Steven Walker
Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Supporting pharmacists’ expanding scope of practice
For Steven, working at Monash has helped him discover his passion for advancing pharmacy practice.
What are you doing differently in your field that you believe is driving real change?
I am leading the Experiential Development and Graduate Education (EDGE) team to deliver postgraduate pharmacy education that will prepare pharmacists for expanded scope of practice opportunities. This includes education to support pharmacist roles in vaccination, aged care and prescribing.
How do you help students build confidence, not just knowledge?
I make sure the structure of our postgraduate courses focus on the application of knowledge in a real world setting. This includes the use of experiential learning where the learner is supported by an expert supervisor in a real world setting. This ensures that pharmacists feel confident to take on expanded practice roles.
Wherever medications are used, pharmacists should contribute their expert knowledge and skills. ”
What do you hope your students take away from their time with you? Is there a student moment you’ll never forget, and why?
I hope that students are inspired to push the boundaries of their practice so that they can best contribute to person-centred care and quality use of medications.
What legacy or ripple effect do you hope to leave behind?
Ensuring that pharmacists are prepared to work at the top of their scope of practice. Wherever medications are used, pharmacists should contribute their expert knowledge and skills.
What’s something about Monash that would surprise people?
Monash has a wealth of collaborative opportunities. Taking pharmacist prescribing as an example, the program has been enriched by local collaborations with the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and international collaborations with the University College of London and the University of North Carolina.
Was there a turning point that brought you to becoming an educator, or did you always know you'd end up here?
I really enjoyed my career as a clinical pharmacist but I wanted to make a contribution to workforce development. It was a secondment opportunity through Monash University that allowed me to find the best space to develop my passion for education and pharmacy practice.