Pharmacy Perspectives - Spring 2010 - 11

PRECEPTOR PROFILES

A	taste	of	what’s	to	come
For	fourth-year	student	Belynda	Spooner,		 Dr.	Sunny	Linnebur	provided	an	exciting	and		 interactive	learning	experience	during	her	rotation	 in	the	Seniors	Ambulatory	Clinic.	 “Now	that	the	year	is	over,	I	can	look	back	and	say	 with	certainty	that	this	was	by	far	my	favorite		 rotation	and	preceptor.”	 From	reviewing	patient	charts	and	interacting	with	 patients	when	medications	were	changed	or	denied	 to	shadowing	a	medical	resident	and	consulting	 pharmacists,	to	helping	peer	review	journal	articles	 prior	to	publication,	Spooner	says	the	experience	 was	extremely	rewarding.	And	as	a	consequence	 says,	“If	I	could	find	a	position	similar	to	this	in	the	 north	Colorado	region,	I’d	take	it	in	a	heart	beat	 based	on	this	rotation!” What	could	have	been	a	burden	for	working	 pharmacists	has	proven	to	be	worthwhile	for	both	 teacher	and	student	alike.	Fourth-year	student,		 Jeremy	Vandiver	says	of	his	rotation	with	Dr.		 Michael	Godcharles	at	Exempla	Saint	Joseph		 Hospital,	“I	never	felt	like	I	was	simply	an	extra		 set	of	hands	to	help	the	pharmacy	out.”	

Preceptors are an integral part of the pharmacy curriculum, preparing students for future careers. Untold hours are spent coaching, teaching, and advocating – paving the way for students to become exceptional practicing pharmacists.

Preceptor and associate professor Dr. Sunny Linnebur

O

ur	preceptors	are	the	backbone	of	the	 fourth	year	advanced	pharmacy	practice	 experience,	grooming	soon-to-be		 graduates	for	professional	life. “No	other	preceptor	has	so	positively	impacted		 my	life,”	says	fourth-year	pharmacy	student	Dan	 Crona	about	Peggy	Wimmer,	(PharmD,	BS	’85)	 with	Denver	Health	Oncology/Hematology		 Services.	Described	as	demanding	yet	nurturing,	 Dr.	Wimmer	makes	a	concerted	effort	to	build		 confidence	in	her	students.	“I	resolutely	believe	that	 the	confidence	Dr.	Wimmer	placed	in	me	has	made	 me	a	more	competent	intern,	and	that	the	skills	 development	aspects	she	instilled	…	have	allowed	 me	to	be	equally	successful	at	each	of	my	remaining	 	 rotations,”	says	Crona.

Active	in	promoting	Crona’s	role	as	a	pharmacist	in	 training	on	the	integrated	medical	team	at	Denver	 Health,	Wimmer	found	creative	and	innovative	 opportunities	for	Crona	to	learn	about	practice	 oncology	that	transcended	oncology	pharmacy	 knowledge.	She	spent	hours	discussing	chemotherapeutic	regimens	and	their	consequences,	as	well	as	 pain	management	therapies,	which	allowed	Crona	 to	be	more	engaged	on	rounds	with	the	nurses	and	 physicians	and	ultimately	permitted	him	to	make	 timely	recommendations	to	benefit	patients.			 According	to	Crona,	“She	demonstrated	an		 immense	amount	of	confidence	in	me,	and	as	a	 result	of	this	empowering	experience	allowed	me		 to	grow	and	flourish	on	the	team.”

“…this was by far my favorite rotation and preceptor,” says Belynda Spooner about Dr. Linnebur

The work performed by preceptors in supervising and training pharmacy students is highly valued by the school. Accreditation standards require students complete substantial amounts of experiential training. We could not meet these standards without the support of the practice community in providing practice sites and preceptors. Thank you for all you do to help our students achieve their goal of becoming pharmacists. If you are interested in being a preceptor, contact Dr. Christopher Turner, the director of experiential programs at 303.724.2659 or Christopher.turner@ucdenver.edu

Spring 2010

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Pharmacy Perspectives - Spring 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmacy Perspectives - Spring 2010
