Pharmacy Check-in: Avery Laflamme
Avery Laflamme, PharmD Candidate (she/her)
Dalhousie University, 2026
New Dominion, PE
Avery Laflamme is a fourth-year Doctor of Pharmacy candidate at Dalhousie University who completed a fourth-year rotation placement at CPhA in spring 2025. Before starting pharmacy school, she completed a Bachelor of Science with a focus in biology at the University of Prince Edward Island. For the past 6 years she has worked in a community pharmacy, where she discovered an interest in patient care and medication management, and a love for working collaboratively as part of a health-care team. Outside of her academic and professional life, Avery enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends and hanging out at the beach!
Q&A with Avery
Why did you choose pharmacy?
I chose pharmacy because it combines my strong interest for science and my desire to help people. I’ve always been drawn to health care, and working in a community pharmacy for the past 6 years has shown me just how impactful pharmacists can be. I enjoy being a trusted resource for patients, helping them understand their medications and supporting them through their treatment journeys. Pharmacy offers a unique opportunity to build strong relationships with patients while also using clinical knowledge to improve their health outcomes, which is something I find incredibly rewarding!
How do you see the role of the pharmacist evolving as the health-care system changes?
Since starting work in community pharmacy in 2019, I’ve seen firsthand how rapidly the pharmacy world is evolving—and that’s something that truly excites me. One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had was during my second-year rotation working in a primary care setting. I had the opportunity to work alongside physicians, nurses, social workers and physiotherapists, and being part of that interdisciplinary team was incredibly fulfilling. It was exciting to be involved in patient assessments, contributing to treatment decisions and witnessing how pharmacists are increasingly being recognized as essential health-care providers. I’m excited to be entering a profession that is not only expanding in scope but also becoming more essential to the future of patient-centered care.
What are you most looking forward to as you think about your future career in pharmacy?
I am looking forward to building trusting relationships with my patients. I am particularly excited about the ongoing changes and advances in pharmacy practice, which are expanding the scope of services pharmacists can offer. I am also looking forward to exploring specialized clinical areas, such as oncology and infectious diseases, which were topics I found especially interesting during my studies.
What did you enjoy most about your placement at CPhA?
I had such a great experience during my fourth-year elective rotation at CPhA. I got to work on a variety of really meaningful projects that aimed to support pharmacists in proving better care to patients across the country. One of the most exciting parts of my placement was helping to develop a toolkit to support pharmacists in providing sexual and reproductive health care to transgender and gender diverse individuals. It was so rewarding to be involved in a project that helps address gaps in care and promotes more inclusive, accessible resources for pharmacists all over Canada.