In 2024, ACP updated the eligibility requirements for the Leadership Development Award, enabling pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who have been practising in Alberta for up to five years to apply.
The recipient must demonstrate exemplary professionalism, leadership, and citizenship. They receive up to $5,000 from ACP to advance their leadership skills through attendance at a prominent leadership conference or leadership development opportunity.
The first recipient of the newly defined award was surprised to learn she was selected.
“I sometimes experience impostor syndrome and need a bit of encouragement from someone who believes in me. My former manager reached out and encouraged me to apply,” said Sofiya Terekhovska, a pharmacist who graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2020 and now practises at the Edmonton Remand Centre.
Sofiya’s doubts proved to be unfounded. She was selected as the 2024 Leadership Development Award recipient in recognition of the professionalism and leadership she demonstrates in her role as a pharmacist, as well as her dedication to community volunteerism.
Sofiya’s family moved to Canada from Ukraine when she was a child and she credits this experience as the foundation of her passion for helping others.
“It was a difficult journey for us as we encountered many struggles, however we had many people along the way who helped us out. My experience as an immigrant and having a language barrier has made me realize that there are people that may not be able to speak up for themselves due to various reasons,” said Sofiya. “Over time, this experience transformed into a desire to give back to the community and to pass on that help that we received to others who are in need.”
Sofiya is an active volunteer and has helped her community as a piano teacher, a tutor, and a mentor. Recently, she has worked to help newcomers from Ukraine, assisting them in settling in Canada and navigating the healthcare system.
Sofiya’s dedication to serving her community naturally extended to her work as a pharmacist.
“My desire to help and give back translates to my pharmacist work too,” she said. “The more I work as a pharmacist, the more I am inspired to be an advocate and drive systemic change.”
When she sees something that needs to change in her workplace or in the profession, Sofiya is ready to speak up.
“If I see issues, I bring them up. It is rewarding to see how small changes eventually result in a noticeable difference” said Sofiya. “While uncomfortable, speaking up encourages others to think and reflect, which often drives systemic change.”
Sofiya’s capacity for leadership was recently recognized when she was chosen as her site’s implementation lead for the launch of the Alberta Health Services clinical information system, Connect Care.
With her experience as an advocate and a leader, Sofiya had a strong application for the Leadership Development Award. She also had a plan for how she would use the award, building on her involvement with the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF).
“I have been involved with IPSF in various capacities and recently attended the World Health Assembly in Geneva as part of the IPSF delegation, which was a great opportunity,” said Sofiya. “We all shared our knowledge and experience to learn and work together.”
Now that Sofiya is established in the next stage of her career as a practising pharmacist, she is eager to attend the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) World Congress.
“There’s so much to learn—while what works in one country may not necessarily work in another due to various societal factors influencing health care, we all have a common goal of optimizing patient outcomes,” said Sofiya. “I am looking forward to attending the 2025 FIP World Congress in Denmark and meeting the talented people who are pushing the profession forward and finding ways to improve patient care.”
Sofiya looks at every learning opportunity as a way to improve her practice and inform her approach to drive change.
“The drive and desire to do something greater than oneself is typically what moves the needle in the right direction,” said Sofiya. “Focusing on what we are doing as individuals is important, however we also have to zoom out and look at the system to see if it’s working and ask what can be improved and what we can do to improve it.”
