The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) today announced the state and territory finalists for the 2023 Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) award, with the prestigious national final to take place at PSA’s National Conference PSA23 in July.
During the national final, students will be tested with a real-life clinical situation, where a patient will present with symptoms or a specific product request. Students are then required to use their clinical knowledge and communication skills to identify the most appropriate course of over-the-counter treatment, tailoring their response to provide the most appropriate advice.
A judging panel assesses all state finalists before selecting the national winner to be announced at PSA23’s Gala Dinner.
PSA National President Dr Fei Sim FPS congratulated the finalists, saying that the awards encourage students to draw on their clinical knowledge and emotional intelligence to demonstrate their skills.
“The Pharmacy Student of the Year awards showcase the skills and abilities of some of our outstanding pharmacy students to the broader profession, while also giving students a chance to apply their skills and be judged on them.
“Award sponsor Viatris and PSA are proud to sponsor the finalists to attend PSA23, providing travel and accommodation to ensure that they can get the most out of the leading pharmacist education conference.
“The Pharmacy Student of the Year will also receive a $3,000 cash prize to support their studies and pharmacy careers.
“Congratulations to all the students who’ve participated in the competition this year for their hard work and commitment to pharmacy.
“It’s exciting to see such talented students entering our profession and dedicating their lives to the health and wellbeing of their communities,” Dr Sim said.
The 2023 PSA Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year finalists are:
- Jamie-Lee Carew, the University of Newcastle
- Sarah Foster, LaTrobe University
- Kennith Lam, Curtin University
- Samantha Montgomery, Queensland University of Technology
- Claire Ryan, University of Tasmania
- Brett Spicer, University of Canberra
- Amelia Thompson, University of South Australia
They will also be joined by Ingrid Stoud from the University of Canberra, who was awarded the Wildcard winner at the 2023 National Australian Pharmacy Students Association Congress in January.
PSA extends thanks to the PSOTY award sponsor, Viatris, for their ongoing support and wishes all finalists the best of luck at the national final.
Media contact: Georgia Clarke M: 0410 505 315 E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the only national peak body that represents all of Australia’s pharmacists across all practice settings. We want every Australian to have access to the best healthcare, and this must include optimising access to pharmacists’ knowledge and medicines expertise at the forefront of our healthcare system.