Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate
Spending this summer working for the Professional Affairs department at the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) was a truly unique and enriching experience. Like many pharmacy students soon entering 3rd year, the extent of my pharmacy experience has been working in community and hospital settings. Working for OPA was the first time I felt my passion for research, advocacy and pharmacy blending all together. I was fortunate to be able to participate in meetings and to be tasked with projects that contribute to larger efforts aimed at both advancing and supporting the profession. The collaboration and meticulous attention to detail shared amongst the Professional Affairs team was admirable, especially when everyone was simultaneously working on multiple projects. During my work term, I had the opportunity to help and contribute to some very interesting initiatives, such as work related to immunizations and minor ailments scope expansion. This work enabled me to utilize and strengthen my skills in research, knowledge translation and teamwork.
One of the most impactful aspects of my work term was engaging in research initiatives aimed at advancing the scope of pharmacy practice in Ontario. Currently, there are 19 minor ailments that pharmacists can assess and, if necessary, prescribe for. During my studies, I was constantly hearing my professors alluding to the idea that many more minor ailments would be added in the future. I could never have guessed that I would be able to play a part in this initiative. I was thrilled to be tasked with conducting a jurisdictional scan for strep throat assessment and prescribing across Canada. I learned to sift through provincial regulations and legislative documents to gather pertinent information and to be honest, I may have underestimated the challenges that came with this work. Pharmacists’ scope of practice varies widely across the country and gathering information relating to scope, reimbursement frameworks and other details required great attention to detail and multiple internal reviews to ensure the accuracy of the information. This project enabled me to sharpen my attention to detail and hone my research skills, in addition to helping me develop a greater appreciation for the work involved with policy research. Many pharmacy professionals do not have the opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes advocacy work that takes place at OPA which plays a critical role in shaping the decisions made by government regarding scope of practice changes. However, in conducting this work, I was able to slightly lift the curtain to see some of the team’s day-to-day efforts such as the extensive planning, research, discussions and meetings that take place.
I was also able to help create a tool for pharmacy professionals to support discussions about vaccines against respiratory diseases in preparation for the Fall respiratory virus season. In developing this resource, I applied and strengthened my knowledge translation skills by taking clinical data from immunization and government guidelines and references, and distilling the information into a concise, clear, and accessible format. It was important that this tool have key details such as recommended patient populations who should get the vaccines, dosing schedules and where patients could access vaccines. My hope is that the tool will empower pharmacy professionals to initiate conversations with patients about vaccines, while also providing patients with the information they need to make informed decisions. Having worked in a pharmacy during the past respiratory season, I have seen first-hand the demand from the community to receive flu and COVID-19 vaccines. However, there are other vaccines against respiratory diseases that patients may not know about yet but could greatly benefit from receiving. This tool not only provides value to pharmacy professionals to support their counselling and education of patients, but can also be an invaluable resource for patients to increase awareness about vaccines that can protect them from respiratory viruses.
Finally, the value of teamwork really shone and was a skill I strengthened during this placement. In addition to working closely with one another within the Professional Affairs team, I came to learn that cross-departmental collaboration plays a pivotal role at OPA. There are numerous ongoing projects at the organization, and the support shown from one department to the next was testament to the efficiency and effectiveness of all team members at OPA. This placement allowed me to enhance my ability to work within diverse teams and learn how to contribute effectively to projects that require input from multiple perspectives.
It was truly a pleasure to work at OPA this summer and I encourage any future pharmacy students to partake in pharmacy advocacy work as it provides a different perspective from the more clinical aspects of pharmacy. The skills that I have gained from this experience are transferable and will be invaluable as I continue my journey to becoming a pharmacist. I’m deeply grateful to OPA for welcoming me with such open arms and giving me the opportunity to be part of the incredible work that happens there every day. Making changes in a profession on a provincial level takes patience, persistence and passionate individuals; all traits I saw among my colleagues at OPA. I have no doubt that OPA will continue to champion the pharmacy profession and open doors to new opportunities for pharmacy professionals in Ontario. There is still a lot that can be done, and I have full confidence that OPA will always be there on the front lines supporting the profession. I am immensely grateful that I had the opportunity to be part of that work this summer, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Written by:
Maria Vu, Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, Class of 2027, University of Toronto
Maria is a third-year pharmacy student at the University of Toronto that worked in the Professional Affairs department at OPA between May to August 2025. This experience helped highlight her passion for advocacy and research while working to enhance and support the profession.
