The Region of Waterloo is one of the fastest-growing regions in the province. To keep up with current and emerging needs, attracting, retaining and training top health-care talent is a priority. Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) have launched a 52-week pharmacist hospital residency program in partnership with the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy to attract and train talent within the region.
Anthony Amadio (BScPhm'11), interim director of pharmacy at WRHN, and Michael Collins (BScPhm'11), WRHN residency co-ordinator and regional clinical co-ordinator at the School, developed the newly established program to provide pharmacy residents with training opportunities in hospitals to increase leadership, management, research, teaching and distribution skills.
"A lot of smart, driven graduates from the School's PharmD program looking for opportunities to further advance their knowledge and skills in a clinical setting end up having to leave the Region because this opportunity has not previously existed here for them. We're excited for graduates to have the chance to stay and fulfill their hospital residency here in the Region of Waterloo," Amadio says.
The program joins more than 40 existing hospital residency programs across Canada to build residents' skills and capabilities to be confident decision makers to contribute to more efficient patient care.
"This residency program strengthens the connections between the School and the community we serve, allowing our graduates the ability to deepen their clinical skills in a hospital setting while supporting local healthcare needs. The residency program will enhance patient care in Waterloo Region while helping to ensure that the next generation of pharmacists is prepared to lead in an evolving healthcare system," says Brett Barrett, assistant professor at the School, CSHP-Ontario Branch faculty liaison and WRHN residency program academic liaison.
The new program will allow residents to develop their skills in direct patient care, hospital distribution and administration, education and research. Residents who match with the WRHN residency program can choose from electives including pediatrics, nephrology, oncology and ambulatory care. They will also complete a year-long research project where they will work with a project team to develop a research question, collect and analyze data and have the opportunity to publish their manuscript.
From left to right: Anthony Amadio, director of pharmacy at the Waterloo Health Region Network (WRHN); Nasab El-Dassouki, pharmacy resident; Michael Collins, pharmacist, WRHN residency co-ordinator and regional clinical co-ordinator at the School; and Veronica Sobczak, pharmacy resident. Photo credit: WRHN
"While we're not an academic hospital, by definition, we have strong learning and teaching relationships with post-secondary schools in the Region. This, combined with our proximity and strong partnerships with the School of Pharmacy provides us opportunities to really build on the education and mentorship component of the program," Amadio says. "We have a unique opportunity to shape the program as we go, to build it how we want it and to be the best it can be. Residents will have a significant impact on the program as we move forward, especially in the early years."
The formal partnership with the School will provide potential opportunities for the residents to conduct research with faculty members, manage PharmD co-op students and deliver academic lectures to future pharmacists.
"Residents will model their practice after their preceptors and take what they like best from each to form their own practice. Going through a residency provides an opportunity to really develop your own practice and help you become a well-rounded health-care professional," Collins says.
The program has accepted its first two pharmacy residents who started the program in September 2025, where they will develop advanced practice skills and gain valuable experience from knowledgeable health-care professionals. Continuous knowledge building will ensure residents understand and implement innovative thinking.
About Waterloo Regional Health Network
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN, pronounced wren) represents the merger of two Hospitals into a single, integrated health-care organization. Built on over 90 years of partnership, WRHN is home to seven regional programs and comprehensive health-care services to meet the current and emerging needs in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. WRHN is redefining the healthcare experience through collaboration and innovation, addressing barriers to access, advancing care delivery, and setting new standards in compassionate, empowered, community-driven healthcare. At WRHN, every patient is at the centre of everything we do as we strive to improve lives, inspire healing, and build healthier, stronger communities.
Learn more on the WRHN website.
