Preceptors of the Year Recognized with Awards

Two preceptors were celebrated by the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) for their notable contributions in mentoring DKICP students in clinical practice settings. Each year, students in the final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program nominate preceptors who have guided their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) in pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and other settings in preparation for a diversity of careers in pharmacy. Two awards are made each year, one to a preceptor who also serves as a DKICP faculty member, and one to a preceptor whose primary affiliation is other than DKICP.

Dr. Sheri Tokumaru was recognized with the Faculty Preceptor of the Year Award. She is an associate professor and board-certified critical care pharmacist in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at The Queen’s Medical Center. Tokumaru was nominated by the many APPE students she precepted this year on acute medicine rotations. Notable highlights from student nominations included: she created a supportive learning environment with open and effective lines of communication; she provided valuable and enriching experiences, including engaging topic discussions, presentations and clinical rounding. Tokumaru also offers APPE electives and precepts introductory pharmacy practice experiences to second-year pharmacy students during the summer.

Dr. Gay-Ann Takahashi was honored with the Preceptor of the Year Award. She is a clinical pharmacist who precepts DKICP students at The Queen’s Medical Center on acute medicine rotations. Her background is in critical care medicine. Student nominations expressed appreciation that Takahashi’s precepting style encourages students to go beyond surface-level understanding and engages in deeper clinical reasoning; she fosters curiosity and confidence in allowing students to further develop their clinical skills.

“Preceptors serve as role models and mentors for our students, helping to transform the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom into real life experiences that shape who they will be as future pharmacists. Our preceptors spend numerous hours in their practice sites providing our students with hands-on learning, accounting for roughly one-third of the PharmD curriculum," said Dr. Jarred Prudencio, Director of Experiential Education.

The final APPE year in pharmacy school provides immersive experiences for DKICP students in a variety of settings including clinics, hospitals, community pharmacies, small businesses, managed care, universities, government agencies, and industry.