The J & J Pharmacy Podcast

Episode 28: James Tao

You don’t want to miss this episode, wherein we invite James Tao, a hospital pharmacist who works at the U of A Hospital, to come onto the podcast and talk about his practice and what he thinks about the pharmacy profession as a whole. 

Episode 27: Open Thoughts - New year, new me?

With the new semester right around the corner (literally tomorrow) we decided to reflect on the lessons we learned in 2020 and what we hope to accomplish in 2021. We also chat about our holiday break and what we have planned for the podcast in the coming months!

Episode 26: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - Dr. Kaitlyn Watson

Happy Holidays! To celebrate the end of the fall semester, we here at the J and J Pharmacy Podcast are excited to present Dr. Kaitlyn Watson, the co-founder and CEO of “Disaster Pharmacy Solutions”! Not content with just a pharmacy degree from the University of Queensland Pharmacy School, Dr. Watson talks with us about her journey that ultimately landed her up here in the Great White North. Furthermore, she speaks her mind on the legacy that Covid-19 will have on pharmacy practice and how we as a profession can be better prepared to handle another crisis in the future.

Episode 25: Ali Damani

It’s hard to believe, but we’re already at 25 episodes! To celebrate such a momentous occasion, we invited onto the podcast, the man, the myth, the legend: Ali Damani. His glorious hair might be gone, but his support for pharmacy students remains unwavering. To learn more about the “Awesome RxA Guy”, we asked Ali to recount his days prior to becoming associated with RxA, which included a brief stint in the United States, before coming back up to Canada to practice. We also got an opportunity to engage Ali in a discussion about the lasting impact that Covid-19 will have on the pharmacy profession. Finally, we finish the episode talking more specifically about what RxA does for pharmacy students and Ali also leaves us with some lasting words of encouragement during these difficult times.

Episode 24: Class of 2021 RxFactor Contestants: Nils and Fred

You know what they say, fourth times the charm! Joining us for the last episode of the Movember Special and gracious enough to take time out of their busy rotation schedules are the legendary 4th years, Nils Moser and Fred Min. Both begin by giving us a light tease of what we should be expecting for their Rx Factor videos, we really can’t wait to see what they have in store for us! Shortly thereafter, the conversation gets serious, with both Nils and Fred sharing their wise thoughts on men’s mental health and how they have been affected by such a heavily stigmatized issue. Finally, as they have done so for us and countless other pharmacy students, both men leave us with encouraging words as we continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic.

Episode 23: Class of 2022 RxFactor Contestants: Gurpal and Brian

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are officially less than a week away from the Rx Factor! Joining us in our excitement are the next pair of extremely talented contestants, Gurpal Gill and Brian Chow, both hailing from the class of 2022. In this episode, not only does Gurpal tease that his talent will stick true to his roots, but he was kind of enough to open up about his own mental health struggles and the strategies he uses to manage them. Brian completes the picture by recounting the many encounters he’s had with mental health and how these experiences have shaped him as a human being.

Episode 22: Class of 2024 RxFactor Contestants: Jasmine and Garrett

Next up on the RxFactor and Movember plate are the first years, Jasmine Ly and Garrett Kawa! Listen in to learn more about the mysterious freshmen and find out how they are coping with the pandemic. In regards to what their “talents” are, they’ve kept their lips tightly sealed but do promise that things are definitely going to get weird. Lastly, Jasmine and Garrett get serious and share their insightful thoughts on men’s physical and mental health and what we can do as future pharmacists to become strong advocates for this health issue.

Episode 21: Class of 2023 RxFactor Contestants: John and Nick

Unveiloween was truly a treat to watch, and so with the contestants of RxFactor finally revealed, we first invite the Second Year power dual, John and Nick, onto the podcast! To help kick-off this special Movember month, Garrett also re-joins the show as a co-host! Listen in to not only get a sneak peak of what talents John and Nick are going to exhibit, but also find out a little more about how they are handling the pandemic. Finally, the talk focuses on how mental health impacts John and Nick on a personal level, and what their thoughts are on the role that pharmacist's play in advocating for men's physical and mental health.

Episode 20: Shane DeMerchant and Garrett Garlock

“Men are dying too young. We can’t afford to stay silent”. These are the powerful words that drive the Movember Foundation, and this week we had the privilege of interviewing one of Movember’s very finest, Shane DeMerchant. Joining us as well was our very good friend Garrett Garlock, also known as the man responsible for putting together this year’s RxFactor. Together, we sit down and have a very candid conversation about men’s health, and how our own experiences have shaped us and motivated us to become better advocates for such a stigmatized healthcare issue.

Episode 19: Open Thoughts - Burn Out

We are nearly done midterms! This past week has especially been a difficult one, and so in this episode we chat about our experiences studying and what kind of hardships we have encountered. In particular, the conversation revolved around “burn out” and what kind of strategies we use to prevent or overcome it. Remember, we’re all going to get through this together and we’re all going to become great Pharmacists one day!