PQ April 2016

PQ PLUS 2

APRIL 2016

PRESENTED BY OUR TITLE SPONSOR:

PHARMACARE SPECIALTY PHARMACIES

IN THIS ISSUE SAMPLE

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APSA Election Results

In case you missed the posts on social media, here’s a full list of 2016-2017’s APSA Council members. They probably don’t bite.

COVER ILLUSTRATION DESIGN: FREEPIK

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After last issue’s mouthwatering recipe, we couldn’t resist another. Check out Idy’s version of Jerk Chicken!

If you’re basically done with exams, then this is the article for you.

Speaking of which, it’s almost time for some major summer excitement. Who’s going?

Idy-licious

Accomodations Network

Questions about rotation? Look here!

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Dr. Carlos Velazquez

Uncovering the mysteries behind the prof.

Disclaimer: Any opinions or viewpoints published are directly from the contributing authors and do not represent the philosophy or viewpoints of the Faculty of Pharmacy or the University of Alberta.

GHASAK HUSSAIN

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TWO articles this time - just in time for job hunting season!

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Festival Season

FLICKR IMAGES: BALA SIVAKUMAR, SPARKY, PAT GUINEY, PETER MACDONALD

the PQ this school year.

Don’t stress out too much over finals, and most importantly: have a great summer!! Good luck to all the 4th years on your PEBCs -- you’ll all kill it!

Woohoo, another semester almost done. Just a few more days until temporary freedom for 4 months--or freedom forever for you 4th years. Thanks to everyone who has helped out with

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Day in the Life

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Editors' notes

Summer Routine

And just like that, the year is over!? I can’t believe that we’ve already had 6 issues (+1 extra election edition!) and it’s a little sad to be moving on. I hope you all had as much fun reading PQ as I did.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the PQ this year, whether by articles, photos, ideas, or even motivational hugs.

We would have had 1 page flyers without you ;) Good luck to everyone on your exams, job hunting,

and future! Remember to take care of yourselves, and BE PROUD of the work you’ve done!

WINNIE LO

APSA CALENDAR

CALENDAR

We’re counting down the weeks and days until the end of finals, and it can’t come soon enough. Just focus on exams and the amount of time you spend procrastinating (by reading PQ, right?), and it will be over in a blink. See you all next year!

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PQ DESIGN AND LAYOUT BY WINNIE LO

You can find us on Facebook at PQ PlusTwo or Instagram @pqplustwo

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 3

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D O GO

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Alyssa Aco Its a little crazy how much the PQ means to me. Whenever I see a little tear or van-

dalism on the PQ, my heart truly breaks a little. I know that after I graduate, these are the moments I’m going to remember: freaking out while writing articles last minute, worried Winnie might kill me for handing them in late, and joking around with my team during meetings. I think I will keep reading this magazine long after I leave school. Will miss everyone and everyone. Thank you for reading <3

YUSUF NASIHI It’s been a great experience to write and plan articles for PQ+2. Working on

PQ impressed upon me that pharmacists have a culture that goes along with our profession and Faculty. Thanks for reading and we hope to pick up right where we left off when classes resume in September.

Jasmine Han It has been a pleasure for me to be able to work with an amazing

team and write for PQ Plus 2. I hope that everyone enjoyed PQ Plus 2 and Yusuf and I will be back to continue writing for the students in September.

PAWAN GILL Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed reading the PQ+2 as much

as I enjoyed working on it with our amazing team. Good luck with finals and enjoy the well deserved summer break! everyone!!!

VICTORIA PRICE It has been an honour working with such a talented 4 PHARMACY QUARTERLY

and hardworking team, and I am so proud of every PQ issue we have worked on together. Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed reading our articles and supported all that we’ve done this year. See you in the fall!

PHARMACY SUPERHEROES

PHARMACY SUPERHEROES Julia Jin

Who is extra-super-amazing in our faculty? Here are this month’s heroes both big and small.

Will Chan Please keep that smile on your face all the time! Your friendly gesture and inviting tone makes my day more upbeat and happier! I think you are a great VP Social, and thank you for being the way you are with everyone.

Julia Johnson and Sabrina Lorico They combined their abilities and ran an exercise class and bake sale March for raising money for the Alberta Cancer Foundation. That’s all that really needs to be said. Let’s recognize their charity as well as their talents.

Will Chan The sweetest, kindest person out there!

Always so genuine and friendly.

Oksana Dacko ...was such an awesome TA to us third years in Women’s Health and it was awesome having someone who cares so much about our learning to help us in class! Thanks, Oksana!

Submit a hero you know for our next issue at: tinyurl.com/pq2-questions

The girl who always knows me better than I know myself. I L-word you, you falafelling sushi of my life.

Angelica Maldonado Girl, your outfits are always so on point and your personality is #goals. Keep shining!

Kayla Wong Girl, you so awesome. Thank you for always believing in me and cheering me on, even when I’ve lost all motivation to study. Though we may not accomplish a ton during our study sessions, I always enjoy our talks. So as finals approach, remember to add oil!

My supergirls Lauren Mark, Lauren Ross, Lapinda, and Gillian have ensured I remained sane this year! Thank you for everything!

Aaron Chy Your sense of humour as well as how chill you are throughout the day helps me loosen up and get less stressed. So thank you! Hope you can manage to be that chill for the next 3 years.

Phoebe Hsu We don’t always meet up often, but I never fail to have fun when we do. Your cheerfulness, good advice, and incredible work ethic always motivate me to do my best in everything I do. Remember we all love you and are cheering you on!

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 5

APSA ELECTIONS

APSA ELECTION RESULTS

BY PAWANDEEP GILL We passed that time of year again where pharmacy student’s are reminded that smear campaign’s are a no go and “none of the above” is a valid candidate. Now that this crucial election period is over I’ll be answering those questions everyone has on their mind.

her old council members. Helen’s moving speech almost brought tears to our President-Elect, Aliaksandr Savin, along with many other individuals present. The 302 individual’s that eagerly waited for the voting polls to open also displayed varying emotions.

Who suffered the biggest lost?

What predictions can be made about next year’s council members?

Our favorite, but unlucky, candidate NOTA (None of the above). NOTA once again ran for all positions this year and came in second in multiple races that included President-Elect, VP External, VP Admin, VP Finance, and VP Social.

NOTA as usual struggled once again against the tough competition of pharmacy students running for office. We could not get a statement from NOTA, but expect that “it” wishes the best for all the elected member’s and hopes to run a better campaign next year!

Who displayed the greatest emotions this year?

Helen Marin’s emotional speech before the election results displayed her excitement to meet her new council, but also her conflicting emotions over losing

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From the amazing set of new councillors, students can expect the usual shenanigans along with sweat and tears of hard work. Predictions include Aliaksandr Savin being called “Ali-aks” at least once by James Tao. Mike Song demanding an office to go with his business cards. Dmitri Kachenyuk helping at least one student (fingers crossed) find a job. Winnie Lo continuing to work hard to keep the PQ at the top of it’s game!

What was the food like at the APSA General meeting?

A delicious variety of subway sandwiches.

APSA ELECTIONS

2016 - 2017 Alberta Pharmacy Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association President Elect: Aliaksandr Savin

Male Sports Representative: Steven

VP External: Sean Hanson

Quan

VP Academic: Doug Lam

PQ Editor: Jasmine Han & Yusuf Nasihi

VP Administration: Xing Sun

Chief Returning Officer: Mehnaz Anwar

VP Student Services: Sabrina Lorico

Grad Committee Co-Chairs: Morgan

VP Finances: Tony Lee

Moffat & Mikhail Surgent

VP Social: Kasia Babyn

4th Year Class Rep (Fall): Tatianne

Fundraising Director: Jerry Zhang

Pomerleau-Mahe

Interprofessional Director: James Tao

4th Year Class Rep (Winter): Chris

Community Education Director: Muna

Evernden

Farah

4th Year Class Social (Fall): Seth

Publications Director: Winnie Lo

Gilfillan

Recruitment Director: Dimitri

4th Year Class Social (Winter):

Kachenyuk

Samantha Davidson

IT Director: Lisa Zhou

3rd Year Class Rep: Pawan Gill

SAF-Pharm Director: Mike Song

3rd Year Class Social: Kayla Stegmeier

SHINE Director: Madison Herbert

2nd Year Class Rep: Frank Huang

IPSF Representative: Sahiba Khurana

2nd Year Class Social: Brooke Thai

CAPSI Jr Representative: Hannah Kaliel CSHP Representative: Karlson Kennedy Female Sports Representative: Megan Elliott PHARMACY QUARTERLY 07

CSHP

CSHP BANFF CONFERENCE “The 42nd Annual Banff Seminar was another great experience to add to the list! Although some topics were inevitably over my head, I learned a lot about interesting topics including cannabis use in pediatrics, step-wise approach to treatment resistant depression, and most entertaining - how weird Gwyneth Paltrow is. The free food/ coffee was abundant and the views were amazing as always. Would recommend.” - Katelyn Gillanders (2018) “I learned a lot about specific drug regimen and practice guidelines regarding certain disease states in hospital practice. I also had the opportunity to network with various practitioners and students from across western Canada. I really enjoyed the banquet and the food as well.” – James Tao (2018)

“It’s something of an honour to be in the presence of the brightest and most accomplished clinical pharmacists in the country, and to hear their perspectives on hospital pharmacy and where it’s heading is incredibly enlightening as we normally get only a glimpse into institutional practice throughout the pharmacy program.” - Victoria Price (2017)

“The CSHP Banff Seminar was a great opportunity to meet hospital pharmacists from all over the western provinces and learn about various topics that are of importance to our practice as future pharmacists.” - Fadi Aizouki (2016) “I was impressed with how diverse the presentation topics were, there was something interesting for everyone. The research posters that were featured contained a variety of study designs and topics, which sparked many good ideas for future projects!” – Michelle Bender (2018)

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“It was interesting to realize that as future practitioners seminars will be a key resource to staying up to date on the latest guidelines and evidence that is out there.” Pawandeep Gill (2018)

CSHP

“I enjoyed the CSHP Banff Seminar as a whole: beautiful scenery, good weather, great colleagues and fantastic speakers…” – Bryan Hodgson

“I learned about new evidence that has come this year, which affects our practice as a pharmacist. I learned about I not to give up on hope whether it is a palliative patient or a patient on whom numerous of out therapies have failed. I also learned about the emerging issues that our profession is dealing with and how to be a strong advocate for our profession.” – Ravinder Dheer (PharmD)

“Saturday. The day Grace Wong (the G Swizzle) & I were waiting for. Why? Tim Caulfield! The coolest man on the planet. He had a captivating co-keynote speech on health in the media, and how we, as healthcare professionals, should tackle the ever-increasing bunk pseudoscience we see, while simultaneously promoting good evidence-based medicine.”

“Beautiful mountain views and informative lectures!” Nisreen Chehimi (2018)

“Banff Seminar hit us like a hurrcaine! We can’t wait to come back next year!” - Amanda Leong

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 09

SAMPLE

IDY-LICIOUS JERK CHICKEN

BY IDY EKPE

School is only a few weeks from letting out. For those of us dreaming of vacation in the tropics, pump your brakes and come back to reality- there’s still the hurdle of exams to face. The good news is you can still enjoy authentic island vibes right from home. If you crave the Caribbean, what better way to indulge than with food? One of the most popular foods originating from the Islands is Jerk Chicken. This mahogany-hued chicken bursts with spicy flavor in each bite. The flavor profile lies in the jerk marinade, and shared below are its classic ingredients. If you’re in need of summer heat, start in the kitchen!

Yield: 6 Prep time: 15 min Cooking time: 1 hr Ingredients: 6 chicken legs 1 lime Marinade: 4 Scallions, roughly chopped 3 cloves of garlic Scotch bonnet peppers (1-4 depending on spice tolerance) *Alternatively, substitute with habanero or ghost peppers 2 tbsp. of oil 2 tbsp. of soy sauce Juice of half an orange 1 heaping tbsp. brown sugar 2 tsp. of ground allspice 1 tsp. of ground nutmeg 1 tsp. grated ginger 2 tsp. of black pepper 1 tsp. of dried thyme (or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme) 1 small onion, chopped 2 tsp. of salt (to taste)

M O N M O NOM N Method: 1. Using a food processor or blender, blend all marinade ingredients until smooth.

2. Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish.

3. Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juice of each half on the chicken 4. For maximum flavor- use a knife to poke holes or slice cuts in the chicken, so that the marinade can seep in.

5. Pour the marinade over the chicken and distribute evenly (*wear food-safe gloves to prevent the pepper from getting on your skin).

6. Cover with plastic or foil wrap and marinate for at least 6 hours in the fridge.

7. Bake at 350 °F uncovered for 1 hr, turning the chicken half way through.

8. For an authentic finish, turn on the broiler setting in the oven for about 2 minutes to char the chicken slightly.

9. Garnish with diced scallions and SERVE.- Enjoy!

This pairs well with coconut rice, plantains, or yams!

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APSA

APSA STUDENT ACCOMMODATION NETWORK

BY DOUG LAM What is the APSA Student Accommodation Network?

• One of the ongoing APSA projects is a revamp of the Accommodation Support Network (ASN) which has existed for the past few years for the purpose of helping pharmacy students find accommodation on rotation. The APSA Student Accommodation Network is an online forums project is led by Mehnaz Anwar (VP Academic) and myself (Doug Lam - 2019 Class Rep) which expands the Student Accommodation Network to include more useful information (transportation, placement sites, and leisure) pertaining to the cities/towns at which rotations take place.

• Each city/town has it’s own forum with information categorized into 4 categories: Accommodation, Transportation, Placement Sites, and Miscellaneous Who can join?

• Any pharmacy student and alumnus with internet access!

• Joining is anonymous. Only your Ualberta email is required during the registration process and you can choose any username you wish. No one other than site admin can see your email.

What kind of information will you be able to find here?

Accommodations • We invite people with knowledge of specific towns/ cities to post info about where they stayed and the associated costs.

• Makes it easier to know what housing options are available • Housing options being offered by alumni, preceptors, and other people will be posted as well as contact info Transportation • What public transit exists as well as the best methods of transportation from Edmonton to that town/city • How people manage transportation to specific placement sites and associated costs Placement Sites • Objective information about sites including physical location, nearby POI, idea methods of transportation • No subjective information will be posted (ie. Opinion of preceptor, site, etc.)

• Posters may make themselves available via private message or email to talk about subjective information Miscellaneous • What things are there to do?

• Recreational facilities/ activities, and ways to pass the time

Why should I use the forums?

• Effectively research sites/cities/ towns in one consolidated place • Anonymously ask and answer questions at your convenience • Valuable information is accessible by all students and doesn’t get buried like in a FB page • Easily connect to students of all years • Help develop this forums into a permanent library of relevant information that helps future pharmacy students as well • Supported by Dr. Cox and Dallyce Bialowas of the Ex. Ed. team What can I do to help?

We are currently looking for people to make posts on cities/towns in which they have had rotations or know well. If you are interested, please send an email to Lam3@ ualberta.ca with your name, year, and cities/towns you are able to write about.

If you are interested in checking out the forums site to give feedback and suggest improvements, please contact me! (same email as above) When will it come out?

It’s already out, so drop by and take a look!

Make an account at: http://apsasan.motionforum.net

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 11

SUMMER ROUTINE

MY SUMMER ROUTINE

BY VICTORIA PRICE

I always find that the second semester flies by, and this year is no exception. With classes wrapping up and finals upon us, it’s time to start thinking of the future. No, I’m not talking about PharmD or your residency application—I’m talking about #SUMMER2K16. Hopefully by now you’ve all secured awesome summer jobs and placements that will give you the invaluable experience that can’t be learned in the classroom, etc. etc., but with that out of the way, you’ve got the rest of four months to fill up! While it’s not quite summer yet, I thought I would put together a little guide so you can make the most of your summer and still be productive enough to keep your brain from turning to mush.

By far the most important part of any fun-filled and #memorable summer is social media. If you didn’t document it, it never happened, right? Well, the saying is also true for your summer adventures. Without hourly updates to your Snapchat and Instagram, no one will know how jealous they should be of you and your glamorous life. So make sure you keep the pretentious food pics coming, and don’t forget your filters!

Tip #1: Add one of those cute Snapchat geotags to let people know how about all of the exotic locations in which you eat (and photograph) your food!

Speaking of food, summer is the perfect time to try out fun new recipes and work on your domestic skills. There’s nothing like some good old home cooking on a summer’s day! Here I am preparing a delish lunch from scratch. Hope it doesn’t end up tasting like cardboard!!

PHOTO CREDITS: VICTORIA PRICE

One of my favourite things about summer is getting to spend time outdoors. From exploring my own backyard to the backcountry, there’s always something fun to do and some Vitamin D to be had.

I don’t mean to brag, but I have quite the green thumb. Isn’t my garden just blooming? I mean, uh, I grow root vegetables so you can’t see them because they’re uh, you know, underground or whatever. But I’m a very talented gardener, take my word for it.

Another favourite outdoor activity is reading. There’s nothing like stretching out on the green grass with some quality chick lit.

I don’t really enjoy reading heavy literature or anything too technical, but it seems like I picked up a good, light summer read this time! I’m just at the chapter where high dose amoxicillin is getting prescribed for acute otitis media. Anyone interested in joining my book club? I think Oprah recommended this one.

Camping is one of my favourite hobbies and I’ve been going ever since I was a little girl!

Most people prefer tents or trailers, but I find there’s nothing quite like sleeping under the stars. Here’s a picture of me camping in one of my favourite spots out in the mountains.

Don’t let the flat lawn confuse you—I’m definitely in the wilderness. With the animals and trees. And other wild stuff.

Tip #2: If you are camping outside in the wilderness, make sure to zip your sleeping bag up tight so no bugs can get in. I like nature and all, but some of the world’s wonders deserve to be admired from afar—and in the case of spiders, like, very, very afar. Seriously, if any spiders are reading this, don’t touch me.

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 13

SUMMER ROUTINE Spending all that time outdoors doesn’t come without its rewards, and in my case that means a killer tan! I know we’re taught about melanoma and all that stuff in school, but when you look this good, what’s a little rapidly-changing mole here and there? You can’t get this glow from a bottle, people!

Just kidding, skin cancer is no joke. Defs wear sunscreen- no one wants to be looking like a shrively leathery raisin person by age 30. Tip #3: I faked this subtly sunkissed look with a generous heap of blush and bronzer. You never would have guessed because of how natural it looks though, right? #beautyguru

The other thing about beauty and summer is that it’s the perfect time to experiment with changing up your look. If you try something new and it ends up looking fierce, you can return to school in the fall like a whole new person! And if it doesn’t work out, there’s always time to fix it before orientation week hits. I love to try out new styles, especially when it comes to my hair.

Some may say I’m pretty daring and adventurous, and over the years my hair has taken on somewhat of a chameleon status, from dark burgundy brown all the way to deep chocolate maroon at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Luckily I can pull off basically any colour! Here’s a pic of my latest look, and I know it’s such a dramatic change from my usual, but isn’t it just so perfect for summer? Sometimes in life you just gotta take a risk and hope it pays off!

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SUMMER ROUTINE

Some people use summer as a chance to consolidate their learning from the previous semester and get prepared for next year’s classes, but we don’t want to be like those people, do we? Of course not! Summer is a time of carefree fancy fun, free from inhibition or any mention of medicinal chemistry.

It only makes sense, then, that the very first thing I do when I get home from my last exam is shred all those pesky, useless notes from the past eight months. I don’t need that kind of negativity lurking on my bookshelf, and neither do you. So when life gives you Lobenberg, make confetti!

Tip #4: Don’t forget to take a few selfies with the bag of trash that is literally your notes and figuratively your GPA.

Oh wait… I just realized I needed those notes to study for the PEBCs in a few months… oops. Is anyone willing to lend me theirs? Or alternatively, um, can I borrow like 50 rolls of tape?

Okay, so many months’ worth of highlighted summary tables and the cause of my recent carpal tunnel diagnosis may be in the recycling bin now, but luckily I found some other study material that is probably going to be way more useful. Hey PharmD students, were there any PEBC questions on the first line therapy for Bieber Fever?

It would be nice to know that I can get at least one question right…

I hope you’ve been inspired by my favourite summer activities and I guarantee that if you follow this guide, you’ll have so much fun that you might even forget that you have to return in September. At the very least, I hope it’ll take your mind off school for a little bit! So good luck on exams, have a happy summer and I’ll see y’all on the other side!

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 15

A DAY IN THE LIFE

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF

SHEENA NEILSON

Program Performance Manager, AHS Pharmacy Services

QUESTIONS BY GHASAK HUSSAIN Hi Sheena! Can you tell me a little bit about your unique career path that lead you to where you are today?

I graduated with a BSc Pharm from the University of Alberta in 2006. As a student I loved working at Shoppers, and was thrilled to begin my career there.

After about a year working in community pharmacy, I moved on to work as an oncology pharmacist at the Cross Cancer Institute in 2007. I continued to do relief work at Shoppers while working at the Cross, but a few years later a colleague who worked at the Cross recognized my leadership potential and suggested I apply for the position of pharmacy manager at the site. I was lucky enough to get that first leadership job, and have since moved on to working in the Program Performance Portfolio with Alberta Health Services Pharmacy Services as a pharmacy leader.

Can you explain a bit more about the Program Portfolio?

Program Performance helps pharmacy leaders to manage the business affairs of AHS pharmacy services, site hospital pharmacy departments and programs.

We fall under the “Provincial Operations” umbrella within Pharmacy Services, which includes people from multiple disciplines (nurses, data analysts, project specialists, and many others) who are located all over the province and work in other specialty areas like informatics, medication quality and safety, drug use evaluation, clinical practice, and so on.

All of these groups are common in that we provide support in different areas of expertise so the hospital pharmacy managers do not have to start from

scratch when solving issues that arise at their sites. This allows us to achieve a more consistent and high standard of service throughout the province. In Program Performance, I manage a team of two pharmacists and a pharmacy technician, and we deal in areas of financial performance, medication resources, and strategic performance. We help leaders use information to make good decisions about how we run our hospital pharmacy departments, and our team is often involved in long term projects to improve issues as they arise. For example, we designed an app called WorkTrax that pharmacists in AHS used to self report information about the clinical services that they provide to patients, and then implemented the app to more than 1,000 pharmacy staff all over the province. The process from conceptualization, application design and publication to complete deployment took almost 3 years.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My day typically consists of back to back meetings with different stakeholders regarding various issues we are trying to address at a provincial level. I mostly interact with pharmacy managers and leaders within pharmacy services, tackling issues common across pharmacy service areas. Our team comes in to provide expertise and counsels on how leaders might best manage their business when certain issues arise. Most of these pharmacy leaders are pharmacists themselves — we help them manage their pharmacies

in hospitals like businesses. We are also thecentral hub for reporting: we retrieve information from stakeholders and ensure that the information is appropriate and accurate for sharing with varying audiences. We host most of our meetings virtually through video conferencing and screen sharing technology, so I wear a nerdy headset/ mic for most of the day.

Can you tell me a little bit more about WorkTrax?

Sure! Clinical workload reporting measures help quantify the value of pharmacy in the overall health and care of patients, while supporting the funding of pharmacy resources for safe and effective medication management.

Our WorkTrax application captures time spent providing standardized categories of patient care activities and also identifies how the pharmacy staff member interacted with the patient and/or their family. We piloted the first Apple WorkTrax app on iPhones at the Red Deer Regional Hospital and finished complete provincial deployment in April 2015. WorkTrax data allows pharmacists to more objectively reflect on their practice and improve it so we can better serve our patients. For example, a pharmacist may notice they are spending a lot of time doing chart documentation but not as much doing patient education (which is an activity associated with improved patient outcomes like getting out of the hospital faster, or being less likely to be readmitted). We want to focus on high impact activities to be as beneficial to our patients as possible. The information is not meant to judge or evaluate an individual pharmacist’s performance, but rather it allows us to measure progress in improving the service we provide, and to and demonstrate the value of pharmacists texternal audiences.

When pharmacists access the app, they

indicate which site they work at, and their patient population (ie: paediatric unit).This allows us to examine clinical pharmacist services at a team level to ensure that patient care areas are receiving consistent, high quality service between different pharmacists. We can also examine WorkTrax data for similar practice environments at different sites, so that we can share learnings about how things are different and where there might be opportunities to standardize to improve care. Ideally, our app would capture patient specific information, so we can look through and determine if these interventions are actually improving patient outcomes – but we’re not quite there yet.

What do you think is the most challenging and rewarding part about your job?

The scope is the most challenging. In pharmacy services we have more than 100 sites ranging all over the province from remote rural areas to large urban hospitals like the University of Alberta Hospital. So we are trying to implement programs that can be successful across a very diverse range of environments.

That is the biggest challenge, but it can also be rewarding in that we get to work with many people from all over the province. Therefore, our solutions tend to be very thorough and very creative.

Working with a diverse group of people is the best part of my job.

Being able to apply our individual skill sets to complex problems and come up with something better than any of us can come up individually is great environment to work in. I think I have become a better leader by working with

PHOTO CREDITS: MORGAN MOFFAT

and learning from all of the talented, brilliant, and high performing leaders we have throughout Pharmacy Services.

What advice do you have for graduating pharmacists interested in management?

When I became a manager at the Cross, I was 28 years old and the one of the youngest pharmacists in our department at that time. I feared that I was too young or inexperienced to be able to do that job well. While I think that experience is valuable, it is also important to say “yes” to opportunities that come your way. Getting involved as a frontline staff member and contributing ideas will also help open doors to leadership opportunities. Get into the mentality of thinking about how things can get better rather than just identifying what is wrong and waiting around for someone to make it better.

Get excited about the challenge and dedicate your time and energy to it — even if you think you are not quite ready for it. That’s the path that has led me to being an influential leader. I’ve really been lucky to have had a chance to practice across different settings; that is really from saying “yes” to things that have crossed my path. I was never a super stellar student - I was an average student that participated whenever there was an opportunity. Having great work ethic and great listening skills are also key.

A lot of people have a good understanding of what management looks like in the community setting, but may not be so sure when it comes to hospital. Based on your management position at the Cross, can you tell us a little bit more about

what your roles were?

A hospital pharmacy manager is responsible for the operations of pharmacy department. This includes making sure that our distribution services are working well: that we are getting the right medications to our patients at the right time and that our clinical pharmacists are being as impactful to our patients as possible. So it involves evaluating our mix between pharmacists and assistants (right person doing the right job?) and managing our budget.

There is also a focus on human resource management, such as performance appraisals, hiring and firing, and conducting staff meetings.

It important to be an advocate for pharmacy services, such as telling other leaders what pharmacists can do for you and why we are a critical part of the health care team. Our goal is to do a good job treating patients, so they are less likely to be re-admitted and so they can get out of the hospital more quickly without complications.

You are very involved in other areas within pharmacy, can you tell us a little bit about that?

I have been involved as the Pharmacy Alumni Association Chapter Representative for the past 3 years, which is how I have come to be so involved in the mentorship program. I see a lot of value in matching students with pharmacists and exploring those relationships. I am also involved in the UofA Alumni Executive Council.

This year I am chairing the Alumni Awards Committee, which celebrates U of A grads who have gone on to accomplish truly extraordinary things.

What do you do outside of pharmacy?

I like to travel — I spent all my free time on travelling to hear live music when I can. I just got back from Iceland; and last year got to check out Cambodia, Australia, Singapore, and New York, and also spent some time in British Columbia (Okanogan, Tofino). I practice yoga, am an avid snowboarder and love to get out and enjoy all the great things the City of Edmonton has to offer (food!

Festivals! Music!)

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 17

DAY IN THE LIFE

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF

BASEL ALSAADI CEO, InstaPharm Inc.

Hi Basel! Thank you for joining me today. Before we talk about InstaPharm, can you tell me a little bit about your career path and how you got to be where you are today?

Absolutely! I enjoy talking to students about my career path, and the endless possibilities pharmacy has to offer. As a student, I was quite interested in mapping out the pharmacy field from industry to hospital and community practice to policy making. I participated in various committees and events during my time as a student, and worked at multiple pharmacies.

Once I graduated, I had built a network of contacts in different fields of pharmacy. Working at

PHOTO CREDITS: BASEL ALSAADI

QUESTIONS BY GHASAK HUSSAIN multiple pharmacies helped me develop a good number of contacts and learned from many different pharmacists (as opposed to one set of pharmacy staff at one pharmacy).

This proved useful when I started looking for work after graduating.

In my fourth year, I wanted to get as much experience in as many fields as possible, and that was my plan for the first two years after graduating. My advice to students is to consider as many jobs as possible, attend career fairs, and learn more about the opportunities that arise as a result of change.

Pharmacy practice is not restricted to your local chain pharmacy.

The instinct many students have is which community pharmacy should I work in? It should be realized that, with the changing landscape of pharmacy practice, and having graduated from a refined curriculum, students are in a great position to become leaders and innovators in the pharmacy field.

So, I did apply to and interview for various

postings in industry, hospital pharmacy, government, insurance companies, community pharmacies, etcâ&#x20AC;Ś I ended up working at the Cross Cancer Institute as a part-time pharmacist, and seamlessly, the community pharmacies I worked for as a student started asking me to work for them as a part-time or full-time pharmacist (employee). I held back. Then, I started receiving emails, and text messages asking if I can cover a few days here, and a few days there.

Having learned from some independent consultant pharmacists who contract out their services as a student, I had a good understanding of the business aspect of providing services as a corporation or a sole proprietorship. I incorporated, and started to work on my own time, at my own rate, on my own terms under my corporation, while maintaining a part-time job at the Cross Cancer Institute, which provided for job security and benefits. I then moved on to the Grey Nuns Hospital, to work in a field that I am passionate about â&#x20AC;&#x201C; psychiatric pharmacy, while still maintaining my on-demand contract work at community pharmacies.

Fast-forward to today, all my previous experience led me to realize my passion, and the ideal route for me. I am currently managing an independent pharmacy and working on-demand at a few other pharmacies, while developing InstaPharm!

How did the idea of InstaPharm

start?

The idea of InstaPharm is to provide opportunities for pharmacists to practice independently and autonomously in a wide variety of settings. This idea has existed for some time now; however, what we strive to do is to facilitate this and centralize it for pharmacists who may not understand the details of independent practice.

Last year, while catching up over a coffee with Gurpal Deol, who was my work-out buddy and a 2014 graduate, we talked about developing InstaPharm.

InstaPharm has two main components: 1) The Platform, and 2) The Tools and Resources.

The Platform is an Uber-like online, networking platform that allows pharmacists to create a profile to showcase their skills, certifications, education and much more.

Pharmacies and pharmacists can connect in real-time, message each other, and post/apply to positions on the Platform. There are many other services InstaPharm has to offer such as online invoice generation and direct payment for services, scheduling and accounting tools, forums for discussion, and much more. We are always developing the web app and would encourage feedback from students and pharmacists.

The Tools and Resources section is the more exciting component, which is always expanding. As practicing pharmacists, we understand what tools and resources would make us more comfortable while doing our jobs. We are currently working on providing all InstaPharm pharmacists UptoDate subscriptions, interactive documentation tools, information about all the different pharmacy organizations and the conferences they offer, and a how-to guide to help pharmacists obtain certifications, expand their knowledge base and skills. Our documentation tools for example are tailored to cutting down documentation time and increasing

the efficiency and quality of the care plans we develop. We would like to involve patients in the decisionmaking surrounding their health.

For example, how would syncing pharmacist-developed care plans with Electronic Health Records affect the quality and authenticity of our work? Would this create a factor of accountability? Improve health outcomes and satisfaction amongst patients and other healthcare professionals? Government or private payers?

DAY IN THE LIFE hour. Our online Platform and our Tools and Resources are all extra to what is out there.

How can people find out more?

What does InstaPharm aim to achieve?

I can only cover so much in this interview, but there is much more to learn. I encourage students to attend our events, send us an email, and discuss the ideas amongst themselves. Visit our website at www.instapharm.ca to sign up for notifications.

InstaPharm has one main vision and two main values that you may hold us accountable for.

Do you have any advice for students thinking of entrepreneurship?

Vision: Pharmacists working autonomously and independently in unique practice settings and opportunities to the fullest scope of their practice.

Values: 1) Transparency 2) Advancing the Pharmacy profession.

What makes it different than the other competitors out there?

That is a hard question to answer, because there are no other competitors out there offering the services we offer. There are “Relief Agencies” that help match pharmacists and pharmacies; however, this is done manually over the phone and email by “sales personnel” that prey on the supply and demand of pharmacists. They typically obtain positions from pharmacies that are desperate to have a shift covered, take a considerable percentage of the pay rate for themselves, and throw the pharmacist in the pharmacy with very little support. This practice is one of the reasons pharmacists are being forced to accept rates as low as $30 per hour in Ontario.

Now, I may be biased for InstaPharm, but like I said, transparency is one of our main values; and so when a pharmacy posts a position for $60 per hour, the pharmacist will obtain $60 per

I just have this to say: The corporatization of pharmacy is adversely affecting our profession, and we need to stop feeding it. It is already happening to the medical profession with clinics in Big Box stores, franchise/chain clinics, and doctors are not happy about it either.

Go to the registry, incorporate, and start working for yourself.

Explore opportunities in technology that are sure to be the future of pharmacy.

And finally: what do you enjoy doing outside of pharmacy?

I love the nature and outdoors!

I really enjoy camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Last summer, we made some trips out in the Kootenay region of BC, and it is absolutely beautiful out there.

I also like traveling and learning about other cultures. My sister got me a scratch map to hang on my wall for my birthday, and I am so excited to scratch off more countries as I travel more!

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 19

FESTIVALS

SHKRELI

IT’S FESTIVAL TIME!

BY ALYSSA ACO Dead-monton? We certainly don’t think so! For students from out of town and have to stay in Edmonton for the summer, here is a quick overview of some of the city’s festivals. With a little research, you will realize that Edmonton has a bustling festival season featuring alternative arts, enticing food and international music. Check out our list and have a good summer!

20 PHARMACY QUARTERLY

FESTIVALS

IMPROVAGANZA What: For those that love the modern art of improvisation!

Rapid Fire Theatre’s annual festival features improvisers from all over Canada in a hilarious, high-energy alternative to traditional theatre.

Perfect for a cheap night out with lots of laughs and audience interaction.

Where: Citadel Theatre When: June 15 - 25 http://rapidfiretheatre.com/shows/

CARIWEST: EDMONTON’S CARIBBEAN ARTS FESTIVAL What: Can you smell the Caribbean beaches? This annual festival features a spectacular showcase of Caribbean cuisince, music, and costumes. Churchill Square explodes with a fun parade and a family-

friendly cultural fair.

Where: Churchill Square When: August 7 - 9 http://cariwest.ca/

A TASTE OF EDMONTON What: Love food? Who doesn’t! The Taste of Edmonton is the perfect spot for food lovers who want to try samplers from some of the best restaurants in Edmonton.

Featuring restaurants such as Tapas Restaurants and the Hundred Bar & Kitchen.

Where: Churchill Square When: July 21-30 http://www.tasteofedm.ca/ Edmonton Folk Fest What: For music lovers who enjoy the sun, this festival beats to your heart’s rhythm! With past performers such as Vance Joy, Elephant Revival and Caitlin Rose, this festival brings the best

international talent in folk music to one stage.

Where: Gallagher Park When: Aug 4 - 7 http://www.edmontonfolkfest.org/

EDMONTON FRINGE FESTIVAL What: Sprawling with the weird, peculiar and the bizarre, the Fringe Festival is the best place to see enthralling acts like comedic aerialists, improv rappers and record-breaking pogo stickmasters.

You will find anything and everything that could suit your twisted taste!

Where: Whyte Ave When: August 11 - 21 http://www.fringetheatre.ca/

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 21

OFFICE HOURS

OFFICE HOURS WITH DR. CARLOS VELÁZQUEZ

BY JASMINE HAN

For our April issue, PQ took some time to get to know Dr. Carlos Velázquez, a UAlberta scientist whom you have no doubt met before at some point along the pharmacy ride. Dr. Velázquez is the primary instructor for introductory medicinal chemistry (Pharm 301) as well as a lecturer on medicinal chemistry in therapeutics courses. Indeed; chances are you learned about the Katz Building’s strange two-elevator setup while trying to find Dr. Velázquez’s office.

Please tell us about your education background.

I studied and graduated with a Pharmacy degree from the University of Guadalajara (Mexico) back in 1994, and then I obtained a M. Sc. degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous ​ University of Mexico in 1997. By mid-1997, I had the opportunity to work for the Health Ministry of Mexico where I led a team of 32 chemists who, collectively, had the responsibility to analyze drugs both as raw materials and final (commercial) products. In 1999, I moved to the colonial city of Queretaro where I had the opportunity to work on the development of new antibiotics for veterinary use. At that time, we obtained enough data to file for a provisional patent describing the combination of cephalosporins with quinolones. However, despite a quick success in animal models of disease infection, the commercialization of these products never materialized due to economic shortfalls of the Company.

My interest for research brought

22 PHARMACY QUARTERLY

me to the University of Alberta in September 2001, where I started my Ph.D. degree in Medicinal Chemistry, under the supervision of Dr. Edward Knaus, who was a lead researcher in the field of Calcium Channel modulators and selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors. I finished my studies in August 2005, the year at which I moved to the USA (Maryland) where I worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Cancer Institute at Frederick, where I conducted studies aimed to generate data to understand the chemical features of hybrid drugs combining nitric oxide release with anti-inflammatory activity. On October 2008, I was called back to the University of Alberta as an Assistant Professor and then (2014) as an Associate Professor. Quite a ride!

What is your favourite thing about Edmonton?

There are several things I like about the city of Edmonton. First, the river valley where I take frequent walks and bike rides. Second, the fact that is it relatively easy to drive around based on the fact that most

of the city streets and avenues are numbered from south to north and east to west. Third, I like to use public transportation as much as possible, and I find the ETS service quite convenient and reliable (well, at least during spring/summer).

Finally, this city has a significant amount of green areas and fields where everybody can walk, play, or just take a nap to relax; this is a privilege not that common in bigger cities, and therefore, we should not take it for granted.

What is your current research about?

My current research involves the design, chemical synthesis, and biological evaluation of drugs with the ability to inhibit the transcriptional activity of an oncogenic protein labeled as “FOXM1”. We look for chemical features in new and existing drug molecules that could be used to understand the different binding interactions between FOXM1 and its corresponding DNA binding domain.

This approach is relatively new, and it does not involve classical enzyme

OFFICE HOURS PHOTO CREDITS: CARLOS VELAZQUEZ

of inhibiting the transcriptional activity of FOXM1, we will not only generate a novel tool to treat cancer but a complementary strategy to overcome cancer resistance in the clinic. The expression of FOXM1 is one of the hallmarks or just about all types of human cancer.

inhibition or classical drug-receptor interactions. Instead, we target binding sites between transcription factors and DNA. Using computer-assisted drug screening, we have identified at least ten different FDA-approved drugs exerting binding interactions and transcriptional inhibition of the FOXM1 protein. The main end points for us are: (a) to inhibit cancer cell proliferation; (b) to induce in vitro cancer cell death (apoptosis); (c) to reduce tumor size and tumor number; (d) to re-sensitize cancer cells to existing chemotherapies. To achieve this, my group uses Medicinal Chemistry approaches aimed to maximize binding interactions at the FOXM1/ DNA domain and hence, increasing the effectiveness of clinically available chemotherapeutic drugs.

Another area of research I also feel passionate about is the study of safe recreational drugs. I sincerely believe that modern societies should consider the legalization of some recreational drugs because the current international restrictions and criminalization of both, the production and use of recreational drugs are not only

ineffective but outdated. Humans have used and will always use compounds that modulate mood, and consequently, it makes no sense to put someone in jail just because he/she decides to use recreational drugs.

Part of the problem is our lack of experimental data supporting the use of chemical scaffolds that could bring effective, and more importantly, safe, well-understood (controlled) recreational drugs. This is limited by social and legal views on some chemical compounds (i.e. opioids) and not others (alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and others).

When was the last time you heard of someone convicted of selling (or drinking) Corona beers?

How do you think your research will benefit pharmacy or other healthcare professions? How significant do you think the discovery will be?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2039;f our approach is successful, we will bring to medicine (and pharmacy) a new therapeutic target for which we do not have any drug exerting direct binding inhibitions. If we can prove that some drugs are capable

As a student, I see more people being interested in the practical portion of being able to practice rather than being in research. Do you feel the need to have more people in research to improve the medications for more benefits in healthcare professions?

Absolutely. It is sad to realize that very few Pharmacy students feel passionate enough to pursue graduate studies in any field. There is a cultural issue that needs to be addressed, to increase studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in research. When I started working as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta, I was shocked when I compared the number of applications for graduate studies in the Faculty of Pharmacy to other Departments, where there were higher numbers of undergraduate students pursuing graduate studies.

I always felt passionate about reading about nature. I liked to study things in detail seeking for answers about natural phenomena, particularly about chemistry. From a very early age, I had the tendency to work on meaningful projects that could make a difference in the life of someone, somewhere. I am convinced that there are students in our Faculty who may feel the same way, but for some reason, at the end of their undergraduate studies decide to â&#x20AC;&#x153;change their

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 23

YOU’VE GOT TO TRY THIS

BY WINNIE LO

YOU’VE GOT TO TRY THIS: MENCHIE’S FROZEN YOGURT And you’ve got to read this too! Each issue, the PQ will be visiting one of the many restaurants on our APSA membership card to give YOU an inside look at the food you’re missing out on!

This time, we try our other froyo competitor on our card - so you can go try them while procrastinating for finals!

Winnie – back once again to eat a small mountain of food #theonetheonly

PHOTO CREDITS: WINNIE LO

Froyo: Crème Brulee, Pure Chocolate, Honey Greek Yogurt, Peanut Butter Smores Toppings: Skor pieces, peanut butter chips, oreo pieces, cola gummy, sour watermelon, crème brulee gummy The location on 109th is super close to campus and weather on the day we went was perfect! Definitely a good place to binge eat after exams with some friends. The best froyo is probably the crème brulee – it’s light, sweet, and perfect with all my chocolate-y toppings. The yogurt one was a little sour, but if you like the tang I’d say go for it. My favorite toppings were the same as last time – the Skor pieces and peanut butter chips! The gummies were a little too sweet with everything else I had so I’d recommend adding them in moderation. Good motivation for exam studying :P 3/5

24 PHARMACY QUARTERLY

Alyssa - last chance to stuff her face #TheBOSS Froyo: Pure chocolate, Maple Nut Fudge, Oreo Toppings: Strawberries, oreo crumbs and chocolate chips For those that adore chocolate but are craving something of a less diabetic inducing taste... the Oreo complements the maple nut fudge - my mouth was quite pleased.

5/5

YOU’VE GOT TO TRY THIS Ghasak - avid fruit and tea lover #ChickenNuggetsAlways

Jasmine – gearing up for another year of food reviews #NoLongerANewbie

Froyo: Blueberry Cheesecake, Pure Chocolate, Maple Nut Fudge, Mango Sorbet, Green Apple Sorbet Toppings: Lots of gummy candies and a giant whale

Froyo: Red Velvet Cupcake, Oreo, Classic Vanilla Toppings: Cheesecake bites, cookie dough, lychee popping boba, goldfish graham, yogurt covered pretzels Super full after Kyoto, but there is always room for froyo! It is so nice out today, cannot ask for a better day :D Although, as I am devouring this froyo, I am dreading the long night I am about to face for dermatology.

Maybe this would have tasted better if I was hungry (I was still full from lunch) but man, the green apple really hits ya-- and not in a good way. Maybe that’s why there was no lineup at that one -- but alas, my instinct to love the unlovable took over and I had to give it a try.

Once I dug down to the other flavors, it got better. This was my first time at Menchies (I am loyal to Tutti Frutti) and I don’t see myself switching over -- for all of us fruit lovers, there were definitely not enough fruity options to try. Great candy though!

3/5 (4/5 if I was hungry)

Alyssa: We didn’t ask for a review of your day.

Froyo review please.

Oh ummmm, I really recommend red velvet cupcake-flavoured froyo! For anyone craving something super sweet but not chocolatey or fruity this is the go-to froyo! #froyo #delicious #diabetesinacup 4/5

PHARMACY QUARTERLY 25

DEAR EDITOR,

Dear Editor, Is getting high marks really that important in Pharmacy school? I keep hearing people say it doesn’t matter that much, that C’s get degrees too. What’s your opinion on this?

Sincerely, Solid B-Average Student

Dear Solid B-Average Student, That’s a great question! It’s easy to start pharmacy school and fall into the perception that grades don’t matter anymore and you can just float through the next 4 years. Whether grades matter really depends on what you want to do after pharmacy school.

If you have an interest in working at a hospital, marks will matter if you apply to residency and PharmD programs.

That is not to say you need a 4.0 average, but since these programs are a little bit more competitive, a GPA higher than average might help you stand out from other applicants.

Now, if you love community pharmacy, the truth is that most employers won’t ask for your GPA. So you can technically get away with having lower grades, but I think it is important to remember that a good portion of the information we are learning will utilized when we actually get out there and work. Information is definitely solidified when you get work experience, but it’s important to try to learn as much as you can while in school!

If community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy aren’t your thing and you are interested in other programs such

as a masters, PhD, etc, then having above average marks will also help your application process.

Finally, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do well on exams as you’d like.

Grades aren’t purely a reflection of your intelligence, but rather are a combination of other factors like your work ethic, your mental health, physical health, family situation, etc. You are much smarter than you think -- devoting a little bit more time to studying will get you where you want to be. Good luck on finals!

Love,

Ghasak Hussain PQ Editor

FLICKR GRAPHIC: WEBTREATS

Do you have a question you’d like to ask our editors’? Drop us a word at our submissions page: tinyurl.com/pq2-questions

26 PHARMACY QUARTERLY

HOROSCOPES

PHARMACY HOROSCOPES

BY MONICA WONG & WINNIE LO LIBRA (SEPT 23 - OCT 22) It’s getting close to finals and your social life might have to be put on hold. Don’t be afraid to turn down a few invitations this time. There will be plenty of opportunities to party it up after exams!

SCORPIO (OCT 23 - NOV 21) Are you aching all over from your once monthly exercise routine, or just heart-sore from studying too hard? Hopefully all those Lunch and Learns during PAM meant you picked up enough free Advil samples - and know how to take them too!

SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21)

ARIES (MAR 20 - APR 19)

Is it the stress of your exams (or singular for the first-years!) causing you to break out all over? Before you reach for that benzoyl peroxide or toss your notes in a bonfire, think over what you’ve been eating and drinking the last few days. Maybe some healthy food and lots of water will do the trick instead.

TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20)

Is your stomach growling for some tasty sandwiches…possibly a B.M.T? No, not bone marrow transplant - the edible kind! Remember to keep yourself well-fed during exams and you’ll retain more of those immunosuppressant pharmacokinetics then by toughing it out in the PBL room.

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20)

Rotations are on the way - prepare yourself to apply all of the knowledge you’ve acquired throughout the year. You still remember everything... right? Right?!

What was that thing you had to do again? Oh yeah work work work… Put off the habit of pretending that your work doesn’t exist and stop hiding underneath the bed covers with netflix everything will be smooth sailing from here.

CAPRICORN (DEC 22 - JAN 19)

CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22)

Communication is key, both verbal and nonverbal, so keep an eye out and talk to your friends and family! While studying may be important, don’t forget about the people in your life who keep you sane and give back a little too.

AQUARIUS (JAN 20 - FEB 18)

Can’t focus on studying or reading the same sentence for hours? Take a deep breath and change it up - clean your room, study in the library, find a study-buddy, or my personal favourite - dunk your head in ice water. Now sit back down and tell yourself to keep studying.

You can do it!

LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22)

Since spring is now here, don’t forget to take time to to smell the flowers. Mental health is the key to a well-rounded pharmacist with well-rounded grades. Take several small breaks throughout the day - key word being SMALL.

Treat yourself to a refreshing frappuccino (check out our contest for a free one!) or some delicious dessert (check out this issue’s You’ve Got to Try This) after exams as a quick pick-meup! #ShamelessAdvertising

PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 19)

VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22)

Did you slack through January, nap throughout February, and party it up during PAM last month? Finding yourself a little (A LOT?!) overwhelmed by studying? Chunk the things you need to do and set deadlines in a planner or phone app to make this mini-Everest of notes more manageable.

Oh no - are you feeling radiating pain into your shoulders and sweaty? Well it could be a heart attack - or a combination of back pain from an all-nighter hunched over your notes and pre-exam nerves. Our PQ-approved therapy?

Take some proper Z’s in a bed for a couple hours and just RELAX.

STRESSBUSTING Wordsearch

By Ghasak Hussain

PLEASE DO NOT MARK THE HARDCOPY OF THE PQ

PLEASE DO NOT MARK THE HARDCOPY OF THE PQ

Find the following words and send it in to us on our PQ facebook page for a chance to win 1 of 3 prizes! You can find the online copy of our wordsearch can be found at http://tinyurl.com/PQ-aprilcontest The submission deadline is April 8th, 2016 11:59 PM