Real Life In Practice

The Herbert and Carol Retzky Simulation Center enables pharmacy students to hone key clinical skills

Farah Khan is listening intently to her pharmacist’s explanation of the ointment prescribed for Farah’s eczema. She has a lot of questions for the pharmacist. She’s taking this appointment very seriously.

Farah even brought a clipboard and paper so she could take notes. And she is taking a LOT of notes. Everything the pharmacist says seems to be noteworthy, which is understandable. This is the fi fth pharmacist that Farah’s talked to about the ointment in the last hour.

And Farah doesn’t even have eczema.

Farah is a fourth-year pharmacy student. She is working with first-year students (P1s) on their patient counseling skills in the newly renovated Herbert and Carol Retzky Simulation Center.

“That was good,” Farah tells the P1. “How did it feel to you?”

Practice Makes Perfect

The 5,000 square-foot Herbert and Carol Retzky Simulation Center helps P1 students experience all aspects of their required pharmacy practice courses in the same space.

Students celebrate the opening of the Herbert and Carol Retzky Simulation Center.

“From practicing filling and dispensing medication to counseling patients, these simulated learning opportunities help our students gain skills and confidence that will enable their success during practical rotations and as future pharmacists,” said Dr. Marlowe Djuric Kachlic, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice in the College of Pharmacy. “We have also incorporated education-based dispensing and electronic health record software into our simulations to make them as real-life as possible.”

These simulated learning opportunities help our students gain skills and confidence that will enable their success.

The patient counseling rooms in the Herbert and Carol Retzky Simulation Center have been updated to include recording equipment. The recordings allow the students to review their own performance. That, in addition to the standardized patients like Farah, allows the P1 students to constantly improve their patient communication. And having access to updated electronic health records software allows the students to segue into professional life more confidently.

UIC dignitaries help Dr. Retzky (right) cut the ribbon on the new center.

Transformational Change

The Herbert and Carol Retzky Simulation Center hosted its first batch of P1 students in August, but only celebrated its grand opening on October 10. It was a well-attended affair boasting such UIC luminaries as Chancellor Michael Amiridis, Provost Susan Poser, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Robert Barish, and Vice Chancellor for Advancement Tom Wamsley, as well as the guests of honor Dr. Carol Retzky and her niece Michelle Cohen.

Dr. Carol Retzky and her late husband Herb, BS ’46, donated the funds to renovate the space formerly known as 2 North at the Chicago Campus. But this is not their first gift to the college.

Dr. Retzky (center) enjoys a thank you video with students in the simulation lab at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Their generosity has truly transformed this College of Pharmacy,” Dean Glen Schumock noted. “They’ve helped us with multiple student scholarships. They’ve supported our faculty by way of a deanship. They’ve helped our research program through generous support for our drug discovery efforts. Herb and Carol have left an impact on this College that will be felt in perpetuity.”

The Retzky’s connection to the College of Pharmacy began with Herb attending classes in the 1940s. Herb excelled at his studies and graduated in 1946 as president of his class. Herb met and married Carol shortly after graduation. Both had grown up working in their father’s pharmacies, so a life in the business was always in the cards. The couple later bought a pharmacy of their own in Oak Park and never looked back.

Since sponsoring their first scholarship at the College of Pharmacy, the Retzky family has been staunchly dedicated to the success of the college and pharmacy students. When the Retzky’s make friends, it is for life.

Positioning UIC for the Future

In addition to the Herbert and Carol Reztky Simulation Center, UIC opened two other health care simulation labs this fall. The labs, located in the Colleges of Medicine and Nursing, use specially trained actors, advanced and computerized manikins of all ages, and simulated environments to help future health care professionals practice their clinical skills. Together, all three spaces will facilitate over 50,000 hours of hands-on learning for nearly 20,000 learners working or pursuing careers in the health sciences. It is all part of a larger University focus on further preparing quality healthcare practitioners.

“The impressive advancements in the learning environment will help learners to confidently step into clinical environments as the next generation of healthcare leaders,” noted Dr. Robert Barish, the UIC Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs.

This sentiment was echoed by UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis.

“[The Herbert and Carol Retzky Simulation Center] redefines the model for our student experience and success,” Amiridis said. “It improves the learning experience of the students by providing them access and equipping the faculty with the best tools they can have.”

Dean Glen Schumock discusses the simulation center with UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis.

This improvement isn’t lost on the students either, as P4 Tim Ortman points out.

“I wish I could stay here another four years,” Ortman said, “so I could have all four years to experience [the Retzky Simulation Center.]”

Constant Improvement

Back in the counseling room, Farah Khan takes another P1 under her wing and prepares her eczema questions.

“How much of the ointment should I apply at a time?” Farah inquires for the sixth time today.

“Only about a dime-sized amount,” the P1 responds.

Farah jots down some notes and asks, “and how often should I apply?”

This is how the best get better.