Training Program Awards

Resident of the Year

Launched in 2017, Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha)’s Resident Training Program is Australia’s first structured, formalised, supported and accredited national pharmacy residency program.

Now in its sixth year, the AdPha Resident of the Year (ROTY) Award highlights excellence in practice by a Resident candidate undertaking the AdPha Resident Training Program. The Award specifically focuses on improvement and professional development of a Resident candidate as they have progressed through the term of their AdPha Resident Training Program.  

2024 AdPha Resident of the Year Award

The winner of the 2024 AdPha Resident of the Year Award is Alexandra Lotric!

Congratulations to Alex and to all the amazing finalists who presented at Medicines Management 2024 in Adelaide:

  • Helly Patel ​ (Alfred Health, Vic): Significant Learning Experience: Psyched about Psych: Exploring Community Mental Health​
  • Alex Lotric​​ (Alfred Health, Vic​​): Research Project: Pharmacist in vascular outpatient clinic improves guideline adherent medication prescribing in patients with vascular disease​​
  • ​Belinda Wilson​​ (Flinders Medical Centre SA Pharmacy, SA​​): Research Project: Assessing Residual Dose Post-Disconnection in Elastomeric Infusors​
  • Anna Dionisiou​​ (Royal Melbourne Hospital, Vic​​): Research Project: Evaluation of an e-learning package for training pharmacy technicians to take a medication history​​
  • Joshua Clements​​ (The Canberra Hospital, ACT​ and John Hunter Hospital, NSW): Research Project: Validation of a Pharmacist Prioritisation Tool Embedded in an Electronic Medication Management. System (VAPP-TEEMS: Pilot)​

Entries open: Tuesday 11 June 2024 

Entries close: Friday 26 July 2024 

Shortlist for Heats announced: by Friday 9 August 2024 

Heats: Mid-late September 2024 (will occur via Zoom - exact date and times to be announced) 

Finalists announced: by end of September 2024 

Finals at MM2024: Friday 15 November 2024 

The 2024 ROTY award is open to Resident candidates and Residents who: 

  • are AdPha members 

  • are in the second year of the Resident Training Program, or 

  • completed their Resident Training Program between July 2023 and June 2024. 

NOTE: To take part, Residents will also need confirmation from their Director of Pharmacy or their delegate that, should they be selected as a finalist, they will be able to attend MM2024. 

Participating Residents will give a 10-minute presentation that can be on any of the following topics: 

  • The research project or audit undertaken during their Resident Training Program 

  • A case presentation 

  • A significant learning experience encountered during their Resident Training Program 

Heats will be held via Zoom webinar on separate dates (to be announced) in September 2024.  

Presentations will be judged by members of the Training Program Advisory Committee and graduates of the Registrar Training Program. The finalists will be selected by the judging panel and will compete at the National Finals for the title of Resident of the Year 2024.  

Six finalists will present at the MM2024 conference during the presentation sessions (Friday am). 

Finalists will receive complimentary registration to MM2024. Travel and accommodation are to be arranged by the Resident (it is up to the training program sites to provide any funding/reimbursement based on their local policies). 

The Resident of the Year 2024 winner will be announced at the Gala Dinner. 

If you have questions about any aspects of the ROTY 2024 award, please contact the AdPha Training Program team via residency@adpha.au 

2023 SHPA Resident of the Year 

Emma Dall'Alba

Senior Pharmacist - Townsville Rehabilitation Unit, Townsville University Hospital, Townsville

Presentation: Assessing the health literacy of patients prescribed SGLT2 Inhibitors, and impacts on the health service 

2022 SHPA Resident of the Year 

Rhiannon Froude

Clinical Pharmacist, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne

Presentation: Hospital pharmacists’ understanding of and attitudes towards beta-lactam allergies and de-labelling

2021 SHPA Resident of the Year 

James Ford

Clinical Pharmacist, Austin Health, Melbourne

Presentation: Hospital outreach medication review to reduce opioid use following surgery.

'Throughout my residency I have had a number of opportunities to work in variety of different areas within the pharmacy department and developed a range of skills during a very difficult time to work in healthcare. 

One such experience that stand outs for me was having the opportunity to trial managing a ward remotely during the first wave of COVID-19. This then presented the opportunity to publish an editorial (GRIT 2020-21 Summer Edition) discussing my opinions and experiences providing a clinical pharmacy service remotely.   

I also have had the opportunity to work within the Emergency Department, which was a fantastic experience to work in a high-paced, critical care environment during a pandemic.  I learned a great deal about working as a clinical pharmacist in this area and this has certainly become an area of interest which I hope to pursue in the future.'

2020 SHPA Resident of the Year 

Mika Varitimos 
Medication Safety Pharmacist/Post-Resident Pharmacist, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane

Presentation: The time is now: ensuring timely and appropriate medications for patients with Parkinson's disease.

'I thoroughly enjoyed being able to rotate through the Neurology/Stroke ward during my time with the Medical team. The highly experienced multidisciplinary team was brilliant. They included me on ward rounds and helped me to learn so much during this foundation period. I think Neurology represents an area of relatively untapped potential for pharmacists. It was powerful to see how much could be achieved with the right medicines in patients with conditions like epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.'

2019 SHPA Resident of the Year

Jacinta Castello 
Renal Pharmacist, Austin Health, Melbourne

Presentation: Opioid use following total knee and hip arthroplasty – not always a case of oversupply. 

Jacinta said, ‘I applied for a residency position at the end of my internship, and at the time the key things that appealed to me was having an experienced pharmacist as a mentor for each rotation and looking into the ‘why’ behind therapeutic recommendations. Looking back now, the residency program at the Austin definitely delivered on both aspects.’

Registrar of the Year

Launching in 2020, the Registrar Training Program (previously known as the Advanced Training Resident Program) is a two-year structured training program for pharmacists designed to develop their practice towards ANZCAP Pharmacist Registrar performance and facilitate specialisation in their defined practice area. 

AdPha is excited to announce the inaugural Registrar of the Year award in 2024. The Pharmacist Registrar of the Year award aims to recognise and reward excellence and dedication to advanced pharmacy practice in a pharmacist who has recently completed the AdPha Registrar Training Program. 

2024 AdPha Registrar of the Year Award

The winner of the inaugural 2024 AdPha Registrar of the Year Award is Sarah Risdale!

Sarah was the first pharmacist at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital to complete an Advanced Training Program, in the speciality areas of infectious diseases and sexual health. 

"Whilst completing the program she played a key role in the hospital's COVID-19 pandemic response, being among the first pharmacists in Queensland to administer COVID-19 vaccine. Working in the COVID bubble she supported colleagues and patients through the development of COVID medication safety resources and procedures, some of which were adopted at a statewide level. Post-pandemic response Sarah led the restart of the RBWH Antimicrobial Stewardship and Antibiotic Allergy Services, and has completed a number of projects in this space.  She actively contributes to the education of a range of health colleagues at a local, state and national level, and is an active member of several committees. 

For Sarah the highlight of the program was presenting at her 24-month milestone meeting and reflecting on the challenges and successes of her training, and in 2024 Sarah was recognised as an ANZCAP Consultant Pharmacist in Infectious Diseases and Stewardship.

Since completing her training, she has continued working as a senior infectious disease pharmacist at the RBWH and her skills have also led her to a secondment with the Queensland Health Immunisation Program where she was able to contribute to the development of the Queensland Paediatric RSV Prevention Program. The implementation of this immunisation program has seen a substantial reduction in severe paediatric RSV cases across Queensland in 2024 and the team was awarded the Queensland Health Minister's Award for excellence for the work on this and other programs."

Congratulations to Sarah and all those who supported her during the Registrar Training Program at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Nominations (stage 1) open: Tuesday 11 June 2024 

Nominations (stage 1) close: Friday 26 July 2024 

Nominee submits required documentation (stage 2): by Friday 9 August 2024 

Selection Panel: August 2024 

Winner announced: end of September 2024 

Presentation of Award at MM2024: 14 - 16 November 2024 

Submissions for the Registrar of the Year Award can be made via nomination, either self-nominated or from a staff member of the Pharmacist Registrars training program site. Nominations will be called for annually.  

All nominees must: 

  • Be a current AdPha member and 

  • Completed their Registrar Training Program before August 2024 

Nominations must be received via the online nomination form available on the AdPha Training Program website by the advertised due date. The nomination process now consists of two stages: 

Stage 1: Nomination submitted online 

  • Either self-nomination or from a staff member at the Registrar Training Program site 

Stage 2: Nominee will be notified of their nomination and required to provide the supporting documentation  

  • Acceptance of the nomination 

  • Two (2) signed letter of support from a senior pharmacy or inter-professional colleague in support of the nomination 

  • A copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV) 

  • Completed Registrar Training Program portfolio (or equivalent evidence) outlining examples of the nominees' contributions and practice as a Pharmacist Registrar 

  • Confirmation from their Director of Pharmacy or their delegate that, should they be selected as the winner, they will be able to attend MM2024. 

Nominations shall be considered by a selection panel consisting of the AdPha Training Program Advisory Committee. 

The Registrar of the Year award will be presented at the Medicines Management Conference in Adalaide in November 2024. 

The recipient will be financially supported to attend the Medicines Management Conference to accept their award with free conference registration.  

If you have questions about any aspects of the Registrar of the Year 2024 award, please contact the AdPha Training Program team via residency@adpha.au