The Duquesne University School of Pharmacy Office of Experiential Education named its 2022 Preceptors of the Year, including alumnus Jake Sebastiao, Pharm.D. (P’04), who is the Operations Manager at AlixaRx in Bridgeville, PA. The winners will be recognized at the White Coat Ceremony on Sunday, August 21, 2022.
Originally from Fall River, MA along the Rhode Island border, Jake learned of Duquesne University from his high school guidance counselor, a Duquesne graduate. After visiting Pittsburgh and meeting former Dean J. Douglas Bricker, Ph.D., Jake was convinced to come to Duquesne and, after meeting his wife on the Bluff, now calls Pittsburgh home with her and their two children. Jake learned to be a leader at the School of Pharmacy, which he attributes to his success as a pharmacist today.
“Duquesne allowed me to create my own journey,” Jake said. “I was never pressured to follow one specific pathway by any of my mentors or fellow classmates. I was told it was important to be myself. To reflect on decisions that led to positive outcomes, but to understand negative results will also exist. The importance of growing from those moments, molding who you become as a pharmacist.”
Jillian Boltz and Lindsay Tomcsanyi, members of the class of 2023, both nominated Jake for the Preceptor of the Year Award.
“Dr. Sebastiao served as a positive role model to me and allowed me the opportunity to apply the concepts I have learned in school to actual pharmacy practice,” Jillian said. “He is very determined and has the desire to teach students with the goal of gaining a better perspective of challenging topics, and provided us with a large variety of clinical. I would highly recommend his rotations to other students, and I hope I have the opportunity to complete an APPE at his site.”
Lindsay adds, “Jake deserves to win preceptor of the year because he emphasized discussion-based learning and allowed students to put their knowledge to the test on the spot. He was role model–passionate about the profession and wanting his students to learn. He provided advice post-graduation and guidance through professional development.”
Jake has always enjoyed teaching and wanted to pass on great rotation experiences he had as a student pharmacist. “By becoming a preceptor, I wanted to create an opportunity to help mold, inspire and mentor the new generations of pharmacists,” Jake said. “My main goal has always been to create an environment that allows students the ability to grow both personally and professionally. I am honored that I have positively impacted the students. I am excited for the opportunity to continue making a difference with future pharmacists.”
Jacob Betzner 