SOP honors 2014-15 outstanding preceptors
Rebeccah Collins, pharmacy practice residency director for Bon Secours Regional Medical Center, has been named VCU School of Pharmacy’s 2014-15 Preceptor of the Year. Collins, who is also a School of Pharmacy alumna (Pharm.D. ’00) and former affiliate associate professor, was recognized during the Senior Awards Banquet in May for her exemplary work as a preceptor.
Nominators had much to say about Collins and her Acute Care I/General Medicine and Geriatrics Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotations: “Dr. Collins inspires students to be self-motivated in learning. She is approachable, knowledgeable, friendly, non-intimidating and well-respected among her colleagues and other health professionals.”
“She teaches through examples as they come about, which helps the topics become more concrete than simply being told.”
“She leads by example and truly cares about her job and patients.”
In an essay about precepting, Collins said that she enjoys “paying it forward” by helping others achieve their goals. “As we look to the future of pharmacy,” she wrote, “I hope to continue to be able to inspire students and pharmacists early in their career to go the extra mile.”
Phylliss Moret, assistant dean for experiential education, notes that criteria for Preceptor of the Year nominees include sustained contribution and service to the mission of the School of Pharmacy for at least five years as a preceptor to many students. Students are asked to make nominations based on these characteristics: stimulates active independent and guided learning with constructive feedback; demonstrates interest in and enthusiasm for teaching; is inspiring and passionate about the profession; is accessible to students and organized; demonstrates professionalism, leadership and management skills; and is an excellent communicator and positive role model with well-developed interpersonal skills.
In addition to Preceptor of the Year, Outstanding Preceptor Awards recognize one preceptor in each of the nine APPE rotation blocks. Recipients of the 2014-15 Outstanding Preceptor Awards are presented their awards on an individual basis:
Billy Cahoon, Pharm.D. (University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy ’05), BCPS
Clinical pharmacy specialist, cardiology; VCU Health System, Richmond
Acute Care II/ Cardiovascular Critical Care APPE
“Dr. Cahoon exemplifies everything a great preceptor should embody. He is highly respected among the medical team, and his input was always requested during rounds. I learned more on this rotation than I feel like I have ever learned in my life.”
David Flammia, R.Ph. (VCU School of Pharmacy ’94)
Pharmacy coordinator; Kroger Pharmacy, Richmond
Community Pharmacy Management Elective APPE
“He gave me access to all areas of management and always discussed the reasoning behind his decisions. I would recommend this rotation to anyone that has an interest in management or community pharmacy as David Flammia is an attentive and professional preceptor.”
Tana Kaefer, Pharm.D. (VCU School of Pharmacy ’04)
Clinical coordinator/LTC; Richmond Apothecaries/Bremo LTC Pharmacy, Richmond
Geriatrics APPE; Introductory Community Pharmacy IPPE
“Her love and contributions to the School of Pharmacy and Alumni Association even further strengthen this nomination. Her enthusiasm for teaching and precepting is inspiring. I am truly grateful for having the opportunity to practice alongside such an inspirational individual.”
Michael Nyame-Mireku, Pharm.D. (University of Maryland School of Pharmacy ‘98), M.I.T. (American InterContinental University ’01), Ph.D. (Capella University ’12), BCNSP
Assistant director of pharmacy; Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington
Advanced Hospital Pharmacy APPE; Introductory Hospital Pharmacy IPPE
“Dr. Mireku is an excellent preceptor who shows a genuine caring for the students that he takes on rotation. He was always willing to help and to provide valuable guidance on a variety of subjects that are important for success as we move forward with our careers in pharmacy.”
Margaret Rowe, Pharm.D. (VCU School of Pharmacy ’06)
Director of pharmacy; Fauquier Health, Warrenton
Advanced Hospital Pharmacy APPE; Ambulatory Care APPE; Introductory Hospital Pharmacy IPPE
“She is active in the community and volunteers at the local free clinic on a regular basis. She is definitely a strong advocate for the pharmacy profession and an extremely positive role model for her staff and students.”
Barry Rumble, R.Ph. (West Virginia University School of Pharmacy ’85)
Manager, Riverside Pharmacy Services, Newport News
Geriatrics APPE
“Mr. Rumble displays a true passion for teaching and a strong desire to strengthen the skills of future pharmacists. He is a very effective educator and instills a drive within students to improve in all areas of patient care.”
Joan Sok, Pharm.D. (VCU School of Pharmacy ’99)
Pharmacy manager; Walgreens Pharmacy, Herndon
Advanced Community Pharmacy APPE; Introductory Community Pharmacy IPPE
“Joan’s professionalism is outstanding. You know she cares about her patients and she builds such great relationships with them … She is a great pharmacist and extremely detail-oriented. She is extremely organized …. I’m going to strive to be as multifunctional as Joan in my future career.”
David Wyatt, Pharm.D. (VCU School of Pharmacy ’05), BCPS
Clinical specialist, critical care; HCA Henrico Doctors’ Hospital-Forest, Richmond
Acute Care II/Critical Care APPE
“Dr. Wyatt is an amazing preceptor. He was so willing to take the time to teach and explain concepts. His devotion to his field is inspiring. Dr. Wyatt earns his respect from other healthcare providers in his setting because of his professionalism and the wealth of knowledge he adds to the team.”
Brittany Young, Pharm.D. (University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy ’11), BCPS
Clinical pharmacist; Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir
Ambulatory Care APPE
“Dr. Young was always available to me for questions and never made me feel like I was interrupting her. She was always welcoming and eager to help. Also, all the assignments I was given did not feel like busy work; instead, it helped me learn or review material I hadn’t seen in a while.”
The Outstanding Service Award, presented at the discretion of the Office of Experiential Education, recognizes a preceptor who has gone above and beyond, providing a variety of valuable learning experiences for students. This year’s recipient is:
Deirdre Carolan, M.S.N., Ph.D. (George Mason University ’89 and ’04)
Geriatrics nurse practitioner; Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Falls Church
Geriatrics APPE; Service-Learning IPPE
“Working with Deirdre has truly been an inspiration for me with regard to the level of care and caring that I would like to provide as a practitioner. Through her tireless efforts as an NP and patient advocate, I have learned to appreciate the challenges involved with treating the geriatric population and how to effectively communicate with members of the health care team to improve patient outcomes.”
Categories Alumni news, Events, Faculty news, Preceptors