LUCINDA Dowling was awarded the 2025 Tasmanian Intern Pharmacist of the Year, recognising her outstanding leadership, commitment to patient care, and contributions to medicine safety.
A recently graduated PSA intern and pharmacist at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Dowling's work in medicines governance and access included auditing vaccine prescribing and distribution, with findings contributing to updates to the Tasmanian Medication Formulary and guiding pharmacy supply decisions.
She also took the lead in improving vancomycin level monitoring on the neurosurgery ward, identifying errors in administration timing and developing targeted education sessions for nursing staff to enhance patient safety.
Dowling is described as a leader among her peers, supporting fellow interns with education sessions, mentoring new pharmacy interns, and supervising pharmacy students on placement.
PSA Tasmania President Mark Kirschbaum congratulated Dowling on her achievement, praising her commitment to advancing pharmacy practice.
"Lucinda has set an incredible example of what it means to be a pharmacist - demonstrating leadership, initiative and a dedication to medicines safety that will serve her well throughout her career," he said.
"Her work in improving medicine governance and patient safety, particularly her education initiatives for healthcare professionals, highlights the vital role pharmacists play in optimising patient outcomes," Kirschbaum said.
The award was presented by PSA at the Intern of the Year and Welcome to the Profession event on Fri 21 Feb at T42 Hobart.
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