The Skaggs School of Pharmacy is renowned for our experiential programs. At the core of this meaningful student educational experience are our preceptors who dedicate their time and talent to mentor and train the next generation of pharmacy professionals. The 2021 Preceptor Award winners are:
OUTSTANDING PRECEPTOR OF THE YEAR
Deborah Gallegos, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy for Colorado Plains Medical Center, Fort Morgan, Colorado
“Dr. Gallegos is the best preceptor a student could ask for. She goes out of her way to get you in touch with everyone in the hospital and always tries to find you experiences you are interested in. She always asks me if I want to tag along to certain events she is having or situations that are going on in the hospital.”
“I do not feel like a burden around her, but rather I feel like one of her colleagues and I can tell she genuinely wants me there. She always checks in on me, even when she is on vacation to make sure that I am taken care of. I can always count on her as a student and as my friend. Thank you, Debbie!”
COMMUNITY PHARMACY PRECEPTOR AWARD
Dale Matsuda, RPh
Walgreens Pharmacy Manager, Elizabeth, Colorado
“Dale has been the most inspirational influence in my professional career, and my APPE experience with him has motivated me to push myself to become not only an excellent pharmacist, but also a community member with a heart for service.”
“I've never met a pharmacist who is not only extremely knowledgeable, but also has an enormous heart and love for his profession. He approaches every situation with a positive attitude, and sees every patient interaction as an opportunity to build relationships and ensure their needs are met."
“Not only does Dale set an example for excellent patient care, he treats every member of the staff like family and has built a strong sense of community among the team.”
AMBULATORY CARE PHARMACY AWARD
Ashley Glode, PharmD
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital Oncology Clinic
“I do not say this lightly when I say that Dr. Glode has supported me through some of the hardest days of my life and given me some of my most cherished advice. Her kindness and ability to hold space for me was something that I have reflected on quite a bit.”
“Dr. Glode is a highly knowledgeable oncology pharmacist and CU SOP faculty member who genuinely has her intentions in the right places. She puts her patients and her students first. I am grateful to have gotten the opportunity to learn from her both inside and outside the classroom.”
AMBULATORY CARE PHARMACY AWARD
Cindy O’Bryant, PharmD
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital Oncology Clinic
“Dr. O’Bryant trained me to quickly be able to independently perform chemotherapy teachings for patients and their loved ones, which was the most rewarding and memorable experience of pharmacy school for me. She understood the balance of trusting in my independence and clinical skills while also providing steady guidance and being easily approachable whenever I had questions or concerns.”
“I could only hope that someone who is a leader in their field could also be a mentor who is genuinely invested in my success. Dr. O' Bryant effortlessly embodies both of these qualities… She has shown me that a true mentor will go to bat for you and remind you of your greatness when you have self-doubts.”
HEALTH-SYSTEM PHARMACY PRECEPTOR AWARD
Aaron Prince, PharmD
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital Emergency Department
“This rotation was one of the best rotations I have had and it was mostly due to having Dr. Prince as my preceptor . . . He has empowered me to be confident in my abilities and to make my own decisions as a pharmacist when it comes to caring for my patient.”
“Each night, he will challenge you with clinical questions, difficult patient encounters, and topic discussions. He challenges you to apply what you've talked about in real clinical scenarios.”
“By the end of my rotation with him, I was essentially the pharmacist. I had the phone, handled clinical questions, attended codes, addressed orders all independently of him. And I felt confident in doing so because of how Dr. Prince formatted this rotation.”
NATIONAL PHARMACY PRECEPTOR AWARD
Ken Sternfeld, RPh
Founder of RXVIP Concierge in Westbury, New York
“Ken has been so gracious in providing his time to pharmacy students, especially those who have been impacted by COVID-19. He has provided us with excellent clinical resources, especially when it comes to Pharmacogenomic testing, COVID-19 testing, and medication therapy management. I am in awe of RXVIP’s continued support and the selfless offering of their time and energy in teaching us how to be outstanding pharmacy concierge specialists in the future. Thank you so much, Ken!”
“In this rotation, I was exposed to multiple eHr platforms, diagnostic lab reporting, billing of services provided and educational platforms . . . Ken had us interacting with peers, RPhs, RNs, MD, IT dept, Billing Dept, and laboratory services - a vast amount of collaboration for a team dynamic to health care.”
PROGRAMS PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Denver Health
This year, the Programs Partnership Award honors the Denver Health team of preceptors, comprised of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, who continued to allow pharmacy students to stand by their sides in the delivery of outstanding patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Denver Health has been a longstanding partner with the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy, and over the past five years, Denver Health has increased the pharmacy student rotation offerings by an astounding 50%. In addition, during the 2020-2021 rotation year, Denver Health originally matched to 45 rotations, then added another18 rotations as reassignments due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and cancellations at other sites. This is unprecedented, and evidence that Denver Health truly values pharmacy students and the partnership with CU.
