field of pharmacy.
In today’s episode, we have an extremely accomplished pharmacist joining us. She completed her pharmacy school training from the University of Waterloo, before being accepted into the Y1 Residency Program at London Health Sciences. Hungry for more, she then became the first pharmacist ever to be accepted into the Y2 Cardiology Program at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute in Edmonton, Alberta. Listen in as we talk about her journey through pharmacy and what her practice now looks like!
In today’s episode, we have a very special guest who’s kind of done everything under the pharmacy sun. In 1996, she completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan before going on to get her PharmD from the University of British Columbia in 2000. With her added training, she then practiced at Vancouver General Hospital, specializing in the field of neuroscience, one of the first pharmacists in Canada to do so. In 2005, her career brought her to Edmonton, where she became a Clinical Practice Leader and then Clinical Practice Manager with Alberta Health Services. It is thus our pleasure to have this esteemed pharmacist, Dr. Tania Mysak joining our podcast for today's episode!
Join us in this week's episode as we recount our experiences from our first hospital pharmacy rotation. Major topics include our expectations going into the placement, how our hospital sites compared to each other in terms of pharmacy practice, and finally we wanted to share the important lessons that we learned from our experience about how to be successful hospital pharmacists.
On today’s episode, we have another accomplished pharmacist joining us to talk about an amazing organization, Pharmacists Without Borders. She has experience practicing in both the community and hospital environment (at the same time no less!) and was actually a Clinical Instructor at the University of Manitoba School of Pharmacy. Not satisfied with learning, she also completed her Masters in Public at the University of Waterloo and also boasts a PharmD from the University of Alberta.
In today’s episode, we have a pharmacist who’s put on a variety of different hats throughout her career. She graduated in 2006 with her Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Alberta before working in the community in Alberta and Nova Scotia. In 2007, she moved into oncology at the Cross Cancer Institute and eventually worked up into a Pharmacy Manager Role and Assistant Director for the Cancer Care Alberta pharmacy team. Following that, in 2012, she stepped further away from clinical practice to manage a leadership role overseeing performance for the provincial Pharmacy Services team with Alberta Health Services. Most recently, she completed her MBA at the University of British Columbia, and is poised to continue making a significant contribution to pharmacy practice.
In this week's episode (recorded back in early March) Jared and John chat with Dr. Nathan Beahm, an infectious disease pharmacist at the University of Alberta. On the podcast we discuss:
- The growing concerns around antibiotic resistance and the role pharmacists play in preventing it,
- Dr. Beahm’s stance on pharmacists using their APA to prescribe antibiotics to patients,
- And finally we have Dr. Beahm walk us through a potential case many of us will see in practice.
On today’s podcast we are joined again by Raymond Otieno and Aisha Ibrahim to discuss the BPSA’s exciting webinar “Let’s talk COVID-19 vaccines” happening on May 15th. In it we discuss what prompted the BPSA to put the event together and what impact they hope this event will have.
INFO ON THE EVENT: On May 15th from 12-2pm join the BPSA in a webinar featuring 7 black healthcare professionals discussing and answering any questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine. To register go on their Facebook page or via the links on their Instagram and Twitter pages which have been listed below!
Facebook: BPSA University of Alberta
Instagram: @bpsa_uofa
Twitter: @BPSA_UofA
What happens when you combine smarts, musical talent, and physical fitness? Well, Ethan Swanson of course! Listen in as we interview one of pharmacy’s most interesting individuals to find out why he got into pharmacy, what he’s been up to during the past year, and the superhero-like backstory behind his weight loss journey and musical prowess.
Follow Ethan's Fitness Journey @fat2fit.es on Instagram!
Here at the J & J Pharmacy Podcast, we recognize that we don’t exist without the amazing faculty members of the University of Alberta School of Pharmacy. Therefore, we wanted to give back with our version of Jimmy Kimmel’s popular segment, “Nice Tweets”! Take a listen as we read out wholesome comments from the student body, thanking the faculty for all the hard work they’ve put into supporting us this difficult year.
Can you believe that it’s been over a year since COVID-19 completely changed our lives? In this sobering PAM Special, we have a deep conversation with Amandeep Garcha, a second year Pharmacy student, about our experiences this past year and what personal trials and tribulations we’ve had to overcome. We also talk about what we look forward to as we move towards a COVID-19 free future, so please join us as we reflect on all that we are thankful for!
Continuing our celebration of PAM, we were honoured to be able to speak with several founding members of the Black Pharmacy Students’ Association (BPSA). Created just this year, the BPSA stands on the forefront of progressive change in pharmacy, so we wanted to learn a little more about the individuals responsible for creating it. Take a listen to hear more about the unique motivations and personalities of Jowaher, Ray, and Aisha!
In our first official PAM Special, we discuss the importance of self-care for all pharmacy professionals. We begin by sharing our own tips and tricks on how to de-stress and make sure you’re taking the best care of yourself so that you’re better able to help patients. The conversation then moves towards an interesting paper that outlines valuable steps you may want to take in order to reach your health and wellness goals. Finally, listen in to our controversial opinions on whether or not it is unprofessional to sit while working in a pharmacy.
In this episode we chat about what we have been up to the past 2 weeks and give a sneak peak into some of the exciting episodes we have in the works!
You throw like a girl...and that’s pretty awesome! Joining us today on the podcast is Diane Pham, the acting APSA Female Sports Representative and founder of the “Pharmacy Women in Sports Club”. Listen in as she recounts her love for sports and how that has motivated her to try to get more pharmacy women involved in physical activity. If you are interested in joining the PWSC, please contact Diane Pham at pham1@ualberta.ca or message her on Facebook.
Love is in the air, but so is Covid! In today’s Open Thoughts episode, we celebrate Valentine's Day by talking about our technological mishaps, difficulties with midterms, and how we plan to spend the special day (alone). Please take a quick listen and tune in to our PSA on how to celebrate Valentine’s responsibly.
This week we talk about men presenting with complicated UTI, which has a different pathology compared to uncomplicated UTI, the condition most commonly observed and treated in females. Due to these differences, it is vital that a proper assessment is done to determine what management approach should be taken. Finally, we discuss the controversial role of nitrofurantoin in the treatment of complicated UTI in men, and what cautions should be taken if presented with this particular scenario in practice.
Join us this week as we break down the intricacies of Strep Throat. This often misdiagnosed type of Pharyngitis takes more than just asking about a sore throat to properly treat. Take a listen as we define what the Centor Score is, what it allows for, and how rapid antigen detection testing has transformed the role of pharmacists in the treatment of Strep Throat.
In another episode of “Hot Topics”, we turn the conversation towards constipation. Constipation is a familiar condition, but the exact details regarding it’s symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment is something we thought deserved an in-depth review. Stay tuned until the end as we finish the podcast with a compare-and-contrast between two commonly recommended laxatives, and some nuances to keep in mind when presented with a particular patient.
What a pain in the ear! In this week's episode, we explore another hot topic: Otitis Media. Take a listen as we describe what Otitis Media is, what symptoms patients will present with, and what kind of treatments are available. We also talk about our own experiences with ear infections before finishing with a brief discussion regarding some recent and interesting literature on the condition.
You don’t want to miss this episode, wherein we invite James Tao, a hospital pharmacist who works at the U of A Hospital, to come onto the podcast and talk about his practice and what he thinks about the pharmacy profession as a whole.
With the new semester right around the corner (literally tomorrow) we decided to reflect on the lessons we learned in 2020 and what we hope to accomplish in 2021. We also chat about our holiday break and what we have planned for the podcast in the coming months!
Happy Holidays! To celebrate the end of the fall semester, we here at the J and J Pharmacy Podcast are excited to present Dr. Kaitlyn Watson, the co-founder and CEO of “Disaster Pharmacy Solutions”! Not content with just a pharmacy degree from the University of Queensland Pharmacy School, Dr. Watson talks with us about her journey that ultimately landed her up here in the Great White North. Furthermore, she speaks her mind on the legacy that Covid-19 will have on pharmacy practice and how we as a profession can be better prepared to handle another crisis in the future.
It’s hard to believe, but we’re already at 25 episodes! To celebrate such a momentous occasion, we invited onto the podcast, the man, the myth, the legend: Ali Damani. His glorious hair might be gone, but his support for pharmacy students remains unwavering. To learn more about the “Awesome RxA Guy”, we asked Ali to recount his days prior to becoming associated with RxA, which included a brief stint in the United States, before coming back up to Canada to practice. We also got an opportunity to engage Ali in a discussion about the lasting impact that Covid-19 will have on the pharmacy profession. Finally, we finish the episode talking more specifically about what RxA does for pharmacy students and Ali also leaves us with some lasting words of encouragement during these difficult times.
You know what they say, fourth times the charm! Joining us for the last episode of the Movember Special and gracious enough to take time out of their busy rotation schedules are the legendary 4th years, Nils Moser and Fred Min. Both begin by giving us a light tease of what we should be expecting for their Rx Factor videos, we really can’t wait to see what they have in store for us! Shortly thereafter, the conversation gets serious, with both Nils and Fred sharing their wise thoughts on men’s mental health and how they have been affected by such a heavily stigmatized issue. Finally, as they have done so for us and countless other pharmacy students, both men leave us with encouraging words as we continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are officially less than a week away from the Rx Factor! Joining us in our excitement are the next pair of extremely talented contestants, Gurpal Gill and Brian Chow, both hailing from the class of 2022. In this episode, not only does Gurpal tease that his talent will stick true to his roots, but he was kind of enough to open up about his own mental health struggles and the strategies he uses to manage them. Brian completes the picture by recounting the many encounters he’s had with mental health and how these experiences have shaped him as a human being.
Next up on the RxFactor and Movember plate are the first years, Jasmine Ly and Garrett Kawa! Listen in to learn more about the mysterious freshmen and find out how they are coping with the pandemic. In regards to what their “talents” are, they’ve kept their lips tightly sealed but do promise that things are definitely going to get weird. Lastly, Jasmine and Garrett get serious and share their insightful thoughts on men’s physical and mental health and what we can do as future pharmacists to become strong advocates for this health issue.
Unveiloween was truly a treat to watch, and so with the contestants of RxFactor finally revealed, we first invite the Second Year power dual, John and Nick, onto the podcast! To help kick-off this special Movember month, Garrett also re-joins the show as a co-host! Listen in to not only get a sneak peak of what talents John and Nick are going to exhibit, but also find out a little more about how they are handling the pandemic. Finally, the talk focuses on how mental health impacts John and Nick on a personal level, and what their thoughts are on the role that pharmacist's play in advocating for men's physical and mental health.
“Men are dying too young. We can’t afford to stay silent”. These are the powerful words that drive the Movember Foundation, and this week we had the privilege of interviewing one of Movember’s very finest, Shane DeMerchant. Joining us as well was our very good friend Garrett Garlock, also known as the man responsible for putting together this year’s RxFactor. Together, we sit down and have a very candid conversation about men’s health, and how our own experiences have shaped us and motivated us to become better advocates for such a stigmatized healthcare issue.
We are nearly done midterms! This past week has especially been a difficult one, and so in this episode we chat about our experiences studying and what kind of hardships we have encountered. In particular, the conversation revolved around “burn out” and what kind of strategies we use to prevent or overcome it. Remember, we’re all going to get through this together and we’re all going to become great Pharmacists one day!
Get ready to be educated! In this week’s episode, we are joined by a very special guest, Dr. Terri Schindel. For those unfamiliar with this lovely human being, she is a professor with the faculty, who among other things, is involved with teaching second year pharmacy students the importance of Education Planning. As such, during the podcast we discuss her journey through pharmacy and the different career points that ultimately led her to where she is now. Furthermore, Dr. Schindel breaks down public perception surrounding pharmacy and how we as pharmacy students can pave the way for the future of the profession.
Midterm season is in full swing and that means unmitigated stress and asking yourself, “why did I choose pharmacy?” over and over again. To help distract you, we get down and dirty and talk a little bit about Academic Restructuring and our thoughts regarding the impact it will have on the faculty (that is if it will exist any longer). We also chat about our own struggles with the pandemic and dealing with remote learning extending into the winter semester.
“Be forgiving of yourself”. These are the comforting words from this week’s special guest, Dr. Ravina Sanghera! Over the course of this heartfelt podcast, we get a rare insight into Dr. Sanghera’s personal life and how it has been affected by COVID-19. Furthermore, she sheds some light on the motivations that pushed her to pursue a PharmD and now into graduate studies. Finally, Dr. Sanghera was kind enough to answer the question that we have all been waiting for with bated breath, “how will school look like next year?”. Take a listen to find out the answer!
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s...Daniel Martino! In this week’s episode, we had the privilege of interviewing one of Class of 2023’s very own. Listen in to learn more about the story of Daniel and the motivations that push him to be the very best pharmacist he can be. Furthermore, he breaks down his tenured relationship with Mint Pharmacy and his emerging role as project lead for the “Mint Communities” initiative. Finally, we end the podcast by having Daniel share a little bit about his own NPO, “Boxed Blessings”, and why he feels so strongly about serving the vulnerable populations of Edmonton. Long story short, we all aspire to be Daniel.
Every wonder what happened to the 4th years during COVID-19? Well, wonder no longer because in this week's episode, we got a chance to interview a student from the Class of 2020, Emma Bedard! Emma was kind enough to walk us through the experience of a 4th year pharmacy student trying to navigate the early stages of the pandemic. Other topics discussed include rotation advice and different career avenues available to pharmacy students!
In the second installment of our “Hot Topics” feature, we first talk briefly about a significant health concern in Canada, and that is the current ongoing Opioid crisis. We then continue the discussion by highlighting the amazing work of an Edmonton pharmacist who saved the life of a man who was experiencing an overdose. The life-saving medication used in that event was Naloxone, which we talk about more in our “Drug of the Week” segment!
COVID-19 made things a little different...but so is our podcast! In our first “Hot Topics” episode, we discuss the impact that the pandemic has had on pharmacy practice in Alberta. A particular focus was put on the temporary authorization for controlled substances, as well as the lesser talked about exemption regarding virtual care. Listen all the way to also learn a little about hydroxychloroquine in our new “Drug of the Week” segment.
Crazy to think, but school is just around the corner! In this episode, John and Jared talk a little bit about the newest members of the “Pharmily” and answer any questions the Class of 2024 might have about the first year of pharmacy school. As well, the upper years were kind enough to share their own tips and advice that helped them become successful pharmacy students!
In today’s episode, Anthony Kapelke, the incoming President of APSA, sits down with us to first talk about his summer and his experience working at a special site during his hospital rotation. Then, he goes into more detail about his responsibilities as APSA president and the challenges he aims to overcome during this continued epidemic. Ending on a positive note, Anthony leaves us with some encouraging words and teases some event highlights that we should all be looking forward to this year!
It’s almost orientation! In this episode, we get to talk with our very own VP Social, Leah Feltham. Without spoiling too much, Leah let’s us know what exciting things await the incoming Class of 2024 as they begin their journey in pharmacy. For all the other eager students, Leah also outlines what exciting events and activities are planned for this year!
Tune in to the second part of this two-episode series, where we talk again with Jackson Stewart, a clinical pharmacist working at the University of Alberta Hospital. This time, Jackson talks more about what it actually means to be a hospital pharmacist, including his role as an Infectious Disease expert and how he fits into the elaborate dynamic that is the entire healthcare team. Listen in to get all the valuable information you need that Jackson was so generous to share!
On this special episode, we had the opportunity to chat with Jackson Stewart, a clinical pharmacist working at the University of Alberta Hospital. The main topic at hand was residency; What was it like? How did you get in? What advice do you have? Listen in to get all the valuable information you need that Jackson was so generous to share!
On today's podcast, we are joined by Navjot Singh, a third year pharmacy student and VP academic for the 2020-21 school year. During this episode, we focused the discussion around the issues regarding systemic racism in healthcare and in society. We also talked about what we can do as a student body and faculty to help combat racism, what the goals of the newly formed Race Against Racism Committee are, and finally what the committee is planning to do in the coming months.
Feeling a bit presidential? Then look no further than our very own 2019-2020 APSA President, Scott Dyer! In this episode, Jared and John speak with Scott about how he’s been handling lockdown, what he had hoped to achieve as acting APSA president, his time in the PharmD Bridging Program, and finally his hopes and dreams as he moves toward his last year of pharmacy school.
It’s been a while but Jared and John are back with another episode! This week, they interviewed John...Dr. John Ussher that is, the always hilarious and hard-working pharmacology professor at the University of Alberta. In this podcast, we find out how Dr. Usher is handling isolation at home, we learn more about his journey into research and teaching, and finally he leaves us with some wise words during these trying and uncertain times and a message to the class of 2020.
On today’s episode, Jared and John get to talk with the ever charismatic Dr. Carlos Velazquez! In it, Dr. Velazquez gets deep into how the Corona virus has affected his personal and work life. We also find out what the origin story of the famous line is. Finally, Dr. Velazquez gets serious and describes ongoing efforts by the University of Alberta to help with the pandemic situation and encourages everyone to stay strong and motivated during these trying times.
Being a Class Representative is not an easy job! No one is more qualified to say that than our very own Nick Ramsundar. In this episode, Jared and John talk with Nick about being Class Representative, how he’s dealing with the pandemic situation, and what he looks forward to in the summer. Also, introduced in this episode is the very first “Grades Don’t Matter” segment!
An introduction of what this podcast is about. The hosts of the podcast, John and Jared, are first year pharmacy students at the University of Alberta who aim to connect students and faculty from all over the country who have been affected by the pandemic.