Dr. John A Bachynsky Lecture in Pharmacy
Upcoming Lecture
Diary of a Wimpy Pharmacist - How I moved past my professional mediocrity
Derek Jorgenson
Professor, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan
Date: Oct. 7 I 5:00 - 8:30 p.m. in-person or 5:30-6:30 p.m. virtual
Location: Maple Leaf Room, Lister Conference Centre, 87 Avenue and 116 Street, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3
Lecture: 5:30 p.m.
Reception: 6:30 p.m. Light dinner served
I started my pharmacy journey as a shy, "wimpy" pharmacy student who just wanted to do a good job in a small town on the prairies. My biggest ambition was to be a community pharmacist. I’m proud of that. We need those people. But what I've learned since is that it's often the "wimpy kids" who go on to make the biggest waves.
There is no shame in mediocrity. However, I decided to step out of my comfort zone. In this lecture, I’ll share how I went from being a comfortable, community pharmacist to a leader, offering practical advice for anyone — in pharmacy or beyond — looking to make a bigger impact.
Five key takeaways from the lecture:
- How to break out of your comfort zone and become a leader
- How to find funding for your ideas, even when told none exists
- How to successfully implement a new clinical service area
- How to integrate into and lead an interdisciplinary team
Derek Jorgenson is a professor of pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan. He is also the director of two college-run patient care clinics on campus: the USask Chronic Pain Clinic and the Medication Assessment Centre (MAC). Dr. Jorgenson is also the director of the world-renowned RxFiles Academic Detailing Program. Derek maintains a pharmacy practice research program that focuses on the role of pharmacists in the primary health care system. He has a background as a community pharmacist and as a pharmacist in an interprofessional primary care team and he currently practices as a pharmacist at the MAC.
Questions? Contact:
Jodi Richter
Office of Alumni Relations
facalum@ualberta.ca
We proudly celebrate the lasting legacy of Dr. John A. Bachynsky with the launch of this new lecture series, hosted by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
This lecture is named in honour of Dr. John A. Bachynsky.
During his tenure as dean, Dr. Bachynsky's leadership and vision established the faculty as a national and international leader in pharmaceutical education. He advanced the pharmacy curriculum, integrating research and practical training to meet modern challenges. Beyond the 海角社区, his influence extended to provincial and national policymaking, earning him a respected reputation in numerous advisory roles.
Find out more about Dr. Bachynsky here.
Lectures
Presenter: Karen B. Farris, PhD
Senior Associate Dean, Charles R. Walgreen III Professor of Pharmacy, University of Michigan
Lecture overview:
Technological tools are transforming many sectors, including healthcare. As pharmacists, we know that medications work for individuals who take them and for those who generally adhere to their medication regimens. Traditional ways of measuring and improving medication adherence are being informed and transformed by technology, including patient-facing apps and AI algorithms in our healthcare and payer systems. However, many gaps still exist for these technologies to be implemented so they support the effective, equitable, and safe use of medications.
Hear how technology is transforming our approaches to medication adherence, with implications for patients, pharmacists, providers, and payers.