March 26, 2007
Wilmington pharmacist John Davie Waggett and Gastonia pharmacist Wyn Wheeler Sterling have been named the 2007 Preceptors of the Year by the School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The School also named Mollie Ashe Scott the Area Health Education Center Instructor of the Year, which recognizes an outstanding faculty member who has had a positive impact on students’ advanced practice experience.
Waggett was named the Community Preceptor of the Year, while Sterling was named the Hospital Preceptor of the Year.
The UNC Preceptor of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding preceptor who has participated in the School’s Professional Experience Program and who has had a positive effect on students’ experiential education.
Preceptors are experienced pharmacists who teach UNC pharmacy students during the students’ fourth year and after their first and second years. Preceptors provide valuable hands-on experience and first-hand knowledge of pharmacy practice. Approximately 30 percent of a UNC pharmacy student’s education is spent with a preceptor, and it is the students who submit nominations for the Preceptor of the Year awards.
“It would be hard to overstate how valuable AHEC faculty and preceptors are to the education of our students, and Davie Waggett, Wyn Sterling, and Mollie Scott are among the best,” said Bob Blouin, dean of the UNC School of Pharmacy. “They are leaders in the profession of pharmacy, and I can’t thank them enough for their service and the example they set.”
About the Award Winners
Davie Waggett, Community Preceptor of the Year
Waggett is the owner of Seashore Discount Drug and Winter Park Discount Drug in Wilmington. He graduated from the UNC School of Pharmacy in 1978. He has served as a preceptor to more than twenty UNC School of Pharmacy students.
This is what two of the students who nominated Waggett had to say about him.
“Davie is both a teacher and a mentor. He not only taught me the required submit areas that we were required to cover by the School, but he also made sure to give me a taste of the business side of owning your own pharmacy and he offered valuable future advice for the management of my pharmacy career.”
“Mr. Wagget is a dedicated pharmacist with a passion for helping people. He motivates everyone in his pharmacy to give their all toward patient care. He also really cares about the students and tries his best to teach them as much as possible in the short amount of time they are there.”
Wyn Wheeler Sterling, Hospital Preceptor of the Year
Sterling is a clinical pharmacist at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia. She graduated from the UNC School of Pharmacy in 1995 with a bachelor of science and then returned for her doctor of pharmacy in 2001. She has served as a preceptor to more than fifteen UNC School of Pharmacy students.
This is what two of the students who nominated Sterling had to say about her.
“There are many reasons why Wyn Sterling is such a great preceptor. First, her knowledge is contagious. She actually inspires you to learn and learn for fun rather than studying for fear that you will be put on the spot. Secondly, she is very meticulous and organized, which was apparent in how she structured and organized my rotation. Lastly, Wyn is a very positive person but not bashful about telling you if you need more improvement in certain areas.”
“Not only is Wyn Sterling one of the smartest people I know, but she loves teaching. She never assumes any question is dumb but views it as a chance to make a student brighter and improve their learning. She truly understands students and is a dedicated teacher.”
Mollie Ashe Scott, AHEC Instructor of the Year
Scott, who earned her doctor of pharmacy from the School in 1993, is the director of pharmacotherapy at the Mountain AHEC, which is based in Asheville. She affiliated with the School’s Professional Experience Program in 2001 and has served as a preceptor for sixteen UNC School of Pharmacy students.
The North Carolina AHEC program provides support for community-based instruction of pharmacy students, practitioners, and technicians, as well as other health-care professionals. Pharmacy students obtain experiential education through clinical rotations at ambulatory and institutional sites in the nine NC AHEC regions, where they learn first-hand about the practice of pharmacy in community settings.
This is what one of the students who nominated Scott had to say about her.
“Her thoughtful approach to professional interactions help build relationships with physicians based on integrity and respect for what each member of a team brings to patient care. Her exceptional leadership inspires learners, both pharmacy and medical, to value each other’s contributions and to create best-care interventions for patients.”
“She addresses the values that define the current generation of pharmacy students, thereby mentoring and motivating students to seek self-actualized approaches to life. This emphasis on helping students make decisions through personal reflection is a core virtue of a mentor. Mollie fulfills this role with utmost grace, never imposing her own agenda on student growth.”
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