Post Falls pharmacist honored for excellence in practice, teaching

Michael Varga, director of pharmacy at Northwest Specialty Hospital (NWSH) in Post Falls, was selected as Washington State University College of Pharmacy’s 2016 Preceptor of the Year.

dr. varga accepts award“Dr. Varga helped me develop my confidence as a pharmacist that I took with me to all my other rotations,” said Donna Mui, one of Varga’s nominators.

Varga was presented with the award during a special surprise event at NWSH on September 8.

“Michael is the true definition of an outstanding preceptor who goes above and beyond for our student pharmacists to ensure they receive the best learning experience. His passion for pharmacy and continuous desire to serve as a mentor is remarkable.” said the college’s experiential program Assistant Director Luke Rice, who presented the award to Varga on behalf of WSU.

The Preceptor of the Year Award is given annually to a WSU pharmacy preceptor for outstanding contributions to the educational development of future pharmacists by demonstrating high standards of professionalism, ethics and clinical practice within the experiential training environment.

“My experiences on my rotation far exceeded my expectations. He went above and beyond to make my time not only educational but enjoyable and full of experiences I wouldn’t get anywhere else,” said Kamal Atallah, another WSU pharmacy graduate in the class of 2016.

As the director of pharmacy at NWSH, Varga is responsible for overseeing the pharmacy team, medication management in the hospital as well as maintaining all medication related standards required by the Joint Commission. Michael received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2010 at Washington State University.