Home - Australian Pharmacist

If catastrophe calls, include these ‘musts’ in your plan

Emmanuel Pasura MPS - 25 February 2020

People

It’s imperative that every pharmacy have a disaster plan, a clear written procedure on what to do, to eliminate delays getting deliveries to affected areas.

Gallery: PSA18 social events

Sharon Smith - 28 July 2018

Events

Hundreds of Australia's Early Career Pharmacists overtook Cafe Del Mar at Sydney's Cockle Bay Wharf on Friday evening for the lively annual PSA18 ECP...

E-cigarettes warning after link with pulmonary illness in US

Raveena Grover - 18 September 2019

Industry

A new statement on e-cigarettes has been issued by the Australian Government Department of Health. The Australian Government Department of Health has issued a new...

Pharmacists play a key role in cow’s milk allergy diagnosis

Nutricia - 25 February 2020

Advertorial

ADVERTORIAL BY NUTRICIA For many parents, the journey towards diagnosis of cow’s milk allergy in their baby is a long and difficult one. It is...

In case you missed it: our most-read stories of 2020

Ruth Cooper - 18 December 2020

Industry

With the COVID-19 pandemic dominating headlines for much of 2020, it’s no surprise the majority of the most-read Australian Pharmacist stories this year concerned the novel coronavirus.

Strengthening cardiovascular care through pharmacy expertise

Chloe Hava - 4 May 2026

People

Natalie Raffoul leverages her pharmacy skills in public health, leading national initiatives that improve cardiovascular care.

1...285286287...330 Page 286 of 330

7.30am	Brew and view Start the day with a strong latte; it’s non-negotiable. I’ll also usually have a quick look through my emails to get a sense of what’s coming up.
8.00am	Team alignment Connect with the team and check in on key priorities across the portfolio, including learner progress, program delivery, CPD and workforce initiatives. A lot of the focus is on aligning moving parts and making sure everything is tracking as it should.
12.00pm	Stakeholder engagement Meet with stakeholders – including health departments, partners or internal leaders – to discuss how our work supports current and evolving pharmacy roles. These conversations help to build a bridge between education and practice, ensuring what we’re doing is practical and required for pharmacists on the ground.
2.00pm	Program blueprint Spend time with the team on program design and delivery. That might be refining a workshop, reviewing content or shaping digital learning.
4.00pm	Shifting gears Pivot to more strategic work – including looking at new initiatives, thinking about what’s coming next, and how we continue to maintain and improve quality. This is usually where things start to connect across the bigger picture.
6.00pm	Evening reset Wrap up and head home. Evenings are a chance to spend time with my husband, check in on my parents in Malaysia and decompress. We chat about the day and catch up on everything that’s been going on.
8.00pm	Global growth Check emails or connect with collaborators in different time zones. I also use this time as a chance to step back and reflect on my work and where things are heading.

7.30am	Brew and view Start the day with a strong latte; it’s non-negotiable. I’ll also usually have a quick look through my emails to get a sense of what’s coming up.
8.00am	Team alignment Connect with the team and check in on key priorities across the portfolio, including learner progress, program delivery, CPD and workforce initiatives. A lot of the focus is on aligning moving parts and making sure everything is tracking as it should.
12.00pm	Stakeholder engagement Meet with stakeholders – including health departments, partners or internal leaders – to discuss how our work supports current and evolving pharmacy roles. These conversations help to build a bridge between education and practice, ensuring what we’re doing is practical and required for pharmacists on the ground.
2.00pm	Program blueprint Spend time with the team on program design and delivery. That might be refining a workshop, reviewing content or shaping digital learning.
4.00pm	Shifting gears Pivot to more strategic work – including looking at new initiatives, thinking about what’s coming next, and how we continue to maintain and improve quality. This is usually where things start to connect across the bigger picture.
6.00pm	Evening reset Wrap up and head home. Evenings are a chance to spend time with my husband, check in on my parents in Malaysia and decompress. We chat about the day and catch up on everything that’s been going on.
8.00pm	Global growth Check emails or connect with collaborators in different time zones. I also use this time as a chance to step back and reflect on my work and where things are heading.

7.30am	Brew and view Start the day with a strong latte; it’s non-negotiable. I’ll also usually have a quick look through my emails to get a sense of what’s coming up.
8.00am	Team alignment Connect with the team and check in on key priorities across the portfolio, including learner progress, program delivery, CPD and workforce initiatives. A lot of the focus is on aligning moving parts and making sure everything is tracking as it should.
12.00pm	Stakeholder engagement Meet with stakeholders – including health departments, partners or internal leaders – to discuss how our work supports current and evolving pharmacy roles. These conversations help to build a bridge between education and practice, ensuring what we’re doing is practical and required for pharmacists on the ground.
2.00pm	Program blueprint Spend time with the team on program design and delivery. That might be refining a workshop, reviewing content or shaping digital learning.
4.00pm	Shifting gears Pivot to more strategic work – including looking at new initiatives, thinking about what’s coming next, and how we continue to maintain and improve quality. This is usually where things start to connect across the bigger picture.
6.00pm	Evening reset Wrap up and head home. Evenings are a chance to spend time with my husband, check in on my parents in Malaysia and decompress. We chat about the day and catch up on everything that’s been going on.
8.00pm	Global growth Check emails or connect with collaborators in different time zones. I also use this time as a chance to step back and reflect on my work and where things are heading.

7.30am	Brew and view Start the day with a strong latte; it’s non-negotiable. I’ll also usually have a quick look through my emails to get a sense of what’s coming up.
8.00am	Team alignment Connect with the team and check in on key priorities across the portfolio, including learner progress, program delivery, CPD and workforce initiatives. A lot of the focus is on aligning moving parts and making sure everything is tracking as it should.
12.00pm	Stakeholder engagement Meet with stakeholders – including health departments, partners or internal leaders – to discuss how our work supports current and evolving pharmacy roles. These conversations help to build a bridge between education and practice, ensuring what we’re doing is practical and required for pharmacists on the ground.
2.00pm	Program blueprint Spend time with the team on program design and delivery. That might be refining a workshop, reviewing content or shaping digital learning.
4.00pm	Shifting gears Pivot to more strategic work – including looking at new initiatives, thinking about what’s coming next, and how we continue to maintain and improve quality. This is usually where things start to connect across the bigger picture.
6.00pm	Evening reset Wrap up and head home. Evenings are a chance to spend time with my husband, check in on my parents in Malaysia and decompress. We chat about the day and catch up on everything that’s been going on.
8.00pm	Global growth Check emails or connect with collaborators in different time zones. I also use this time as a chance to step back and reflect on my work and where things are heading.

What drew you to education?

Describe your career so far.

What does your new role at PSA entail?

Tell us more about your work involving simulation and digital learning.

What are the challenges of introducing new technologies or teaching models?

Any advice for ECPs who want to shape the next generation of pharmacists?

Day in the life of Vivienne Mak, Head of Education and Training, PSA, Melbourne, Victoria

What has your career looked like so far?

Why aged care?

What are the challenges and rewards of working in this setting?

Tell us about the training program for onsite pharmacists you’re developing.

What are the next steps?

How could the ACOP program improve?

1. Who can administer FluMist?

2. Can pharmacists co-administer vaccines?

3. Can pharmacists vaccinate interstate?

4. How do pharmacists maintain immunisation credentials?

What is diphtheria?

What are the symptoms?

How dangerous is the disease?

Was it once eradicated in Australia?

Why has there been a resurgence?

Can diphtheria be treated?

Who is most at risk?

What are the risks of an outbreak here?

How often are booster doses required?

What can pharmacists do?

1. Entering identifiable patient information into AI platforms

3. Using AI scribes without proper consent

4. Failing to check transcription accuracy

5. Trusting AI output without checking the references

An evolving space

What drew you to education?

Describe your career so far.

What does your new role at PSA entail?

Tell us more about your work involving simulation and digital learning.

What are the challenges of introducing new technologies or teaching models?

Any advice for ECPs who want to shape the next generation of pharmacists?

Day in the life of Vivienne Mak, Head of Education and Training, PSA, Melbourne, Victoria

What has your career looked like so far?

Why aged care?

What are the challenges and rewards of working in this setting?

Tell us about the training program for onsite pharmacists you’re developing.

What are the next steps?

How could the ACOP program improve?

1. Who can administer FluMist?

2. Can pharmacists co-administer vaccines?

3. Can pharmacists vaccinate interstate?

4. How do pharmacists maintain immunisation credentials?

What is diphtheria?

What are the symptoms?

How dangerous is the disease?

Was it once eradicated in Australia?

Why has there been a resurgence?

Can diphtheria be treated?

Who is most at risk?

What are the risks of an outbreak here?

How often are booster doses required?

What can pharmacists do?

1. Entering identifiable patient information into AI platforms

3. Using AI scribes without proper consent

4. Failing to check transcription accuracy

5. Trusting AI output without checking the references

An evolving space

What drew you to education?

Describe your career so far.

What does your new role at PSA entail?

Tell us more about your work involving simulation and digital learning.

What are the challenges of introducing new technologies or teaching models?

Any advice for ECPs who want to shape the next generation of pharmacists?

Day in the life of Vivienne Mak, Head of Education and Training, PSA, Melbourne, Victoria

What has your career looked like so far?

Why aged care?

What are the challenges and rewards of working in this setting?

Tell us about the training program for onsite pharmacists you’re developing.

What are the next steps?

How could the ACOP program improve?

1. Who can administer FluMist?

2. Can pharmacists co-administer vaccines?

3. Can pharmacists vaccinate interstate?