Premier Dwight Ball honoured at pharmacy event
Premier Dwight Ball received the first honourary white coat at the School of Pharmacy’s 10th annual White Coat Ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The ceremony formally welcomes first year pharmacy students into the profession, acknowledging the hard work they have done so far, and instilling the ethical responsibility that comes with being a health care practitioner.
Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor of Memorial, congratulated first year pharmacy students on reaching this academic milestone, remarking where the many roads a career in pharmacy could lead.
In addressing the students, Dr. Kachanoski noted, “Many of our pharmacy alumni work around the world in all aspects of pharmaceutical practice, teaching and research. You may even, someday, become premier,” acknowledging Premier’s Ball’s career as a pharmacist.
Dean Carlo Marra spoke about the school’s commitment to providing students with the best teaching and learning experience, and to graduating pharmacists who enter the profession fully practice-ready.
“Our innovative programs in pharmacy practice, research, and teaching and learning ultimately translate into improvements in health outcomes for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as our school and pharmacists across the province take a very active role in delivering care that maximizes the use of every health care dollar.”
Bree Besaw (Class of 2019) received her white coat, and said she was extremely nervous leading up to the event, but her fears were quickly eased.
“I felt very much accepted within the pharmacy community throughout the ceremony, and having Premier Ball in attendance was exciting. It gives me inspiration that I will practice in a province where the government supports the continued efforts of pharmacists.”
Expanded scope of pharmacy practice has been moving rapidly in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Just a few years ago, pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador could not provide flu shots, do therapeutic substitutions, assess and prescribe for minor ailments,” said Stephen Green, president of the Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. “Our goal is that the expertise and knowledge of pharmacists be fully used in the delivery of health care services, benefitting both patients and the health care system.”
“I’ve left the most trusted profession for the least trusted,” joked the premier.
Premier Ball was clearly at home.
After receiving his honourary white coat from Dr. Marra, Premier Ball delivered a heartfelt address to the first year students that summarized his career and highlighted his insights on changing careers from pharmacy to politics.
“There’s a story I’d like to tell,” he recalled with a smile. “It goes back to 2011 after the provincial election. Late that night, I received a call from a very close friend of mine, and he said to me, ‘Well done, Dwight’ – and I knew there was a ‘but’ coming – ‘Tonight you’ve left the most trusted profession and have now just entered into the least trusted profession.’”
“This profession has been very kind to me over the past 30 years,” Premier Ball continued. “I know how rewarding it is to make a difference to the lives of people, and part of my job is to take some of the memories and learnings that I’ve had as a pharmacist and bring that trust back into politics.”
“Certainly what is not lost on me is that we need to expand the scope of practice of all our health care professionals, and when I reach out and speak, I deliver this challenge no matter what the profession is – if it’s a nurse or a physician or a pharmacist – we need to make sure that we challenge our young, educated health care professionals to make them the very best they can be, and that is how we will bring the improvements that we so desperately need within our health care system.”