Martinson heads top 10 list of pharmacy preceptors
Tyler Martinson of Norfolk has been named VCU School of Pharmacy’s 2013 Preceptor of the Year. Martinson, a clinical specialist in internal medicine at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, was recognized during the school’s Senior Banquet on May 10 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa at Short Pump.
Preceptor of the Year is the school’s highest honor for preceptors, a word defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “teacher, tutor.”
Teaching is the basis of precepting, but the best preceptors go above and beyond. So the School of Pharmacy gives students, fellow preceptors, faculty, administrators and residents the annual opportunity to nominate exemplary preceptors who demonstrate initiative, commitment and excellence as teachers, role models and mentors. The winner is selected by a committee of students, faculty and past award recipients.
“With 30 percent of the curriculum requiring experiential learning activities in authentic pharmacy settings, the success of each student depends on pharmacists who can serve as role models and faculty in the field,” said School of Pharmacy Dean Victor Yanchick. “They guide students in the application of knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to patient care in pharmacy.
“Clearly, VCU’s preceptors are essential to the mission of the school. We are sincerely grateful for their generous contributions of time, expertise, effort and inspiration in developing our future pharmacists.”
Accepting the Preceptor of the Year award, Martinson encouraged graduating students to consider being preceptors themselves. There’s nothing more rewarding, he said, than to help educate one’s future peers, knowing you’ve done a good job and that one day those whom you assisted will be standing next to you.
His own award-winning work as a preceptor inspired one nominator to write: “Above all, Dr. Martinson’s enthusiasm for his work is infectious; while he is obviously capable of helping students expand their clinical knowledge to become better pharmacists, he also motivates student to want to become even better pharmacists through his leadership by example.”
Preceptor of the Year nomination packets must include an essay by the nominee. In his essay, Martinson wrote that his greatest professional satisfaction is in seeing a student grow.
“I know I would not be where I am today if I did not have other pharmacists that were willing to teach me. There is so much information to learn during the first three years of pharmacy school, and I feel it is my job to help the student dig back in their mind and learn how to apply the essential information clinically.
“I usually start my orientation off with the promise that the rotation will be very demanding, but that in the end, they will be shocked with how much they have actually learned. I take pride in training the students and consider each one of them a potential peer within my hospital system. So I consider precepting to be one of the most important roles I play in the hospital and I think of it like an investment in the future of pharmacy.”
In addition to Preceptor of the Year, Outstanding Preceptor Awards are presented to recognize one preceptor in each of the nine Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotation blocks. At the end of each rotation, fourth-year students are asked to nominate individuals who have demonstrated excellence in precepting.
A committee of students appointed by the dean selects the candidates. The 2012-13 Outstanding Preceptors are as follows, each including a quote from one of his or her nominators:
Jen Blake, Pharm.D. (University of Utah ’07), BCPS
Clinical pharmacy specialist, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, Fairfax
Acute Care II – Medical/Surgical ICU rotations
“Dr. Blake allowed me to round with her daily and question interventions made. She went out of her way to schedule appointments for me to meet with nurses, respiratory therapists and dietitians to explain their role within in the team. I have learned so much and have grown professionally due to her guidance.”
Michelle Bundy, Pharm.D. (Hampton University ’03), BCPS
Clinical pharmacy specialist, Hampton VA Medical Center, Hampton
Ambulatory Care and Acute Care I/General Medicine rotations
“Dr. Bundy is a wonderful person and a good pharmacist who cares about the care her patients receive. A truly modern pharmacist who desires to teach young professionals, to innovate practice and document the cost savings she adds to the system, advocate for the profession and as a mentor, I will miss my experience with Dr. Bundy as my preceptor but I am honored that I will soon be her peer.”
Dave L. Dixon, Pharm.D. (Campbell University ’06), BCPS, CDE
Assistant professor, VCU School of Pharmacy, Richmond
Ambulatory Care APPEs
“Dr. Dixon stimulated active independent learning very effectively. I was encouraged to read and research questions pertaining to medications and disease states on my own, but he always made sure we addressed the subject to ensure that I had a thorough understanding of the concept. … Feedback was always constructive and geared towards bettering me not only as a student, but also as a future pharmacist.”
Krista Donohoe, Pharm.D. (VCU ’10), BCPS, CGP
Assistant professor, VCU School of Pharmacy, Richmond ( 2010 SOP alumna)
Teaching Elective rotations
“Dr. Donohoe provided a foundation of organization and support which allowed me to grow and learn and be creative. The constructive feedback that Dr. Donohoe provided allowed me to stay motivated in the face of the unforeseen challenges of the project and continue to a successful end product.”
Amanda Dubil, Pharm.D. (University of North Carolina ’10)
Clinical pharmacist/PGY2; VCU Health System, Richmond
Acute Care I/General Medicine APPEs
“Amanda was extremely knowledgeable, hardworking and motivating. She required a lot of work, but the payoff was great. After taking this rotation, I feel I have truly learned a substantial amount of information, as well as skill sets to further me in my career as a pharmacist.”
Rusty Maney, B.S. (VCU ’87)
Pharmacy supervisor, Walgreens District Office, Richmond (1987 SOP alumnus)
Community Pharmacy Management APPEs
“I was inspired, I couldn’t be more passionate and I was empowered to believe that I could make a difference in my community through my profession … working at the highest level, becoming physician extenders through collaborative practice and our strength as accessible healthcare entities.”
Amanda Matassa, Pharm.D. (VCU ’09)
Outpatient clinical pharmacist, Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy, Richmond (2009 SOP alumna)
Advanced Community Pharmacy rotations
“Dr. Matassa was always accessible to me and very organized. She provided a very detailed orientation packet complete with maps and logistic information, as well as a questionnaire asking what I would like to get out of the rotation. … When I expressed an interest in anticoagulation, she had me sitting in on meetings for an anticoagulation clinic and included me in conference calls.”
Amber Ormsby Powell, Pharm.D. (VCU ’07)
Critical care clinical specialist, HCA CJW Medical Center-Chippenham,Richmond (2007 SOP alumna)
Acute Care II/Critical Care rotations
“Dr. Powell always made time for me even though she was having a busy day and would have to stay later at work. Throughout the rotation, she would emphasize being a lifelong learner in pharmacy and always learn something new each day. The nurses and doctors strongly rely on her for all medication-related questions and problems, which was inspiring to observe.”
Christina Whitehill, Pharm.D. (VCU ’08)
NICU/pediatric clinical pharmacist, HCA Henrico Doctors’ Hospital-Forest, Richmond
Acute Care II/Neonatal ICU rotations
“Christina is a true professional and handles stressful, demanding situations with grace. Even when sick, tired or frustrated, she treated her co-workers with respect and her patients with compassion. … She is so knowledgeable and has a great way of conveying information to students.”
Congratulating all the winners and nominees, Phylliss Moret, assistant dean for experiential education, said more than 100 nominations were submitted for this year’s preceptor awards. The School of Pharmacy, she noted, works with about 1,000 preceptors in Virginia and out of state.
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