Check out the winner of our Technician Initiative Award: Robin Andrade
Robin Andrade is a pharmacy technician in Waterloo, Ontario, with extensive experience in pharmacy education and instructional design. She is the founder and patient lead of Patient Pro, a virtual patient simulation platform designed to support communication skills, clinical reasoning, and decision-making in pharmacy education. She is currently working on her PhD, which focuses on artificial intelligence in pharmacy education.
Why she won
In developing Patient Pro, Andrade has demonstrated leadership in advancing technician-led educational innovation. Created in response to learner feedback, her platform integrates emerging technologies—including virtual reality and artificial intelligence—to allow pharmacy students and technicians to practise patient interactions beyond the limits of traditional standardized patient sessions. Patient Pro is currently being piloted within the University’s pharmacy program.
By strengthening learner confidence, communication and clinical judgment before they enter real-world practice, the platform supports safer patient interactions and helps prepare future pharmacy professionals to deliver more effective, compassionate care.
Alongside her work on Patient Pro, Andrade has built a long track record in pharmacy education as a Professional Practice Instructor at the University of Waterloo. There, she coordinated hands-on laboratory courses, modernized teaching through instructional technologies, and managed the School of Pharmacy’s OSCE program. She now applies that expertise to large-scale professional learning initiatives through the University’s Centre for Work-Integrated Learning.
What the judges said
“Innovative platform . . . with a broad impact for students and trainees.”
All of Andrade’s contributions reflect a strong commitment to evidence-based education, learner accessibility, and the evolving role of pharmacy technicians in strengthening pharmacy practice.
We asked Robin
What do pharmacists most often misunderstand about working with pharmacy technicians?
“One of the most common misunderstandings pharmacists have about working with pharmacy technicians is underestimating the depth of technicians’ expertise. Technicians may be seen as task-doers rather than professionals with specialized knowledge of workflow, medication systems and insurance processes. In reality, techs carry significant responsibility and operational insight that keeps pharmacies running safely and efficiently.
“Another frequent misconception is equating supervision with constant oversight. Effective pharmacist–technician relationships are built on trust, clear roles, and mutual respect, not micromanagement. When technicians are empowered to work to their full training scope, pharmacists are better able to focus on clinical care