Since its start, Community Regional Medical Center’s pharmacy education program has been recognized for the breadth of experience it provides and also for its amazing mentors. This year we earned honors again in three categories.
 
We are very fortunate that some of our outstanding pharmacists at Community Regional also generously serve as Preceptors.  Preceptors are defined as practicing specialists who give personal instruction, training and supervision to students or residents.  Our exceptional Pharmacist Preceptors not only provide patient care, but they also give back to their profession by helping train the new generation of pharmacists.
 
We are honored to announce that three of our Community Regional pharmacists earned recognition for teaching excellence from two top schools of pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Pharmacy and Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, University of the Pacific (UOP). In addition, Community Regional was also chosen as the Fresno Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) site for an exceptional learning environment for UCSF student pharmacists.

 

Nicole Lu, PharmD, BCPS, earned an Apple for Excellence in Teaching award from UCSF.

UCSF Apple for Excellence in Teaching Awards:

• Nicole Lu, PharmD, BCPS, Community Regional Medical Center
• Melissa Reger, PharmD, BCPS, Community Regional Medical Center

The Apple for Excellence in Teaching Award is a School-sponsored teaching award and represents excellence in precepting during APPEs. The award includes a congratulatory letter signed by the Dean and an "Apple" which can be worn on a name badge or displayed.

UCSF Fresno APPE Site of the Year:

• Community Regional Medical Center

This is a new award given to a training site that creates “an exceptional learning environment … and provides very robust rotation experiences.”  UCSF praised the hospital for fully integrating residents into patient care teams, providing a wide-range of clinical opportunities, and encouraging interprofessionalism among students and other healthcare specialists.
 
UOP Fresno APPE Preceptor of the Year:
 

• Tou Bee Thao, PharmD, BCPS, Community Regional Medical Center 

Preceptors vote on their peers for this award and it was a unanimous decision to choose Dr. Thao. He will be invited to the Graduation Banquet where he will be awarded a plaque commemorating this distinction by the Dean and an invitation to participate in the Graduation Ceremony.  This is an honor, as Dr. Thao graduated from the school and it is a wonderful example of how he gives back to his alma mater and the profession of pharmacy.
 

Community Regional Medical Center Residency Program Preceptors 2016-2017

Community Regional Pharmacy Leadership is extremely proud of our pharmacists and preceptors and thanks them for all the time, dedication, mentoring and professional development that they provide to our next generation of pharmacists.
 
While these recognitions from our peers are wonderful, we’re most proud to be making a difference for Valley families by training pharmacists in a region with extreme shortages. Since our ASHP-Accredited Postgraduate Year One program’s founding in 2002, 34 residents have successfully completed the program and 20 of those graduates stayed in the Valley—19 at Community’s hospitals.
 
Alice Robbins, PharmD, BCPS
Professional Development Manager & PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Director
Community Regional Medical Center