Karl Winckel has worked at the PA Hospital for more than 20 years and is helping shape the next generation of pharmacists through his deep passion for education.
“I’ve always had an interest in education, and I even thought about becoming a teacher when I finished high school,” he said.
His path to health began in the UK before he started in PAH’s cardiology wards in 2004, ultimately landing the Pharmacist Educator role which allows him to blend both clinical experience and teaching.
It’s a position he takes great pride in, always making himself available and responding to requests for help with intrigue and interest.
“I want our staff to be the experts, not just be referring to the experts,” Karl said.
“It’s nice seeing other people develop skills to become more altruistic and empathetic professionals. If you can help someone to develop themselves it has long lasting impacts to not only them, but the people they teach in the future.”
Karl’s enthusiasm and commitment haven’t gone unnoticed, being awarded the Clinical Excellence Award for Allied Health at the 2025 PA Hospital Health Symposium.
His colleagues praised his vast, deep and up-to-date clinical knowledge which he can distil readily, so much so, he’s colloquially known as ‘Winckelpedia’.
While many possess this kind of knowledge, what sets Karl apart is his aptitude for cultivating a rich learning environment for all staff that is free from judgement.
As a firm believer in the value of primary literature, Karl views every interaction as a teaching opportunity, encouraging staff to go beyond surface-level summaries and return to the clinical trials when searching for evidence-based answers.
“I seek to understand where people are at and then guide them towards not just the correct answer, but the pathway to it.
“It’s also important to guide them to gain more confidence and to not be scared to get it wrong.”
It’s this clarity and commitment to evidence-based practice that makes Karl such a respected educator across the hospital, and he’s quick to share the credit with those around him.
“When I started at PAH I was really well supported in particular by Dr Paul Varghese who was a mentor to me, and more recently some expert allied health clinical educators who I learn from regularly.”
But for the many clinicians who’ve learned from him, Karl’s unwavering dedication and enquiring mind will continue to have a ripple effect throughout the PAH community.
Congratulations and thank you Karl!