Congratulations to Dr. Sherilyn Houle, associate professor at the University of ݮƵ School of Pharmacy, named the 2025 Fellows Class of the . This fellowship honours leaders in the field of travel medicine who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to the field of travel medicine nationally, regionally and internationally, including in practice, research and policy change in travel medicine. Prior to 2025, no Canadian pharmacists have been named Fellows, making Dr. Houle the first Canadian pharmacist Fellow.
“The established trust and accessibility of pharmacists expands travellers’ ability to receive timely care to protect their health and safety abroad. To me, this Fellowship recognizes the important role pharmacists play in travel medicine,” says Houle. “It is an honor to be able to generate evidence on our profession’s role, advocate for scope expansion and other policies to support these services, and to ensure health professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide the best possible care.”
Dr. Houle holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from the University of Saskatchewan and Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Alberta. She has 18 years of clinical practice experience including in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, and home care settings, as well as within the international travel and immunizations clinic at the Centre for Family Medicine. In 2018, she obtained the Certificate in Travel Health from ISTM, an internationally recognized credential for expertise in the unique body of knowledge associated with travel medicine care. Her research and teaching in pharmacy practice focus on the clinical areas of immunization and the provision of pre-travel care.
She is a regular provider of continuing professional development programs in travel medicine, is a columnist with the Pharmacy Practice + Business magazine in travel health, is chair-elect of the ISTM Pharmacist Professional Group and is a member of the Scientific Board with Travel Health Xpert.
Dr. Houle has also served as a member of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Pharmacy Travel Vaccines Working Group, which advised the Ontario government on pharmacists’ scope of practice for administering travel vaccines and informed policy changes to allow Ontario pharmacists to administer travel-related vaccines. Currently, she is the pharmacist member on the Ontario Immunization Advisory Committee, which advises Public Health Ontario on immunization programs in the province.
Her research in pharmacist scope of practice and travel medicine has been presented to both national and international audiences and has been referenced in advocacy efforts to further expand pharmacists’ scope of practice and remuneration for professional services.
Dr. Houle’s extensive expertise, leadership and commitment to the advancement of travel health makes her a sought-after expert on travel medicine. You will also find her delivering talks as a trusted speaker for workshops and courses on immunization and travel medicine.
Congratulations, Dr. Houle!