Eric Kirk Memorial Award

2023 Eric Kirk Memorial Award winner Dr Petra Czarniak and PSWA Chair Mr Richard Smirk

Eric Kirk was a pharmacist with visionary ideas, a capacity to inspire others and the will and know- how to bring those ideas to reality. His work was a major influence on the way pharmacists saw themselves as health care professionals and led them to embrace continuing education and professional development – new concepts in his time. His foresight, drive and leadership brought about the introduction of Ward Pharmacy to WA hospitals which led directly to the development of Clinical Pharmacy practice across the profession.

“Drug Information Centre” and “therapeutic drug monitoring” were terms which became well known in practice due to Eric’s unrelenting representations which also achieved the profession’s acceptance of the significance of health promotion as a part of pharmacy practice.

In recognition of the outstanding contribution made to the development of professional practice in pharmacy in Western Australia by this former President, the Society provides the Eric Kirk Memorial Award.

This annual award is the Society’s most prestigious recognition of members who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of professional practice.

 

Previous winners of the Eric Kirk Memorial Award —