Karen Brown MPS[/caption]
Children after receiving their vaccinations at TerryWhite Chemmart Arana Hills, Brisbane. (Image: Karen Brown MPS)[/caption]
Certainly, no surprise; the same successful format initiated at the first Offshore Refresher Course in 1977 has been continued – education each day from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm, then cultural activities, tours and social events.
The Vietnam safari began in Hạ Long Bay, then to Hanoi, Hoi An and on to Ho Chi Min City. There were ‘Hs’ in abundance, although most of the locals still call Ho Chi Min City Saigon.
This year, there were 37 hours of lectures and workshops in six locations – including the post-conference tour to Cambodia. Our four principal speakers were all experienced and popular Offshore Refresher Course presenters: Bruce Annabel (business management), Dr Phillip Artemi (dermatology), Dr Terri Foran (women’s health) and Dr Sepehr Shakib (pharmacology).
And what social events! A highlight this year was the Vietnamese-themed dinner with apparently no time or expense spared by delegates to dress for the occasion. Of course, there was no shortage of tailor shops around town that could run up traditional men’s and women’s outfits in less than 24 hours.
This kind of learning sure can be fun, but there’s plenty of hard work for the delegates as well. Many continue to deliberate long after the education sessions are over for the day – just to ensure they get correct answers to the questions in the ‘Jack Thomas Quiz’. The winner’s name engraved on the perpetual trophy is an incentive; and so is maximising your CPD points for the year.
This year saw one of the closest Jack Thomas Quiz contests in Refresher Course history. Of
the over 150 responses to the 75-question quiz, six delegates finished with a score of 97% – and placegetters were separated only by assessment of the written case study. First prize
went to Johanna Bou-Samra, who works as Indigenous Outcomes Pharmacist with
Queensland Health. Meredith Bell and former Jack Thomas Quiz winner Louise Braddock were joint runners-up.
Skin has been a big thing at the conference this year – well, it is our biggest organ. Dermatology is a major part of our extended practice, so expertise in this area will help us take advantage of new opportunities. However, don’t despair if you missed out on the Offshore Refresher Course this year. Dr Phillip Artemi will also have a cameo role as part of the speaking faculty next year.
Planning to attend the next Offshore Refresher Course? You should, and you should act now.
Next year we celebrate the 50th Offshore Refresher Course in a very special way. The main conference in Japan will be on the luxury cruise ship Crystal Symphony. Bookings are filling fast, and we can’t take more than our cabin allocation will allow.
So, it’s sayonara Saigon; Tokyo here we come.
Find out more about what’s instore for 50th Offshore Refresher Course in Tokyo 
Australian and indeed international pharmacy has lost one of its true servants and pharmacy practice innovators with the passing of Dr Ross Holland (6 May 1938 – 16 May 2025) in Louisville Colorado, USA.
Ross completed his pharmacy training in the late 1950s via the old apprenticeship and materia medica-based course at University of Sydney while working at Hallam’s ‘Chemists to Sydney since 1883’ Pharmacy in Pitt Street (with another of our pharmacy innovators Ted Crook of Chemdata fame) before moving to the Hunter Street Branch, and then managing the King’s Cross premises.
His early desire to make things better and easier for pharmacists in the practice of their profession saw Ross develop a unique algorithm-based stock control system to use in these pharmacies.
This desire for improvement both professionally and personally saw him become closely involved with both hospital pharmacy and higher learning, resulting in his doctorates in educational training and development areas. How he applied this knowledge to the pharmacy sector, especially community pharmacy, created the basis of his lifelong commitment to the improvement of pharmacy practice – both in Australia and internationally.
His completion of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia Fellowship program kindled the flame of how this model could be applied to community pharmacy which, with the support of PSA led to the formation of the Australian College of Pharmacy Practice (ACPP) – with Ross being its ‘founding father’, Registrar and Dean. That the College will once again be back under the aegis of PSA was welcome news to Ross in his last days.
Ross’s vision of community pharmacists being able to undertake postgraduate studies in their chosen area of practice through distance learning created a wonderful opportunity undertaken by many in subsequent years, who were awarded Graduate Diplomas after having been subjected to the dreaded ‘Ross’s green pen’ marking comments.
The advent of remunerated medication reviews for pharmacists in Australia again saw Ross and ACPP come to the fore with specially developed training and education support programs. Likewise, the introduction and development of pharmaceutical care further cemented in place Ross’s vision of the expanded and rightful role of pharmacists in patient care – an area in which he contributed to extensively both nationally and internationally.
A prolific writer, Ross authored books on pharmacology and drug information, a wonderful series of journal articles (with his wife Christine) in the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacy journal on Transitions in Pharmacy Practice, as well as reviewing and editing numerous other works. His excellent work When to Refer published by PSA in 1999 was prescient – given that Australian pharmacists are now embracing a wider scope of practice.
Ross’s foray into the world of international pharmacy through both the International Federation of Pharmacy (FIP) and the Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations (FAPA) saw his extensive contribution recognised with the awarding of his FIP Fellowship (2007) and the FAPA Ishidate Award (1988). His international training and development experience was also utilised to good effect with his involvement in Australian Government health-related aid programs in several South Pacific nations. He was also a past faculty member of the World Health Organization Regional Teacher Training Program, contributing to the development of clinical pharmacy in South Korea.
In recognition of his significant service to pharmacy practice, medical education and professional organisations, Ross was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 and was also made a Life Fellow of PSA – reflecting his enduring impact on the profession.
Ross was a true visionary in pharmacy and today’s pharmacists are benefitting greatly from his vision, energy and love of the profession to earn its rightful place in the delivery of patient care.
Ross is survived by his current wife, Christine, and children from his first marriage, Frederick, Adrienne, and Christopher. Ross is preceded in death by his first wife, Rosalind (Dec. 2001).
He leaves grandchildren and great grandchildren in Australia, an extended family in the US, and many loving friends, both within and outside of pharmacy.
