Marking 50 Years, Making New Impact

Fifty years after crossing the convocation stage, members of the Pharmacy Class of 1975 are still shaping the profession they love — this time by lifting up today’s students as they head into communities across Alberta. Through the Class of ‘75 Travel Award, alumni are easing the costs of rural placements so future pharmacists can say “yes” to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

For fourth-year doctor of pharmacy grad Litany Bloomfield, ’25 PharmD, the support arrived at exactly the right time.

“Our whole fourth year was placements,” she says. “Every two months, you’re moving somewhere new, finding a place to stay, paying for travel — all while getting ready for board exams. The award made me feel supported during one of the most stressful years of my life.”

Litany completed three non-urban rotations — two in Lethbridge and one in her hometown of Medicine Hat — before returning to Medicine Hat to begin her career in community practice. The award, she says, gave her the freedom to choose placements that reflected where she’s always felt at home.

“I’m from a small town and I love rural practice. This support eased the financial pressure so I could focus on learning and challenge myself in communities that look like where I grew up.”

Those kinds of experiences are central to the faculty’s vision, says Ann Thompson, director of experiential education and clinical professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. As the sole pharmacy school in Alberta, her team places students in community and hospital sites across the province — and every student is expected to complete at least one non-urban placement.

“In some communities, pharmacists are a very consistent point of care,” Ann explains. “Students see how deep those patient–pharmacist relationships can be, and they often feel part of the team quickly. The challenge is that going away for two months comes with real costs. Travel awards like the Class of ’75 fund are critical because they reduce the financial burden and let students focus on their education.”

For Deb van Haaften, ’75 BSc(Pharm), those realities were top of mind when her class created the award at their 25th reunion. Now semi-retired after a wide-ranging career — and having precepted many students — she has a clear perspective on how far pharmacy education has come.

“When we graduated, we had 96 hours of practicum and then were turned loose,” she recalls with a laugh. “Today’s students get hundreds of hours in different practice settings. It’s fantastic, but it also means they need more preceptor sites — and those can’t all be in Edmonton.”

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As placements expanded into smaller centres, Deb and her classmates heard how difficult it could be for students to juggle Edmonton rent alongside accommodation and travel elsewhere in the province. A class bursary designed to offset practicum costs felt like the right response.

“We all believed in these hands-on learning opportunities, especially in rural settings,” she says. “Not everyone can give a million dollars, but if 50 people each give a hundred dollars, suddenly you’ve made something meaningful happen. That’s what we wanted future classes to see — the importance of giving back together.”

Ten students have already received the Class of ‘75 Travel Award, with many, like Litany, choosing multiple rural placements. For Ann, that combination of alumni generosity and student initiative is exactly what Alberta needs.

“Health care across the province depends on well-prepared graduates who are willing to go where they’re needed,” she says. “The Class of ’75 has created a legacy that helps students get there — and, in the process, strengthens care for communities all over Alberta.”