About Dr. Sherilyn Houle
Sherilyn was born and raised in a small town in Saskatchewan where her parents owned the local grocery store. While owning a business was never in her future, she recognized the important role the local pharmacists played in helping to address the healthcare needs of the community. With strengths in math and science in high school, she enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree with great distinction in 2006.
Her career as a pharmacist began in Alberta at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre with clinical assignments to the psychiatry and palliative care units. This was followed by a move to Edmonton where she practiced within the Alberta Health Services’ home care program. In this role, she visited people in their homes to identify and address medication-related issues in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, where she also obtained and applied Additional Prescribing Authorization to initiate and modify patients’ drug therapy as required. She also practiced in community pharmacy part-time, which she maintained after enrolling in full-time graduate studies at the University of Alberta under the supervision of Dr. Ross Tsuyuki in 2009. Her doctoral research examined the effectiveness of pharmacist prescribing for the management of uncontrolled hypertension through a randomized controlled trial, as well as the outcomes of different models of health professional remuneration for clinical services. In 2014 she received her PhD as well as a post-baccalaureate certificate in teaching and learning in higher education.
Sherilyn began her academic career as an Assistant Professor at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo in 2014. Here, she developed interests in researching pharmacy practice related to vaccinations and travel medicine and obtained her Certificate in Travel Health from the International Society of Travel Medicine in 2018. Shortly after, she also joined the team providing patient care at the International Travel and Immunizations Clinic within the Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team in Kitchener, until the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted international travel and required a redistribution of efforts towards mass vaccination, which she supported by working in COVID-19 vaccination clinics, including the one hosted at the School of Pharmacy.
Currently, she is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo with teaching and research interests in pharmacy practice to full scope, with particular interest in vaccinations and travel medicine. In 2024, she also co-founded VaxCare Innovations along with Dr. Molly Yang and Dr. Nancy Waite, which is a non-profit organization that aims to support vaccination efforts through research, clinical decision support, and educational initiatives. She is also a highly active developer of continuing professional development programs and contributor to provincial, national, and international efforts to support clinical practice in vaccinations and travel medicine.
When she isn’t working, Sherilyn and her husband are busy trying to keep up with their two very active daughters and their dog, Chester.
Academic Affiliations
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Associate Professor. School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo.
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Associate Professor (status). Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto.
Education
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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta. 2014
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Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta. 2014
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Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BSP). College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan. 2006
Other Credentials
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Associate Member. Faculty of Travel Medicine, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. 2021
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Certificate in Travel Health. International Society of Travel Medicine. 2018
Awards and Honors
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2023 Canadian Pharmacists Journal Best Paper Award, for:
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Houle SKD, Alsabbagh MW, Waite NM. Herpes zoster and human papillomavirus vaccination opportunities identified using electronic prompts at the time of scheduling influenza or COVID-19 vaccines. Can Pharm J 2023;156(5):257-264.
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2023 Award for Exceptional Achievement in Research and Academia, Ontario Pharmacists Association. September 2023.
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Outstanding Author for the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, for:
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DeMarco M, Carter CA, Houle SKD, Waite NM. The role of pharmacy technicians in vaccination services: A scoping review. J Am Pharm Assoc 2022;62(1):15-26.
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Outstanding Faculty Mentor in Graduate Program. School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo. July 2020.
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2019 Canadian Pharmacists Journal Best Paper Award, for:
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Dolovich L, Austin Z, Waite N, Chang F, Farrell B, Grindrod K, Houle S, McCarthy L, MacCallum L, Sproule B. Pharmacy in the 21st century: Enhancing the impact of the profession of pharmacy on people’s lives in the context of health care trends, evidence and policies. Can Pharm J 2019;152(1):45-53.
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Wellspring Pharmacy Leadership Award. Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy. May 2015.
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2014 Canadian Pharmacists Journal Best Paper Award, for:
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Houle SKD, Grindrod KA, Chatterley T, Tsuyuki RT. Paying Pharmacists for Patient Care: A Systematic Review of Remunerated Pharmacy Clinical Care Services. Can Pharm J 2014 147(4): 209-232.
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Magnum Opus Award. August 2013.
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Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists Recognition Program Award “Enhancing Patient Care Through Pharmacist Prescribing.” October 2009.
Committees and Associations (current)
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Member, Immunize Canada HPV Vaccine Task Force (Ontario)
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Member, Federation of Medical Women of Canada Maternal RSV Task Force
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Editorial Board Member, Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
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University of Waterloo representative. Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada Research Committee
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Project Advisory Committee member, Ontario Pharmacists Association Workforce Planning for Ontario Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
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Learning Review Panelist, Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP)
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Chair-elect. Pharmacists Professional Group, International Society of Travel Medicine.
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Executive Committee Member, Ontario Pharmacy Evidence Network (OPEN)