Ben Yardeny says he achieved “a major life goal” when he became a Pharmacy Resident with Monash Health.
“From the day I started studying pharmacology, my calling was to be a hospital pharmacist,” says Ben.
Ben completed his internship at a regional hospital in Albury. “I learned a lot there, and as I approached the end of my internship, I knew that the next step was to do a residency, and I always wanted to come back to work at a major metropolitan hospital in my hometown of Melbourne.”
Ben Yardeny, Pharmacy Resident
As an intern, one challenge for Ben was finding his confidence as a professional. Now almost a year into his residency with Monash Health, Ben feels he’s finding his feet as a pharmacist. “Now that I’m on my second rotation – and my first clinical rotation in the surgical units here at Clayton – I feel empowered that I know what I’m doing because of my learning experience with the clinical educators.
“The department is very well operated. Everything has a procedure and a process, and the expectations of our pharmacists are very high.”
Ben credits the Pharmacy Clinical Educator Program as playing a major role in giving him the confidence to meet the demands of his daily duties.
“The Pharmacy Clinical Educators were phenomenal,” says Ben. “They were personable, kind, and really good communicators. They weren’t judgmental, but were very direct, and gave you the feedback you needed to hear.”
“I think I would have been floundering and unsure of myself without that training. They helped me find my own way and discover what it means to be a clinical pharmacist.”
Christine Pho, Pharmacy Clinical Educator Team Leader, is one of the educators who supported Ben.
Christine Pho, Pharmacy Clinical Educator Team Leader
“As a student I worked in a community pharmacy, but I did my internship at Monash Health,” says Christine. “I’ve been with Monash Health ever since.
“What drew me to pharmacy in the first place is a love of healthcare. I wanted to make a difference in the patient’s journey. I also really like the chemistry aspect – what happens when a medicine goes into the body, and how all the medicines are so different.”
The Pharmacy Clinical Educator program officially rolled out in July of 2022 to help support the clinical training of new pharmacists. “We tailor the education we provide to what the pharmacist needs, depending on their prior experience, their goals, and how they learn best. Our program is very collaborative, and the one-on-one together allows the educator to tailor their teaching to the learner’s preferred learning style and to provide individualised feedback and goal setting.
“The education aims to equip you with the clinical knowledge and decision-making skills to review the patient in front of you to ensure safe and quality use of medicines. Our goal is to ensure our patients receive the best care at Monash Health.”
Since the program introduction, 20 pharmacists have undertaken intensive training and have been credentialed as Pharmacy Clinical Educators. These educators have then spent dedicated, one-on-one time with new and existing pharmacists to provide clinical education and upskilling. “Several of the educators have also been uplifted into team leader roles. That’s great to see as well, because the program isn’t just supporting new learners – We’re setting up our department and our organisation for success.”
“Monash Health is a great place to work,” says Christine. “Such a great team and environment, and so many opportunities.”
The Pharmacy Clinical Educator team’s work is already being recognised, both at Monash Health and on the national stage. They were awarded the ‘2023 Hospital Team Innovation of the Year Award’ by the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia Victorian Branch. The team is now assisting other disciplines and major metropolitan hospitals to establish an educator program.
With the support of the program, Ben feels ready for the next steps in his career.
“I’m keen to take on every opportunity and challenge,” Ben says. “My main goal is to complete my residency as best I can, and then take on the next training, whether it be the Advanced Residency program, or maybe even a PhD, if I find my niche and something really clicks with me.
“After five or ten years of actually practicing, I look forward to passing on that knowledge, either as an educator or hopefully one day in a team leader or management position once I have further developed my competency as a healthcare professional.”
The Pharmacy Clinical Educator program is one of the 10 first-year initiatives of our new Workforce Strategy. You can find the latest news about the Workforce Strategy here.
Approved by Chris McLoughlin, Executive Director, People & Culture