Victoria’s leading pharmacists recognised

PSA presented its 2024 Victorian Excellence Awards in Melbourne on Friday night (25 October), recognising five outstanding pharmacists for their commitment to excellence in pharmacy practice.

PSA Victoria President Dr Amy Page FPS congratulated the award winners, recognising their longstanding dedication to the pharmacy profession and their patients.

‘Each of our award winners demonstrates an exceptional level of passion and professionalism in their roles, their contributions not only elevating the pharmacy practice but also enhancing the health of their patients,’ she said.

‘The dedication and compassion shown by our award winners serve as a powerful reminder of the critical role pharmacists play in the health care system. They are truly the heart of our profession, and we celebrate their remarkable achievements today.’

PSA Victorian Pharmacist of the Year Brian Meier MPS

Mr Meier has an impact that spans across Victoria, from Melbourne to rural communities in Horsham. With decades of experience in providing Residential and Home Medication Reviews, he has successfully integrated into multidisciplinary care teams, improving patient outcomes. Mr Meier’s work in education and clinical governance in aged care and disability, bridging gaps in health care, has been invaluable in promoting advanced clinical pharmacy practice to health professionals and patients, especially in under-serviced rural and remote regions.

PSA Victorian Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Dr Kate Wang MPS

Dr Wang is a visionary pharmacist driving innovation and expansion of the pharmacy profession. A senior Lecturer in pharmacy at RMIT, she is passionate about educating future pharmacists and expanding the profession’s scope of practice. She is also the chief investigator and stakeholder liaison officer for a nation-wide project integrating pharmacists into aged care, while also investigating the utilisation of e-prescriptions from the perspectives of consumers as well as pharmacists. Dr Wang’s influence extends beyond Australia. She is collaborating with international partners in New Zealand, Korea, and China to explore the impact of beliefs and adherence on medication use in older people and expand the roles of pharmacists in aged care.

PSA Victorian Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Professor Colin Chapman FPS

Still providing locums in country Victorian areas, Prof Chapman – the former Dean of Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and veterinary surgeon – has been an outstanding mentor guiding students and practising pharmacists for decades. He has contributed significantly to the development of pharmacy, education, practice and research in Australia. Since retiring in 2010, he’s been involved in PSA’s Offshore Refresher Courses, medicine reviews and drug detection issues associated with the Australian horse racing industry.

PSA Victorian Gold Medal recipients Michael Khoo MPS and Kimberly Tran MPS

PSA’s Victorian Gold Medal, acknowledging grass roots contributions of the profession’s quiet achievers, was awarded to husband-and-wife duo Mr Khoo and Ms Tran who own and operate the Belgrave South Community Pharmacy in Melbourne’s east. Both are very active in their community, but it is their combined dedication to the health and welfare of their community that earned them the PSA Victorian Gold Medal.

Ms Tran needs 24-hour oxygen to assist her breathing with a rare, chronic degenerative lung disease called lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). She works full-time supporting her husband Michael Khoo’s front-facing role in the pharmacy they have owned for 2 decades. Mostly working together and focusing on traditional services delivered as best practice, they can take more time to intervene and counsel, making a difference to the level of care for patients.