“What I find the most rewarding is making a difference in people’s lives. Working in a pharmacy, we are often the first place people reach out for medical advice. Being able to help people in who are often in a very vulnerable position is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.”
Collin Shiha is a graduate of the University of Ottawa, where he obtained an Honours Bachelor’s degree in health sciences and completed an undergraduate thesis that examined drug take-back programs in Ontario. His education helped to further ignite his passion for health care, and he began his career, working at Fallowfield Pharmasave in Ottawa. While working he completed prerequisites for pharmacy school, and was able to expand his knowledge of home health care and compounding. In 2020, he moved to the Waterloo Region to complete the PharmD program at the University of Waterloo, and he was able to quickly begin making strong connections at the university and throughout the community. Collin greatly expanded his pharmaceutical knowledge through his first co-op placement at Preston Medical Pharmacy, a local independent pharmacy. He has since completed his co-op placement, but he still works at the pharmacy and has learned from staff, patients, and local healthcare professionals in the area. During the pandemic, Collin played a significant role in helping to start a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Preston Medical Pharmacy. He assisted with coordinating vaccine orders and learned the new CovaxOn system to help train future students working in the pharmacy. Collin looks forward to completing his PharmD degree and continuing to provide patient care in the community.