Congratulations to Rick Siemens and Rami Chowaniec. Both have recently been recognized for their outstanding work in diabetes care.
Rick Siemens was honored with the Outstanding Health Professional of the Year award by the Canadian Diabetes Association. Rami was selected as one of the five finalists for the Pharmacist Award Program entitled Diabetes Management: Best Practices in Patient Care.
Rami Chowaniec was recently selected as one of the five finalists for the Pharmacist Award Program entitled, Diabetes Management: Best Practices in Patient Care (sponsored by the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism and hosted by www.rxbriefcase.com). Given her work to date, it’s easy to see why she was singled out for this honour.
Rami is a U of A grad and has been a practising pharmacist for 17 years, a Certified Diabetes Educator since 2001, was one of the first fifteen pharmacists to receive additional prescribing authorization (see Nov/Dec 2008 acpnews, pg. 15 for a profile), and has just completed her immunization training.
As a Certified Diabetes Educator pharmacist for Canada Safeway, Rami works with patients with diabetes, the public, pharmacy staff, and other health professionals. She provides individual consultations, conducts Diabetes Awareness and A1C Clinics, and presents CCCEP-accredited diabetes-specific CE sessions.
During the school year, Rami assists with the diabetes education of final-year pharmacy students and second-year medical students at the U of A. In the summer months, she delivers diabetes education to all pharmacy interns working in Northern Alberta for Canada Safeway. She is also a speaker for the Canadian Diabetes Association Speaker’s Bureau, giving presentations to the public, people with diabetes, and high school students.
And that’s not all!
As a Certified Diabetes Educator Pharmacist for the WestView Primary Care Network, Rami provides individual consults within family physician offices for patients with diabetes. Rami is also involved in the PPMI pilot project and has counseled four patients to date.
Congratulations Rami on being selected as one of the five finalists of the Diabetes Management award and for demonstrating such commitment to life-long learning and your profession.
Rick Siemens, ACP Past President, has been honored with the Outstanding Health Professional of the Year award by the Canadian Diabetes Association. This award recognizes health professionals in Southern Alberta who make significant differences in the lives of people affected by diabetes. It is awarded for work as a health professional, within one’s own practice, rather than as a volunteer working for the Association.
Rick interacts and works with members, stakeholders, and support groups of the Canadian Diabetes Association. He is a dedicated and active volunteer. From participating as a keynote speaker for the Association’s Diabetes Expos – educational events for people and families affected by diabetes – to helping people manage their diabetes by providing personal telephone support 24/7, Rick goes above and beyond his regular duties.
Rick completed his BSc in Biology and then graduated in 1996 with his BSc in Pharmacy. He has worked as a retail pharmacy manager in northern rural communities as well as larger urban centers like Grande Prairie and Lethbridge. Rick was also one of the first 15 pharmacists to obtain additional prescribing authorization (see Sept/Oct 2008 acpnews, pg. 7, for profile). He is currently the manager of the London Drugs Pharmacy, in Lethbridge. Congratulations Rick!
Originally published in the August 11, 2009, issue of The Link
