As we get ready for our final week of class, I cannot help but be a little sad that it will end. Last week, we talked about the challenges of caring for the socially complicated patient. We discussed the barriers at length and Dr. A. reminded us to think about all the ways that we CAN help underserved patients with complicated social situations navigate the hospital and the following transitions of care. The students were able to draw upon their experiences consider both the challenges and the many resources we have available as pharmacists. It is so wonderful to see the students integrate what they are learning with how they can impact patients in the "real" world. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be involved in this course and to watch our students grow on a weekly basis!
I continue to be amazed by the contributions our students are making through these projects. Helping to improve immunization rates, exploring non-adherence in patients with mental illness, promoting fundraising for a low-cost clinic and creating a video to educate English language learners about diabetes are just a snapshot of what the students have been working on for the past few months.
To me, the most exciting part is the learning that is occurring OUTSIDE of the course. Martrell and Ezza are learning the ins and outs of marketing through their work with iDonate. Brianna is facing the challenges and frustrations that come with working with patients who may not consistently show for their scheduled appointments. Joe is discovering that there are a lot of promotional and educational materials available for public use through organizations such as the CDC. Kelly is identifying the limited health education resources available for non-native English speakers. And all of the students are dealing with disappointment that they have not yet achieved their intended goals or "completed" their projects. Much of this sense of pressure is self-induced and we had a discussion about this during class last week. In my mind, each and every student is impacting their organization in a profound way. Everything they have done is something that would not have happened if they were not present. I think it is hard for them to see that they are laying the groundwork for some profound changes that may occur several months down the road. As an educator, I am extremely proud of Martrell, Ezza, Brianna, Joe and Kelly. They are doing exactly what we asked them to do: learn about the underserved and impact the community. Way to go, guys. Way to go! |
AuthorDr. Etheridge is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Manchester University College of Pharmacy. She is the director of the laboratory curriculum and lives in Fort Wayne. Archives
September 2016
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