HARDING UNIVERSITY REPORT
Immeasurable Challenges & Changes
M
y, how quickly things can practice experiences—pharmacy opportunities that, for some, were now potentially front-line encounters during a health care change! As I write this, Jeff Mercer, Pharm.D. crisis—while also providing safety and appropriate supervision. we are in the midst of a Dean While our first through third year students needed these worldwide pandemic due to the COVID-19 virus. Just a few short weeks ago, our students experiences to remain on track, for our fourth-year students, were wrapping up the first half of a quiet and uneventful spring incomplete experiences jeopardized graduation. With such semester before leaving for spring break. There was some high stakes, the experiential staff, practice faculty, and the knowledge of the rising health concern, but no one understood many pharmacy preceptors who supervise our students pooled the profound impact it would have on the rest of the semester. their resources and networks to provide alternative plans for each student. No students were Over the days that followed, many important decisions were made left behind! Through these tireless that will forever shape our memory collaborative efforts, all of our By the time that you read this, much of students are on track to progress of 2020 and influence the future for or graduate on time. While many our students. the world will have changed, and the schools and pharmacy practice future will be much more certain for On March 12, the President of sites across the nation closed their us all. This spring, the COVID-19 crisis doors to pharmacy students, I am Harding University announced forced an abrupt change to our personal especially thankful for the many the suspension of all on-campus and professional lives; however, Arkansas community and hospital classroom course delivery, sites that invited our students to activities, and gatherings until experiencing the collaborative response further notice. We had no way of continue. These opportunities and adaptability of our Harding knowing the extent of until further ensured that the next generation community has been heart-warming. notice, but all classroom content of pharmacists are well trained and ready to join the workforce. was to be moved to an online format. As the pandemic spread Aside from Harding’s official across our nation, Harding’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to say a word administrators communicated interim plans and teamed about our students. I am constantly encouraged and amazed educational and instructional resources to support faculty members and students in the immediate online transition. at the maturity of our young people. Through immeasurable challenges, they have demonstrated the ability to overcome Transitioning coursework to an online format was quite a and a willingness to help others. At community pharmacies throughout Central Arkansas, many of our students offered substantial undertaking for both our faculty and students. But true to the Harding way, everyone worked together and curbside delivery service. Others, working with the APA the response was overwhelmingly positive. Faculty quickly and UAMS students at Federica Pharmacy in Little Rock, adapted to new ways of teaching, and students graciously compounded and bottled hand sanitizer for Arkansas homeless acquiesced to the new learning environment. Although born shelters. And still others collaborated with Harding engineering out of necessity, the online modality was soon accepted students to 3D-print and distribute personal protective masks to local healthcare workers. When face-to-face interactions by most— and even preferred by some—as a method to continue the quality education our students need to become were prohibited, students creatively responded to complete patient-caring activities remotely, learning about electronic pharmacists. medical record access and supporting telemedicine at work. Of course, the pharmacy curriculum is not all classroomIn this pandemic crisis, our students adapted and provided based. The contemporary pharmacy curriculum is filled with leadership to serve their communities and be the change. laboratories, introductory and advanced pharmacy practice In total, our students have completed hundreds of hours in experiences, interprofessional events, clinical simulations, and service to others in the months since the crisis began. It’s co-curricular activities. Most require face-to-face interactions, inspiring and a true testament to the character of the HUCOP and all are essential for student progression throughout family. the program. Transitioning these learning experiences to By the time that you read this, much of the world will have alternative methods that were both safe and collaborative changed, and the future will be much more certain for us all. without compromising our educational standards required This spring, the COVID-19 crisis forced an abrupt change to creativity and persistence. Following the suspension of our personal and professional lives; however, experiencing physical gathering, our faculty and colleagues worked together so that each curricular requirement was reworked to the collaborative response and adaptability of our Harding accommodate student learning through distance delivery and/ community has been heart-warming. I am confident that or small group work that adhered to strict social distancing God is in control and that pharmacy is an integral part of the demands. solutions that will end this crisis. I am grateful for all who have invested in the future of our students and our profession. § Perhaps the most significant challenge during this COVID-19 crisis was the need to continue our students’ pharmacy 18 18
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THE ARKANSAS PHARMACIST
7/28/20 4:05 PM
