Western New England University Hosts Pharmacy Conference

SPRINGFIELD — On May 19, the Western New England University College of Pharmacy held its fifth annual Continuing Pharmacy Education and Preceptor Development Conference. The conference is one way the College of Pharmacy supports the educational needs of pharmacists in the region. The conference is free, and practitioners receive continuing-education credits for attending.

This year, nearly 100 pharmacists from New England participated in the full-day training program. The workshops included “Immunization Update” by Dr. Courtney Doyle-Campbell, “Sepsis Guidelines Update” with Dr. Yoonsun Mo, and “Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep” presented by Dr. Melissa Mattison. The participants also received an update on “Regulatory Law and Pharmacist Liability” from Paul Garbarini, RPh, Esq.

During the event, the Preceptor of the Year Award for Institutional Acute Care was presented to Sara Shermer, RPh, of Enfield, Conn. This annual honor is given to a pharmacist who exemplifies the best in professional mentoring and experiential teaching skills, as determined by students and the College of Pharmacy Office of Experiential Affairs.

Comments from students supporting Shermer’s nomination included, “she went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience,” “she was enthusiastic about maintaining the best patient care,” and “everyone looked up to her at the work site.”

For more information about educational opportunities at the College of Pharmacy, e-mail Kim Tanzer, assistant dean of Experiential Affairs and Continuing Education administrator, at kim.tanzer@wne.edu.