Kaitlyn Watson, B. Pharmacy (Hons), PhD, GradCertAppPharmPrac, FHEA

Area of Study / Keywords

Implementation Science Public Health Disaster and Emergency Management Primary Care Pharmacy practice

About

Dr. Watson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, focusing on social and public health pharmacy. Dr. Watson earned her PhD in Pharmacy Practice and Disaster Management from Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Her doctoral research focused on a comprehensive exploration of pharmacists' roles and responsibilities in both natural and anthropogenic disasters and emergencies. With expertise gained through two postdoctoral fellowships in clinical trial management and implementation science, Dr. Watson is dedicated to sustainable evidence-based change in the public health and primary care sectors. 

Dr. Kaitlyn Watson, an Australian registered pharmacist and globally recognized disaster pharmacy researcher, serves as the Founder & CEO of Disaster Pharmacy Solutions. She specializes in delivering disaster management and emergency preparedness training to the pharmacy workforce through interactive Table-Top Exercises. In 2022, Kaitlyn authored the foundational book 'Disaster and Emergency Pharmacy: A Guide to Preparation and Management' published by Routledge.

Watson is the world-leader in research on the intersection between pharmacy practice and disaster management. Her research focuses on the public health, social sciences, and disaster and emergency aspects of health service research in pharmacy. Watson utilizes implementation science, qualitative, and quantitative methods. 

Learn more link - https://www.ualberta.ca/pharmacy/news/2023/08-august/new-academic-faculty-member-wrote-the-book-on-disaster-pharmacy.html 

Research

• Women & Hypertension Implementation Science Project (WHISP)
• Pragmatic Evaluation of Pharmacy Care Clinics in Alberta (PATIO)
• An International Portrait of Pharmacists’ Professional Role Identities: A Q-Methodology Innovative Study (The FIPP-Q Study)
• Sick Day Medication Guidance Intervention for Community Pharmacies (PAUSE Study)
• Navigating Generosity: Exploring Adherence to Donated Medicine Guidelines (MED-GEN Compass Study)

Past projects

• COVID-19: Bringing the ‘Invisible Layer’ of Pharmacists Professional Identity and Roles to Light (IGNITE)
• Improving Hypertension Detection and Control Through a Hypertension Certification Program Based Upon the Hypertension Canada Guidelines (RxPATH Trial)

Teaching

Dr. Watson teaches in the following courses

• *NEW* Interprofessional elective focusing on disaster management for primary care
• BASE stream of the PharmD program 
• Pharmacy leadership elective

Dr. Watson received the 2023 FIP Social and Administrative Pharmacy Section (SAPS) Research Grant Award for the project "An international portrait of pharmacists’ professional role identities: A Q-Methodology innovative study (The FIPP-Q Study)"