Mylan Pharmacy Student of the Year state winners vie for national honours

Pharma News: State finalists have been selected for the 2020 Mylan Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) award, with the national competition to be held on Saturday July 18, 2020.

Students from all states competed against their peers to demonstrate their pharmacy knowledge and counselling techniques from which one finalist from each state was chosen to take part in the national event.

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said the PSOTY award gives pharmacy students the chance to showcase their skills to their peers and the wider profession.

“The caliber of students competing this year is incredibly high and I congratulate all the state winners who will be competing in the national competition,” he said.

“These awards encourage pharmacy students to learn and grow and provides an opportunity for them to further explore the role they will play as pharmacists.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the finals will be run live via webinar with the students to be presented with a patient who will act out a variety of symptoms.

Students will be able to ask the patient questions to find out more information and will then recommend a course of treatment and provide counselling advice with the panel of judges to pick the winning student as well as a winner chosen by the audience viewing online.

The winner will receive funding for pharmacy-specific education.

STATE FINALISTS

• Emily Stevenson: University of Technology Sydney (NSW)

• Thomas Duong: Monash University (VIC)

• Batul Al Shakarji: James Cook University (QLD)

• Emma Dunham: University of Tasmania (Tas)

• Yik Xiian Chai: University of South Australia (SA)

• Kurtis Gray: University of Western Australia (WA)

• Melinda James: (Wildcard winner – QLD)