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UAMS: Listening through 2020
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Listening through 2020
As we embark on 2021, I know Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D. Dean and Professor of that many of us spent the end 2020reflectingonthispastyear UAMS College of Pharmacy and how our day-to-day routines may have changed based on our circumstances. I would like to share something that I did this past year that helped me embrace the craziness of 2020. Some of you know that I’m an avid ‘listener’. If you have read one of the Gallup books or done the CliftonStrengths assessment and learned about your Top 5 Strengths, you should know that my Top 5 are Learner, Individualization, Relator,Maximizer,andSelf-Assurance.MyLearnerstrength has always been at my core and drives how I interact with the world around me. This year approaching the day-to-day with an openness to learn, adapt, change, and move on has been particularly beneficial in the midst of a pandemic. • Together: the healing power of human connection in a sometimes lonely world by Vivek H. Murthy
Podcasts
• TED Talks Daily: To future generations of women, you are the roots of change - Gloria Steinem • Deep Questions with Cal Newport: Episode 39. David
Epstein on skills, practice, and the subtle art of cultivating a meaningful career
The Pharmacy Podcast Network: Episode 1063.
Katherine Eban & A Bottle of Lies - SenioRx Radio • Unlocking Us with Brené Brown: David Kessler and
Brené on Grief and Finding Meaning • Creative Classroom with John Spencer: The power of student check-ins during distant learning & hybrid courses • A Bit of Optimism with Simon Sinek: Episode 24. The infinite game with Dr. James Carse
Idiscoveredaudiobooksaboutfiveyearsago,andover2020 I became an avid podcast listener. The ability to listen while I drive or do routine things around my house has opened my worldtodifferentperspectiveswithcurrenteventsandexpert advice. I regularly listen to podcasts focused on COVID and here are a few that I think are pretty good: COVID-19 Q&A by JAMA, Social Distance by The Atlantic, and Osterholm Update from CIDRAP. As we get into 2021, let me know what your best read/listen has been. I’m always looking for something to check out and if you have interest, I could even be convinced to do a virtual book club. I think book clubs are great ways to get to know people and share ideas. Let me know your thoughts by visiting tinyurl.com/y3c93ttf.
If you have never tried listening to a book, I highly recommend giving it a try. All you need is a smartphone. I’m an Audible subscriber, but I also use the public library service which is free to rent audio books. There are some amazing narrators that make the books come to life! For people who are new to audio books, I recommend the Harry Potter series because of Jim Dale’s narration - it is AMAZING! In fact, I don’t really watch TV anymore with all this great listening.
I’m always on the lookout for books or podcasts that will help me do my job better, help me enjoy the world around me, and help me escape reality just a little. I want to share with you six books to consider reading or listening to if you haven’t already done so and six podcast recommendations just in case you want to start with something shorter! These books and podcasts fall into my broadly defined category focused on helping me do my job better.
Books
• Apollo’s Arrow: the profound and enduring impact of coronovairus on the way we live by Nicholas A. Christakis • Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0: turning your business into an enduring great company by Jim Collins & Bill
Lazier • Hidden Valley Road: inside the mind of an American family (schizophrenia) by Robert Kolker • Tightrope: Americans reaching for hope by Nicholas D.
Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn • How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi With the start of 2021, pharmacists and their teams are hard at work delivering the COVID vaccine and preparing capacity to immunize the populace. Our faculty, staff, and students have been hard at work not only in the classroom and in the laboratory/research setting (benchtop, population, practice). We have been busy in the practice setting helping support pandemic initiatives. Student pharmacists have been volunteering, working, and learning by supporting COVID contact tracing, screening, and immunizing. Our faculty and staff have been helping in a hands-on capacity in the practice setting as well as helping manage the logistics of the immunization rollout in an effort to support practice needs. I’m incredibly proud of the creative and thoughtful ways that the UAMS COP students, staff, and faculty are supporting theeffortsofpharmacistsinallsettingsandroles,aswework to eradicate this virus.
Here’s hoping that your 2021 lives up to all your hopes and dreams. For me, I hope our profession continues to capitalize on our strengths to solve the difficult problems, remove barriers, and show up for each other and our communities that we serve - we are better together. §
