Leading by Example
Creating the next generation of leaders in pharmacy among our students and faculty is a top priority for colleges and schools across the country. Whether through elective courses, special retreats and institutes, or earmarked funding to aide students in attending professional meetings, leadership development models are being utilized throughout the Academy. Academic Pharmacy Now takes a look at how some schools are working to ensure that the profession of pharmacy has adequate numbers of change agents for the future.
Midwestern University/Downers Grove Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Pharmacy sponsored a Student Leadership Institute for the last several years, offering innovative skill-building exercises and opportunities to not only its own students, but also to students from neighboring pharmacy colleges.
and then communicate independently throughout the duration of the program. Encompassed within the program is the opportunity for the student to shadow his or her mentor during a leadership activity such as attending an association committee or board meeting, or a meeting at the mentor’s practice site.
The biannual program is open to all second- and third-year student pharmacists throughout Illinois who are chosen through a competitive process. Selected students commit to attend four educational sessions spread over a four-month period. In addition to providing innovative leadership skilltraining offered by professional training organizations, the Institute pairs each student with a pharmacy mentor who is already established in a pharmacy career. The student and his or her mentor meet to discuss the goals and expectations of each,
Some of the topics offered at past Institutes include communication, awareness of self and others, situational leadership and business etiquette. Another requirement of the Institute is to have the student present a “Careers in Pharmacy” talk at a local high school. This provides the student an opportunity to practice the skills he or she has learned in the course, to model leadership traits for others and to perhaps attract leaders of the future to the profession.
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academic Pharmacy now Jul/Aug/Sept 2010