Welcome Heather Kertland - Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream

The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is pleased to announce Heather Kertland as Assistant Professor in the Teaching Stream (Contractually Limited Term) effective July 1, 2025.

Assistant Professor Kertland has been a valued member of our Teaching Stream faculty in a status appointment since 1999. Her contributions to our academic community span over two decades, during which she has established herself as an exceptional educator and mentor. She currently teaches in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and PharmD for Pharmacist programs, where her teaching abilities have earned her the Instructor of the Year award three times. She has contributed to educating over 100 students through experiential education as an APPE preceptor and preceptor for Unity Health Toronto’s hospital residency program. 

An experienced and skilled clinician, Assistant Professor Kertland brings valuable real-world expertise to the classroom. Her clinical specialization is in cardiovascular diseases, particularly acute coronary syndromes and arrhythmias, a constantly evolving and changing area of pharmacy practice. Throughout her career, she has held pharmacy roles in Canada's leading healthcare institutions, including Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Unity Health Toronto, where she currently serves as Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in the Heart and Vascular program. This clinical experience enriches her teaching and ensures pharmacy students benefit from current, evidence-based approaches to pharmaceutical care.

“As an educator and mentor, I enjoy seeing the 'aha' moment for learners; after they have struggled with difficult concepts, but are then able to apply them successfully,” said Kertland.

Leveraging this expertise, Assistant Professor Kertland’s contributions to curriculum development have been substantial, having designed or co-designed more than six pharmacy practice courses for the University of Toronto and the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists. And, since 2024, she has played a significant role in developing the Year 1 curriculum in the new Three-Year PharmD program curriculum as Group Lead for Applied Therapeutics 2.

“I look forward to continuing to contribute to the new curriculum because it’s an opportunity to make a great curriculum even better,” she said. “The focus on enhanced integration will allow learners to experience how the various pharmacy disciplines come together to solve medication-related problems.”

Assistant Professor Kertland’s area of research focuses on patient safety, specifically exploring the safe and effective use of medications in hospitalized patient populations. This vital work addresses critical challenges in healthcare delivery and advances pharmacy practice through evidence-based innovation. She has received over 15 research grants and awards throughout her career, including the Teaching Innovation Award from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy in 2016.

Please join us in congratulating Assistant Professor Kertland on this new appointment. We look forward to her continued contributions to excellence in pharmacy education, research, and practice at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.