Professor Gregory Peterson, whose ground-breaking research has resulted in sustainable improvements in Australian pharmacy practice, won the PSA Pharmacist of the Year award at PAC on August 24.
'I am extremely honoured and humbled to even be nominated, let alone be considered for this prestigious prize,' Prof. Peterson said.
'I know most of the previous winners, I've worked with most of them in one capacity or another and I respect them all very highly, so I know that I'm joining an elite group of people and I appreciate that,' he said.
'I thank some of the mentors I've had over the years and the role models, some of those younger than myself, role models can come from anywhere. I've had a number in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy and in academia.'
Prof. Peterson paid particular tribute to pharmacist Roland Hill, who first got him interested in the profession and took him on as a pre-registrant.
The implementation of Prof. Peterson's research in practice is expected to help expand the professional role of pharmacists in Australia.
Prof. Peterson has been Professor (Personal Chair) at the School of Pharmacy, University of Tasmania, since 2000. Before this, he was involved in community pharmacy, including as a owner, manager and locum, since 1982, and earned his Doctor of Philosophy at UT as in 1985. He is still a pharmacy owner.
He is currently leader of the UTas School of Pharmacy Unit for Medication Outcomes Research and Education. His research team has attracted competitive external funding of more than $4.5 million to evaluate a number of innovative processes to expand the professional role of pharmacists. His most successful research has included the PROMISe Project, on the benefits of information and communications technology (ICT) based clinical services in community pharmacy; the MedSafety Project, an e-learning program about medication safety; and the Med-e-Support Project, which established the viability of an electronic link to securely transfer medication information between GP surgeries, hospitals and community pharmacies.
He has also been involved in a number of research projects on improving warfarin use in community and hospital settings.
Prof. Peterson has an extensive list of publications in refereed international and national journals, as well as almost 200 professional publications and scientific presentations at national and international conferences.
The PSA Excellence Awards are sponsored by Symbion Pharmacy Services.
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View drug information on Warfarin Sodium tablets.