Photo grid of 2020 Preceptors of the Year

Six community pharmacists have been recognized by students at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy for their outstanding teaching and mentorship with the 2020-2021 EPE Preceptors of the Year award.

This year’s early practice experience rotations were unlike any other. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students took EPE rotations in community pharmacies with one shift a week, instead of spending a full month in a location.

Despite the challenges of learning and practicing during the pandemic, preceptor awardees provided their students with exceptional experiences and demonstrated strong commitment to their students, their practices and their patients.

Congratulations to the 2020-2021 EPE Preceptors of the Year!

EPE 1 Award winners

Jasion Chio

Jason Chio,
Unionville Guardian Pharmacy

“I really enjoy getting to know my students on a personal level and building those relationships. Every student has a unique personality and I tailor my mentoring style accordingly, which in itself is a learning process for me. . . . As a recent pharmacy graduate and a first-time preceptor, I am still a student of the profession. To me, the award means that my passion for teaching is having a positive impact on our next generation of pharmacists. I hope to continue to inspire students for many years to come.”

Clement Chung

Clement Chung,
Shoppers Drug Mart #1275 

“Having students in my pharmacy energizes my day. They bring new challenges and new ideas to my daily practice. They also serve as a mirror that allows me to evaluate and improve my own practice. . . . I am humbled, honoured, and at the same time surprised to receive this award. I'm very grateful that my students had great learning experiences during their placements. This recognition motivates me to strive for excellence in mentoring, and I am very proud to mentor the new generation of pharmacists.”

Kyro Maseh

Kyrollos Maseh,
Lawlor Pharmasave

“We do our best to ensure that students have personal interactions with patients, and during this process, it is very rewarding to watch them grow and excel. But I also find that every student who comes to Lawlor Pharmasave has a different life experience, and as much as I do teach them, I end up learning from them too. . . . I still can't pinpoint what I did to deserve the award. I always try to make my pharmacy a fun and silly place for staff, students, and patients, but I never thought I'd get an award for having a good time at work.”

EPE 2 Award Winners

Morgan Andrews, Atlantic Superstore #353

Morgan Andrews,
Atlantic Superstore #353 

“I enjoy providing an environment where both the student and I are able to learn and grow, and I strive to give the students as much clinical experience as possible. . . . It is a great honour to be recognized with this award! This was my first time being a preceptor, and I’m thrilled to know I had a positive impact on my student’s education.” 

Michael Nawar

Michael Nawar,
Metro Pharmacy #575

“I enjoy passing on what I’ve learned in a real world setting to help students navigate their transition into the profession. . . . It is an enjoyable and rewarding part of my profession to see students grow and develop. I am thrilled that students had a great learning experience with me and that it has prepared them for their future careers. It is a great privilege to be able to give back to U of T by helping shape the future of our profession in this tangible way.”

Matthew Wong

Matthew Wong,
Rexall Pharmacy #6966 

“One of the biggest joys of being a preceptor is being able to watch a student grow within the 5 to 10 weeks. For me, helping students bridge the gap between academia and the workplace is rewarding, especially during the last couple of weeks when they are more confidant and comfortable handling the day-to-day rigours of a community pharmacy. . . . Receiving this award gives me confidence that I am giving students a positive experience at my pharmacy and that they feel prepared for what will come when they graduate.”

Honourable Mentions

Doug Chow

Shoppers Drug Mart #853

Farah Daya

Shoppers Drug Mart #943

Anna Guo

Shoppers Drug Mart #658

Andre Juricka

Seamless Care Pharmacy

Ariel Kwan

Ambulatory Patient Pharmacy - Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Jeffrey Kwong

Walmart Pharmacy #1115

Christina Ma

Rexall 1974

Jag Maghera

Cooksville WholeHealth Pharmacy

Sarah Rocha

Shoppers Drug Mart #943

Baseer Yasseen

Shoppers Drug Mart #1493

Walter Yeh

Shoppers Drug Mart #1253

Selina Yim

Metro #595

Alfred Yu

Shoppers Drug Mart #985

By: Eileen Hoftyzer

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