Egyptian Canadian pharmacist Sherif Guorgui has been named the 2017 Voice of Pharmacy Award winner by the Ontario Pharmacists Association in Canada.
Growing up in a family of pharmacists, Sherif Guorgui saw first hand the value that pharmacists provide to their patients. As a third-generation pharmacist, he now works to ensure others understand the vital role pharmacists play in the healthcare system.
Sherif earned his pharmacy degree from the University of Cairo in 1998. Since completing the University of Toronto’s International Pharmacy Graduates programhe has worked as a community pharmacist, managed and operated his own independent pharmacy, and been a franchise/Associate owner with Shoppers Drug Mart. He moved into corporate roles at Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall/PharmaPlus before joining the Ontario Pharmacists Association as Vice President of Pharmacy Practice. In 2016, Sherif joined United Pharma Group as CEO.
Sherif served as President of the Ontario College of Pharmacists in 2011-12. In this role, he promoted the need for pharmacists to adopt expanded scope of practice and initiated many programs aimed at fostering communication among pharmacists. These included the development of a monthly President’s message to pharmacists and of the confidential President’s mailbox where College members could send general questions and comments related to any pharmacy issues.
An active social media contributor, Sherif has developed a dedicated following of patients and practitioners on his various accounts. He has published numerous articles in pharmacy magazines, is a sought-after speaker for community and professional events, and is a guest lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy.
On an international level, Sherif was part of the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s (FIP) I am a Pharmacist project which focused on creating pride in, and awareness of pharmacy on a global level. He was also featured in the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education’s Potential to Prosperity project promoting pharmacy practice in Canada to international pharmacy graduates. In 2015, Sherif was chosen as one of Canada’s Top Immigrants, promoting the value of international pharmacy graduates to the Canadian society.
Sherif is a board member of the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy, an advisory board member of the Humber College Pharmacy Technician Program, and was recently elected to OPA’s Board of Directors representing District L. He is a mentor at the University of Toronto Career Centre Information Interview program and a member of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy’s Boundless Campaign Cabinet.
Throughout his career in the retail, specialty, regulatory, industry, government affairs and advocacy sectors, Sherif has been a tireless advocate for the profession.