The PQI Podcast

In this week’s episode of The PQI Podcast, we welcome Claire Kennedy, BSc (Hons), MAPharmT, and Chandra Maraj, BSc (Hons), MAPharmT, from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Joined by guest co-host Taryn Newsome, CPhT, Associate Manager of OPTA at NCODA, we dive into an engaging discussion on the evolving role of oncology pharmacy technicians in England.

Claire, an Advanced Clinical Cancer Pharmacy Technician and Operational Manager, and Chandra, also an Advanced Clinical Cancer Pharmacy Technician and Cancer Pharmacy Manager at the same trust, are dedicated professionals passionate about advancing the career path and clinical role of Pharmacy Technicians in oncology.

Chandra Maraj has devoted 14 years to the Cancer Pharmacy Team at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. From being the sole full-time technician among three, the team has now grown to nearly 20 members.

Throughout her tenure, Chandra has shaped technician roles and spearheaded the establishment of a new pharmacy service for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Passionate about fostering learning and development, she aims to create a happier and healthier workplace for all pharmacy technicians.

This week, in recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we engage in a conversation with Dr. Robert Zaiden, MD, FACP, focusing on ctDNA testing in GI cancers and his team's contributions.

Dr. Zaiden, a seasoned medical oncologist in Jacksonville, FL, specializing in GI/GU tumors, stands as one of the founding members of Baptist MD Anderson. His active participation and leadership in various committees, including the role of Physician-in-Chief and Head of Cancer Medicine ad interim, underscore his commitment to optimizing patient care. Serving as the current director of the GI Tumor board, he has been instrumental in the rapid growth of Baptist MD Anderson.

With a wealth of experience, Dr. Zaiden has been a Principal Investigator or Sub-Investigator in over 20 clinical trials. Recognized with prestigious awards such as Physician of the Year and Teaching and Excellence awards, he is also the Medical Director of Infusion Centers at BMDA.

Before joining Baptist Medical Center in 2015, Dr. Zaiden contributed to the Hematology/Oncology faculty at the University of Florida in Jacksonville. During his tenure at UF, he received the Outstanding Resident Teacher award and was consistently voted Exemplary Faculty Teacher for five consecutive years. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Zaiden actively promoted Colorectal and Prostate Cancer Screening awareness to underserved communities, delivering cancer awareness talks at the YMCA. He proudly received the WeCare Patient’s Choice award in 2023.

This episode is sponsored by Walgreens. Our expert oncology-specialized pharmacy team is here for you. Our patients are at the heart of what we do and our pharmacists offer expert and compassionate support throughout each patient’s unique cancer journey. Let’s work together to care for the whole patient. Click here to find a Walgreens oncology-specialized pharmacist near you.

This week, in honor of International Women’s Day, we sit down with Shikha Jain, MD, FACP, to discuss Women in Medicine, an organization dedicated to empowering and supporting women professionals in the healthcare industry. Dr. Jain will not only enlighten us with insights into the inspiring work of Women in Medicine but also unveil some exciting developments in the realm of GI oncology. Plus, she shares her secrets to effective patient-doctor communication, ensuring every individual receives top-notch care.

Dr. Jain is a board-certified hematology and oncology physician. She is a tenured associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She is the Director of Communications Strategies in Medicine and the Associate Director of Oncology Communication and Digital Innovation for the University of Illinois Cancer Center.  

Dr. Jain is the Founder and Chair of the Women in Medicine Summit™ as well as the Founder and Board Member of the 501©(3) nonprofit Women in Medicine™. She is also the CEO and Co-Founder of the action, advocacy and amplification 501©(3) nonprofit IMPACT and was named one of Medscapes 25 Rising Stars in Medicine in 2020, one of Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Emerging Leaders in 2019 and was also awarded the Rising Star award by LEAD Oncology in 2019. She is also a member of the prestigious AOA society. 

 In her clinical practice as an oncologist, she tries to incorporate patient education and outreach as often as possible. With the proper tools and guidance, she works with her patients as a team to treat the disease and helps them move through an often difficult process together with as little stress as possible. She believes in personalized and individualized care and feels the more knowledge a patient has about their own disease, the more informed a decision they are able to make.

The email addresses discussed in the podcast are:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Twitter: @ShikhaJainMD
Instagram: @ShikhaJainMD
www.shikhajainmd.com
www.womeninmedicinesummit.org

www.impact4hc.com

On this week’s episode of The PQI Podcast, we welcome the dynamic duo from Central Ohio Urology Group, Melanie Boren MHA, RN, BSN, OCN, and Robin Carr. Join us as they delve into how their multidisciplinary team collaborates to deliver top-tier patient care.

Melanie is the Director of Oncology Operations at Central Ohio Urology Group.  She has worked in the oncology setting for 25 years. Robin is the Lead Pharmacy Tech at Central Ohio Urology Group. She oversees all dispensing of medications at two locations and has been a Pharmacy Technician for 35 years. 

On this week’s episode of The PQI Podcast, we sit down with Alex Shantiai, PharmD, to discuss the dynamic realm of pharmaceutical careers and highlights NCODA’s Professional Student Organization (PSO). As an oncology health and science representative and a leader within PSO, Alex shares insights on diverse pharmacist career paths in the industry, recounting his journey from pharmacy school to pharmaceutical sales.

Alex is a Palm Beach Atlantic University graduate who currently works as an oncology health and science representative for a pharmaceutical company. Alex continues engagement, communication, and philanthropy for the benefit of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and students. He works with national committees among the American Pharmacists Association and Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, as well regional affiliations. He also serves as a board of director member with the international Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

You can find more information on NCODA’s PSO here:

https://www.ncoda.org/professional-student-organizations/

This week, we sit down with Julie Kennerly-Shah, PharmD, MS, MHA, BCPS, to discuss the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center’s Drug Repository Program.

Julie is an associate director in the Department of Pharmacy and is responsible for hematology/oncology, pain/palliative and ambulatory care clinical services in The James Cancer Hospital. She oversees our state-of-the-art specialty retail pharmacies. In addition to her clinical and operational responsibilities, she facilitates the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and has administrative responsibility for the PGY2 Hematology/Oncology Residency Program.

She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned dual master degrees from The Ohio State University in the areas of health system pharmacy administration and health care administration. She completed a combined PGY1 and PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration Residency at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and completed the Oncology Administration Fellowship at The James Cancer Hospital.

Julie and her husband founded the Summit and Julie Shah Foundation, where they are “On a mission to help the least fortunate in our world and to inspire others to join.” More information on their foundation can be found here: https://www.shahfound.org. 

This week we sit down with Jennifer Young Pierce, MD, MPH, FACOG to discuss her role, disparities in cervical cancer, and exciting advancements in her space. 

Dr. Jennifer Young Pierce is a Senior Staff Physician and Professor of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute (MCI). She joined USA Health MCI in 2017 with national expertise in Human Papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer, and cancer disparities. She currently serves as the Division Director of Cancer Prevention and Control and an Abraham A. Mitchell Clinical Cancer Research Scholar.

She is also the host of the podcast, The Cancering Show, seeking to demystify cancer with knowledge, hope, and humor for thousands of listeners. Most importantly, Dr. Pierce is deeply committed to the care of women with gynecologic cancers and spends the majority of her time seeing patients and performing radical surgeries for cancer treatment.  Dr. Pierce lives with her husband and two daughters in Mobile, Alabama.

You can find more information on The Cancering Show here: https://cancering.com/

On this week’s episode of The PQI Podcast, we sit down with Renee Alsarraf, DVM, DACVIM, to discuss her inspiring journey detailed in the acclaimed book Sit, Stay, Heal: What Dogs Can Teach Us About Living Well, where she intertwines her experiences as a veterinary oncologist and her personal battle with cancer.

Dr. Alsarraf received her veterinary degree from Michigan State University. She completed an internship and oncology residency at the Animal Medical Center in NYC. Currently, she is a Senior Veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center in NYC.

Sit, Stay, Heal is a moving and uplifting memoir of an esteemed veterinary oncologist fighting to save her four-legged patients while making sense of her own unexpected cancer diagnosis.

On this week’s episode of The PQI Podcast, we sit down with Makenna Smack, PharmD, BCOP, from MD Anderson, to discuss molecular testing and targeted treatment in colorectal cancer. 

Makenna obtained her bachelor’s in biochemistry from Brigham Young University and Doctor of Pharmacy from Roseman University in South Jordan, Utah. After graduation, she completed her PGY1 pharmacy residency at Memorial Hermann Hospital System in Houston, Texas, and a PGY2 oncology residency at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts.

She is board-certified by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties in Oncology Pharmacy. Makenna currently works in the Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology Clinic at MD Anderson. In this role, she is part of the multidisciplinary team overseeing the care of patients with colon, rectal, hepatobiliary, neuroendocrine, pancreatic, hepatic, and upper GI cancers. Makenna is passionate about providing effective patient education, adverse event management, and supportive care for her oncology patients. Outside of work, Makenna enjoys the snowless winters in Houston, trying new restaurants, and going to the park with her husband and son.

The PQI Podcast is back, and season 6 is here to ignite your passion for patients! NCODA is thrilled to bring you another season that promises insights, inspiration, and a prescription for innovation in the field of oncology. 

Our season premiere features Dr. Richard Safeer, Chief Medical Director of Employee Health and Well-Being for Johns Hopkins Medicine. A true expert in cultivating a healthy and resilient workforce, Dr. Safeer will guide us through his book, "A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient Workforce." Listeners will be empowered with practical tools to not only build a thriving workplace but one that flourishes.

In January 2023, with publisher Wiley, Dr. Safeer released A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient Workforce. Dr Safeer is the first author to provide a step-by-step roadmap for creating a well-being culture that integrates science with practical solutions as demonstrated by the numerous real stories from 
successful companies. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Medicine, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and the American College of Preventive Medicine. He serves on the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst Insight Council and previously served on the board of directors for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

You can learn more about Richard’s work at RichardSafeer.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

If you’re looking for training on how to create a wellbeing culture on your team or organization, then go to CreatingAWellbeingCulture.com 

A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient Workforce is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.