PharmD students support flu vaccination efforts in pharmacies across the GTA

2T8-3Y PharmD student Jose Santos greets patient alongside pharmacist and preceptor Neha Kaushal at her Mississauga pharmacy

The cold and flu season is underway in Ontario, and this year, more than 500 U of T PharmD students in first and second year are prepared to help with vaccination efforts in pharmacies across the GTA. Influenza or “flu,” remains a leading cause of death in Canada, and high levels of flu in the community can lead to spikes in hospitalizations and put significant pressure on the health system.

“As part of our three-year PharmD curriculum, we have started to provide injection training for students earlier in the fall so that they are prepared to support vaccination efforts during flu season,” says Natalie Crown, director of the Doctor of Pharmacy program, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. “New this year, we also provided early injections training for second-year students, which means more than 500 pharmacy students can help provide vaccinations in the community, which is a significant boost at a crucial time for the  health and hospital system.”

For students in the newly launched three-year PharmD program, vaccinations are being delivered during early learning experiential courses  that place them in community pharmacies across the GTA once per week during the first year of the program. A number of students and preceptors are also participating in a pilot project that allows students to complete the final step of injection training at their pharmacy placement site under their preceptor's supervision.

Early experiential learning well-received by pharmacy preceptors

Neha Kaushal is a pharmacist, preceptor, and owner of Pharmasave Village Square Specialty Compounding Pharmacy in Mississauga. It is a busy community pharmacy close to a local retirement home. Kaushal prioritizes patient education in the services they provide and feels that this has helped build trust in people who have been coming to the pharmacy for years. “I usually see a lineup of people for flu vaccines, because they trust that if we are explaining it properly and recommending it, then we should be getting it. And that shows the power of a pharmacist,” Kaushal says. “The choice of getting vaccinated should come from the patient. But how we educate them, how we empower them, shows us they will be back next year.”  

Having first-year PharmD students begin experiential learning earlier and spend one day per week in the pharmacy for a longer period throughout the year makes sense to Kausal. “Considering minor ailments, considering how fast we are growing, and even though Ontario is behind other provinces, we need to do this, we need to make sure our pharmacists, first year, second year, they know what they're getting into. They should know that they have the power with the right preceptor standing next to them and with the right knowledge from their schools to provide good care.”

Jose Santos (2T8-3Y) is a first-year PharmD student placed with Kaushal in the Mississauga pharmacy. While initially a bit nervous to step into the direct patient care environment, Santos is taking every opportunity to learn and grow.

“Seeing Neha interact with patients and make them feel better, and establish that sort of rapport with them,” says Santos. “How she counsels patients and can remember all these specific things about them. It really shows the strength in that pharmacy patient care relationship. It's great place to learn.