Resource stewardship is most effective when health care disciplines work together. Its impact grows as more professionals embrace their shared responsibility to use resources wisely. University of Alberta students Suzie Lee, Jessica Cromwell, and Vincent Chiang believe this same collaborative approach is essential for embedding resource stewardship principles in education.

Suzie and Jessica joined the Choosing Wisely STARS (Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship) program in 2023, collaborating with Vincent Chiang, a student in the Faculty of Pharmacy.  With past experience in nursing, Jessica witnessed how quality improvement and Choosing Wisely initiatives, such as those aimed at reducing the inappropriate use of antipsychotics, could positively impact the lives of her patients in acute and older adult care. Similarly, Suzie’s interest stemmed from hands-on work within her community, volunteering with the Operation Friendship Seniors Society, which supports older adults experiencing homelessness. Her experiences highlighted the profound impact of resource limitations on vulnerable populations, which highlighted the importance of equitable health care allocation and inspired her to explore initiatives like STARS. Vincent, with a background in pharmacy, recognized the growing role and expanded scope of pharmacists in health care, seeing the potential in collaborating with medical students to promote resource stewardship.

As STARS leaders, the group collaborated to bring different health disciplines together on events and activities, including trivia contests and presentations. The stand-out of the year was an interdisciplinary “Lunch ‘n’ Learn,” which brought together students from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. It featured a presentation on medication and diagnostic stewardship from both a pharmacist and a family physician, marking the first of its kind for STARS.

“As a pharmacy student, seeing the collaboration and learning among pharmacists and family physicians highlights the significant impact we make when different disciplines work together on common stewardship goals,” says Vincent.

Although their time as Choosing Wisely STARS has wrapped up, these student leaders are continuing to advocate for resource stewardship in their respective fields. Suzie is following in the footsteps of her McGill colleagues by working on an ongoing survey project to assess the attitudes of University of Alberta students towards resource stewardship ideas. Jessica is helping to organize the next STARS students at the university to help support future leadership of the program, and Vincent is collaborating with the Canadian Pharmacists Association to help create a formal structure for pharmacy students to engage in resource stewardship.

“The goal is that we can identify further areas for further engagement and education,” Suzie shares, “and that any of this future work will continue to emphasize interdisciplinary connection and collaboration.”

As they look towards the future, these STARS leaders are all certain that they want Choosing Wisely and resource stewardship to remain at the forefront. Their time with the program has taught them the importance of finding connection within or outside of one’s community, a lesson they plan to carry forward.