CRINGE
T h e J& J Po d cast : an an t i d o t e t o 20 20 ? A b eh i n d t h e scen es l o o k at t h e J& J Po d cast , w i t h Jo h n C h o i an d Jar ed Sch ar f f T r an scr i p t s h av e b een ed i t ed f o r cl ar i t y an d b r ev i t y.
H el l o t o y o u b o t h . I ?d l i k e t o st ar t o f f by get t i n g t o k n ow a b i t m o r e ab o u t y o u . C an y o u t el l u s a l i t t l e b i t ab o u t y o u r sel v es; w h er e ar e y o u cu r r en t l y d o i n g o n l i n e sch o o l , w h at y ear y o u ?r e i n , an d h ow y o u ?v e b een k eep i n g san e d u r i n g t h i s i n san e t i m e, t h i s b ei n g a w o r l d w i d e p an d em i c co m p o u n d ed w i t h t h e f act t h at f i n al s ar e co m i n g u p . Jar ed : I ?m f r om Ed m on ton , A l ber ta. Getti n g th r ou gh qu ar an ti n e h as been good . Bei n g an u p p er y ear , I th i n k h ave a bi t of an ad van tage com p ar ed to f i r st y ear s, i n th at I h ave a good su p p or t sy stem w i th i n th e f acu l ty. L i ke w i th Joh n an d m y cl assm at es, w e basi cal ly t al k on a d ai ly basi s; I 'm l u ck y to h ave th i s good su p p or t sy stem , an d i t ?s been get t i n g m e t h r ou gh th i s on l i n e sch ool i n g. I ?m al so r eal ly h ap p y bei n g abl e to r u n th i s p od cast ; i t keep s m e con n ected an d abl e to sp eak to th e en ti r e stu d en t bod y. I t's a n i ce w ay t o st ay i n t ou ch . Jo h n : I t h i n k th i s k i n d a sl i p p ed Jar ed ?s m i n d , bu t w e?r e both secon d y ear st u d en ts! U n l i ke Jar ed , I ?m l ocated i n Cal gar y. Been h er e m y w h ol e l i f e. I n ter m s of th e p an d em i c, si n ce i t i s M ovem ber an d w e'r e tal k i n g abou t m en tal h eal th , th i s m on t h h as d ef i n i t ely been a con cer n f or m y sel f an d a l ot of m y p eer s; i t seem s th at on l i n e l ear n i n g h as been t ou gh an d bu r n ou t h as com e qu i cker th an w e th ou gh t, bu t l i ke Jar ed sai d , d oi n g t h i s p od cast h as been ? .You n eed an ou tl et. Tak i n g ti m e f or y ou r sel f i s so i m p or t an t , esp eci al ly r i gh t n ow. A n d th i s i s som eth i n g th at w e?r e d oi n g th r ou gh th i s p od cast . You k n ow, th i s p od cast i s a l ot of w or k , bu t a l ot of f u n .
I k n ow y o u sai d i n y o u r f i r st p i l o t segm en t o f t h e p o d cast , t h at y o u st ar t ed t h e p o d cast t o b r i n g t h e f acu l t y cl o ser t o get h er , can y o u ex p an d o n t h at ? T el l m e m o r e ab o u t w h at sp u r r ed y o u t w o t o st ar t t h i s p o d cast . W h at w as y o u r go al ? Jar ed : Yeah , so th e p h ar m acy p r ogr am i s aw esom e, bu t i t is gr u el l i n g. A n d i t ?s aw esom e t o be abl e to cel ebr ate w i th y ou r f r i en d s bef or e or af ter f i n al s, bu t th at?s w h en Cov i d h ap p en ed . W h en w e f i r st h ear d of i t, w e th ou gh t, ?I t?s n ot goi n g to be th at bi g a d eal ?. N ex t t h i n g y ou k n ow, y ou ?r e tol d y ou ?r e n ot goi n g to be back i n p er son . A n d so ou r cl ass d i d n ?t r eal ly get to say a p r op er good by e. A s f or t h e p od cast, I h ad som e p r ev i ou s ex p er i en ce goof i n g ar ou n d w i th p od cast s, w i th com ed y p od casti n g, an d so I k n ew th e basi cs of h ow to ed i t p od casts an d h ow to u p l oad t o sp ot i f y, l i ke l i ttl e d etai l s l i ke th at. Bu t I alw ay s w an ted to d o a p od cast th at w as m or e f ocu sed an d ed u cati on al . So r i gh t af ter th e sh u t d ow n h ap p en ed (i n M ar ch ), I br ou gh t t h e i d ea t o Joh n (A n d at th at p oi n t, ex am s w er e p ass f ai l , so I k i n d of h ad ti m e to d o som e f u n cool th i n gs), an d Joh n w as on boar d p r etty m u ch i m m ed i ately. Fr om th er e, i t w as l i ke, w h at d o w e cal l i t? A n d th en w e cam e u p w i th th e J& J Pod cast. W e d i d n 't k n ow w h at w e w er e d oi n g th e f i r st cou p l e of ep i sod es, bu t w e k i n d of f i gu r ed t h i n gs ou t . A s f or m y f r i en d s, I w an ted to h ave a p r op er good by e, an d w i th ever y on e bei n g st r essed , w e w an ted a cool w ay to keep p eop l e con n ected . So at f i r st, th i s p od cast w as h on est ly ju st f or ou r cl ass. Bu t tw o or th r ee ep i sod es i n , A PSA k i n d of got i n volved . Fr om t h er e, w e took i t to th e br oad er scop e an d n ow i t?s f acu l ty w i d e an d f an tasti c t i m i n g, w i t h t h e w h ol e y ear bei n g on l i n e. Jo h n : Yeah , I t r eal ly sp u r r ed f r om w an ti n g to con n ect w i th th e cl ass over th e br eak . W e?r e d oi n g th i s becau se w e u n d er stan d th at gr ad es d on ?t r eal ly m att er th at m u ch i n p h ar m acy sch ool , i t?s abou t th e con n ecti on s y ou m ake; so ou r i n ten ti on i s to, f i r st an d f or em ost, con n ect t h e st u d en t bod y an d f acu l ty. Bu t al so get to k n ow p r of essi on al s w h o ar e i n th e f i el d , even th e th i r d an d f ou r t h y ear s, becau se on e d ay th ey m i gh t be ou r bosses or ou r sen i or col l eagu es. A n d to k n ow th at w e?ve h ad t h at d i scu ssi on an d th at w e?r e alw ay s ad vocati n g f or t h i s p r of essi on i s th e secon d br an ch of w h y th i s p od cast ex i st s.
A l t h o u gh y o u r j o b s seem l i k e a d r eam t o m e, h o st i n g a p o d cast o n t o p o f b ei n g a p h ar m acy st u d en t seem s l i k e a l o t o f w o r k . T al k m e t h r o u gh t h e p r o cess o f p r ep ar i n g f o r an ep i so d e.
Jo h n : At t h e st ar t , w e d i d n 't r eal ly h ave a p r ocess; w e w er e ju st w i n gi n g i t , bu t as t i m e w en t on w e?ve r ef i n ed ou r p r ocess. So f i r st of f , w e p r ep ar e al l t h e qu est i on s on e t o t w o w eek s bef or e h an d an d sen d i t t o t h e gu est . W e u su al ly t ake 2 or 3 m eet i n gs each w eek t o t al k abou t p ot en t i al gu est s an d qu est i on s or h ot t op i cs r el ev an t t o p h ar m acy. Ten m i n u t es p r i or t o t h e p od cast , Jar ed an d I w i l l m eet an d r ef r esh w h at t h e qu est i on s ar e an d go over w h o i s goi n g t o ask t h e qu est i on s so i t ?s ver y sm oot h . T h en af t er t h e p od cast i s d on e, w e bot h t ake r ecor d i n gs, so i f on e of t h em m esses u p , at l east on e p er son w i l l h ave a back u p . A f t er t h at Jar ed t akes car e of t h e u p l oad i n g p r ocess. Jar ed : O r i gi n al ly, i t w as su ch a p ai n t o get st u f f on t o Sp ot i f y, bu t n ow i t ?s p r et t y st r ai gh t f or w ar d n ow t h at I h ave t h e p r op er sof t w ar e. I u p l oad i t t h r ou gh a secon d ar y ser ver cal l ed Pod beam , an d t h en i t goes st r ai gh t t o Sp ot i f y. W h en y ou st ar t , i t ?s p r et t y h ar d , bu t n ow f or u s, i t ?s k i n d of secon d n at u r e. For p eop l e w h o d on 't l i st en a t on , t h e 3 t y p es of p od cast s w e h ave ar e t h e on e w i t h gu est s, w h er e i t ?s ver y p r of essi on al an d st r u ct u r ed ; t h e gu est d oes m ost of t h e t al k i n g, an d w e ju st keep t h e con ver sat i on goi n g. I n O ct ober , w e w er e d oi n g som e h ot t op i c on es, w h i ch i s w h er e w e d i scu ss a set t op i c, l i ke cov i d r est r i ct i on s, n al oxon e, a d r u g of t h e w eek et cet er a. W e?r e al so exci t ed t o be d oi n g som e sol o st u f f t o keep ep i sod es sh or t er so p eop l e can get som e cool i n f or m at i on . T h e l ast on e i s ?f r ee t h ou gh t ?, w h er e w e d on 't r eal ly h ave a scr i p t , w e ju st h ave a casu al con ver sat i on on w h at ever w e w an t t o t al k abou t . I t al so k i n d a sh ow s t h at w e?r e h u m an t oo, an d w e t r y t o keep i t sor t of f u n an d l oose, bu t st i l l t al k i n g abou t st u f f t h at h as t o d o w i t h p h ar m acy. W e?r e d ef i n i t ely goi n g t o t r y an d i n n ov at e as w e m ove f or w ar d w i t h t h i s p od cast . So keep an ear ou t f or som e exci t i n g st u f f com i n g u p !
H ow m an y h o u r s a w eek w o u l d y o u say y o u sp en d o n w o r k i n g o n t h i s p r o j ect ? Jo h n : I w ou l d say abou t t w o t o t h r ee h ou r s p er w eek . I n t h e begi n n i n g, m ay be a bi t m or e. Bu t n ow t h at w e?ve r ef i n ed t h e p r ocess, i t al m ost r u n s i t sel f . I t ?s su p er qu i ck , an d t h e gu est s k i n d a d r i ve t h e con ver sat i on , an d w e ju st r u n w i t h i t . Jar ed : Joh n i s god sen d , h e d oes so m u ch w or k beh i n d t h e scen es... Jo h n : ...I alw ay s say t h at Jar ed ?s t h e gi n an d I ?m t h e t on i c, cau se' h e?s t h e f i r e, t h e ch ar i sm a, an d I ?m ju st t h e gu y w h o m el l ow s i t ou t a bi t .
H ow h as y o u r p er sp ect i v e ch an ged si n ce t h e st ar t o f t h e p an d em i c an d n ow ? A r e y o u m o r e set t l ed i n ? D o es t h e Fu t u r e st i l l seem as u n cer t ai n as i t d i d i n M ar ch ? Jo h n : So at t h e st ar t , Jar ed an d I h ad a l ot of con f i d en ce t h at t h i n gs w ou l d r et u r n qu i ck ly. Bu t I t h i n k t h at t h e i d ea of acad em i c r est r u ct u r i n g, w i t h sch ool bei n g on l i n e f or an ot h er sem est er , t h e u n cer t ai n t y of sch ool h as act u al ly been com p ou n d ed even f u r t h er . I k n ow t h e Facu l t y i s t r y i n g t h ei r best t o m ake t h i n gs as accom m od at i n g as p ossi bl e, bu t t h er e?s alw ay s goi n g t o be t h at u r ge t o go back i n p er son . O n t h e ot h er si d e of t h e coi n h ow ever , t al k i n g abou t t h i n gs on a gl obal scal e, w e?ve i m p r oved d r ast i cal ly. I t ?s i m p r oved t o su ch a st at e t h at t h er e?s f at i gu e t al k i n g abou t cov i d . Sp eak i n g of t h i s, I t h i n k w e?r e d ef i n i t ely goi n g t o h ave a m or e casu al con ver sat i on abou t t h e cov i d v acci n e i n an u p com i n g ep i sod e. So st ay t u n ed !
Jar ed : I t h i n k at t h e begi n n i n g, Joh n an d I w ou l d cal l each ot h er an d sp ecu l at e abou t everything. T h er e w as so m u ch d i sbel i ef abou t w h at w as h ap p en i n g; l i ke h ow cou l d y ou r eason ably f or esee t h i s even occu r r i n g? So p eop l e w er e ju st l i ke i n a st at e of sh ock an d d i sbel i ef . N ow, I t h i n k , p eop l e ar e ju st l i ke, ?y eah , t h i s i s w h at i s h ap p en i n g, t h i s i s t h e n ew n or m al ?.
W h at h av e y o u l ear n ed t h r o u gh t ak i n g o n t h i s p r o j ect ? I k n ow I h av e l ear n ed a l o t ab o u t so m e o f m y cu r r en t p r o f s, an d so m e o f m y f u t u r e o n es as w el l , an d ev en so m e st u d en t l ead er s I h av en 't y et b een ab l e t o m eet . H av e y o u i n ad v er t en t l y l ear n ed m o r e ab o u t t h e f acu l t y / st u d en t s/ p r o f essi o n t h an y o u t h o u gh t ? A n y t h i n g su r p r i si n g?
Jo h n : I ?ve l ear n ed t h at w h oever y ou ar e, w h et h er y ou ?r e a p r of essor or som eon e h i gh u p , or a st u d en t l ead er , t h ey ?r e al l h u m an . W e?r e al l af f ect ed by Cov i d . A n d t h at ?s a t h i n g y ou h ave t o u n d er st an d , an d that gi ves y ou a d i f f er en t p er sp ect i ve. A s a st u d en t , y ou u su al ly ju st see p r of essi on s t h r ou gh a cer t ai n l en s. A n d y ou d on 't u n d er st an d t h at t h ey [p r of essor s] h ave a p er son al l i f e as w el l , t h ey h ave p er son al i t i es, t h ey h ave h i gh s an d l ow s ju st l i ke ever y on e el se.
Bu t ap ar t f r om t h e p er son al an d p r of essi on al si d e of t h i n gs, I t h i n k bot h Jar ed an d I h ave l ear n ed a l ot abou t t h e p h ar m acy p r of essi on as a w h ol e. For m ost st u d en t s, t h e l en s i s ei t h er on com m u n i t y p r act i ce or h osp i t al p r act i ce, bu t t h r ou gh t h i s p od cast w e?ve l ear n ed t h er e ar e cou n t l ess ot h er aven u es. T h er e?s an acad em i c l en s t h at can be l ooked t h r ou gh . W i t h t h e p r of essor s, a l ot of t h em on ly p r act i ced i n t h e ear ly y ear s of t h ei r car eer s an d t h en w en t i n t o ed u cat i on , so t h at ?s an aven u e as w el l . O r t o gi ve gu i d an ce on cl i n i cal gu i d el i n es, l i ke w h at ou r t h er ap y p r of essor , D r . Si m p son d oes. Bu t al so, seei n g t h at i t ?s ju st a ver y i n t er est i n g p r of essi on . For i n st an ce, w e h ave an u p com i n g ep i sod e w i t h a d i sast er p h ar m aci st .
Even w i t h i n t h e r eal m of com m u n i t y an d h osp i t al p h ar m acy, t h er e ar e so m an y su bd i v i si on s t h at can be p u r su ed . A n d t h at ?s w h y w e r eal ly w an t t o em p h asi ze l i st en er s t o t u n e i n , cau se?t h er e?s so m an y aven u es t h at can be p u r su ed t h r ou gh p h ar m acy. A n d t h i s i s som et h i n g t h at I d on 't t h i n k a l ot of p eop l e r eal i ze, or u n d er st an d . I w an t t h em t o see t h at t h ey d on ?t h ave t o f i t w i t h i n a cer t ai n n i ch e t h at i s ei t h er com m u n i t y or h osp i t al p h ar m acy. T h er e ar e so m an y op en d oor s.