Pharmacy students explore industry careers at L’Oréal Canada

For Jared Salvador, a high school dream of working in skin care became reality through the College of Pharmacy’s experiential learning program.  

Now in his fourth year in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, Salvador recently completed an experiential rotation at L’Oréal Canada.   

All second- and fourth-year PharmD students do rotations that provide them with hands-on experience under the guidance of preceptors (pharmacists who supervise learners) in settings such as hospitals, pharmacies and primary care centres.  

Landing the L’Oréal rotation  

While most experiential rotations are in Manitoba, students can apply for out-of-province internships.  

Salvador attended the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns’ Professional Development Week last January, where he approached a L’Oréal booth and asked if the company would take UM students. Six months later, he and three UM peers were off to Montreal for a two-month rotation.  

“It was such a big dream come true,” said Salvador. “L’Oréal was a cool experience and a fantastic rotation to be in.”   

Inside the industry  

A window display at L’Oréal Canada’s Montreal headquarters.

Gloria Lee, also in her fourth year, said pharmacy students rarely get exposure to industry roles.   

“I used to think companies like L’Oréal were only focused on selling products and making a profit,” she said. “But I learned how much they value having pharmacists on their team, and how much of their budget and effort goes into research.”  

Lee said L’Oréal pharmacists – who work on skin-care brands such as CeraVe, La Roche-Posay and Vichy – provide professional opinions on their products.  

“They provide evidence-based educational information to health-care providers, helping them make informed recommendations,” she said.  

Behind the scenes  

During their first month, the students researched publications, guidelines and product ingredients. In the second month, they shifted from research to creativity, writing scripts and recording themselves on camera to produce educational videos for community pharmacists across Canada.   

These videos will form part of L’Oréal Canada’s national awareness campaign, which includes conferences, training sessions and pharmacy education initiatives.  

Gloria Lee at the Old Port in Montreal.

Lee’s topic was the importance of sun protection. “The videos start with sun-care recommendations from the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA). I also incorporated my other research on why we should be recommending sun care to patients. 

“Then we go in depth. For example, we ask, ‘Did you know half of the drugs you dispense on a daily basis can cause phototoxicity – skin reactions triggered by sunlight when certain medications are present?’  

“At the end of the video, we recommend L’Oréal products and how they meet CDA’s criteria.”  

Lee said these videos help community pharmacists explain their product recommendations to patients.   

Another highlight of the students’ stint at L’Oréal, Lee said, was their daily coffee chats, where they networked with employees in different roles.  

A turning point  

Salvador spent weeks analyzing eczema treatments and sunscreen formulations, turning complex data into practical advice for pharmacists.  

“In pharmacy school, we’re taught to recommend moisturizers – often Glaxal Base – to help prevent eczema. But effective eczema care is more than just picking a moisturizer,” he said.   

“Cleansers are often overlooked, yet choosing one with the right pH and hydrating ingredients is just as essential for managing eczema. That’s why in my video, I focused on recommending cleansers as part of effective skin care.”  

The experience motivated Salvador to consider a career in the skin-care industry.  

“I was genuinely inspired by my experience with L’Oréal. Beyond the pharmacists’ critical role in ensuring the quality of skin-care products, the flexible and collaborative environment really stood out to me. I also didn’t realize pharmacists could work from home until this rotation,” he said.  

“It was a turning point for me. L’Oréal showed me there are far more options than I ever expected.”  

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Learn more about experiential learning opportunities in the College of Pharmacy: umanitoba.ca/pharmacy/programs-of-study/experiential-education   

Danica Hidalgo Cherewyk