Marilyn Sun

Marilyn Sun spent last summer doing research with Dr. Tara Klassen’s lab, as part of the Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), and achieved a travel award to attend the 2015 CSPS/AFPC conference in Toronto. We caught up with Marilyn to learn more about her experiences.

What interested you in the SSRP?

I was interested in the SSRP program because it gave me an opportunity to apply what I learned in the classroom. Having come into the Faculty right after my first year, I wasn’t able to get much lab experience outside my chemistry courses. After I toured Dr. Klassen’s lab I became very interested in what she did, such as PCR to micro-pipette. Seeing this, I wanted to try it out and learn more about it so I applied to her lab for an SSRP position.

As many students only look towards the clinical side of pharmacy, ignoring the research aspects, I recommend others to get their hands messy and challenge themselves by trying out research. While it may be difficult, the experience will be rewarding. I found that I grew a lot over the course of the summer and gained a lot of transferable skills such as increased dexterity in my hands and time management.

What was your best memory of the program?

The best memory of the program for me was that every day there were small successes – for instance learning a new technique or having a result come out. Another highlight was the great relationships that I was able to build with the people in my lab. We saw each other as a team and were there for each other. They were consistently very helpful to me and I am very grateful for their guidance and mentorship.

What are you most excited about in attending the 2015 CSPS conference?

First of all I’ve never been in Toronto so I am excited to get to see the city. It is also my first big conference so I am excited to meet the other award winners, meet others from different schools and provinces, network and explore pharmaceutical sciences more. It will allow me to experience other areas of research, including both clinical and experimental.

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Current students, here is a chance to further your education and learn about the future of pharmacy!

UBC Pharmacist Awareness Month and the UBC chapter of the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI) will be hosting an event on the topic of Clinical Pharmacists & Allied Healthcare Professionals at 5.30 p.m. on March 18 in the pharmacy building lecture theatre. Dr. Wendy Leong (PharmD, BCPS, MBA) will be joining us to share insights from her unique career path that has been heavily influenced by specialists (MDs and PharmDs). Dr. Leong will host an open discussion about innovative, collaborative team-based practice and encourages questions. This event is recommended for all pharmacy students and other allied healthcare professionals who recognize the importance of interdisciplinary practice. Everyone interested in learning more about the role of clinical pharmacists is welcome to attend!

Discussion topics include:

• Why does the Canadian health care system & patients need collaborative team-based practice (with interdisciplinary teams) now & over the next 2 decades?
• What are some practice sites and clinical programs where clinical pharmacists and allied healthcare professionals excel in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams?
• What makes a good clinical pharmacist (allied healthcare professional)?
• What makes a good clinical pharmacist valuable to an interdisciplinary team and patients?
• What does the future hold for you as a clinical pharmacist?

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