A local pharmacist has been selected for a provincial award from the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.
Matthew Walliser, who works at St. Joseph’s Hospital’s pharmacy and also practises in community pharmacy, has been selected as the Preceptor of the Year for his efforts to mentor pharmacy student Alexis Dryden.
The award recognizes a preceptor who has made a significant contribution to the education of pharmacy students in the experiential learning program. It’s the first time the award has been handed out.
Walliser said he shares the award with fellow hospital pharmacists Allison Folbar and Shannon Klotz, who also spent time mentoring Dryden. He also paid tribute to technicians Donna George, Trisha Lee-Karcha and Danielle Fleury.
“I feel like this award is for our whole department, than a personal thing,” he told the Mercury. “But it is an honour to receive it.
Walliser graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2015, and has been working at the hospital since 2016.
“I actually came here for one of my rotations, and you really learn from people who make time to teach you and to show you things,” he said. “That sunk in with me, and so I try to make that a priority to give students the time that they need to learn and not just throw them into tasks or research projects.”
In her nomination form, Dryden praised Walliser for his patience and willingness to spend time focused on her learning needs.
“Matthew continually encouraged me and gave me confidence even when I felt it wasn’t my best,” she said. “This encouragement lifted my confidence in my own knowledge of therapeutics and patient interaction abilities.”
Next week’s edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
