After 9 years of clinical practice in oncology, it is evident that technology is moving at lightning speed. The advent of new targeted therapies and advanced artificial intelligence has a significant impact in the medical world. This means that as technology changes, so should our approach to education. In today’s classroom, students need so much more than a well-thought-out curriculum or appropriately designed slide deck. Students need emotional engagement, distinctive assessments, and intuitive mentorship.
The goal of the educator is to lay down a framework for students to navigate which will allow them to be successful in new and unfamiliar territory. My aim is to provide students with foundational principles that they can grow and develop into clinical skills. Pharmacology is not a simple practice; it requires a unique understanding of cell function and design. By understanding the basic concepts (ex. Gene formation), one can grasp the bigger picture of how malfunctions in the system can lead to dysfunction. These components can help the student engage emotionally in the work that they are doing to provide care for those undergoing medication therapy.
Emotional engagement is an essential ability to involve oneself in compassionate nature to patient care while also providing an objective resolution. This ranges from management of patient therapy to patient education. Assessing a student’s understanding of material, therefore, cannot rely solely on multiple choice questions and traditional methods. It requires that we as educators also re-vamp our method of assessment through case-based discussions, patient simulations, and guided study.
Mentorship of students is best done by modeling. The most profound professors are those who are able to guide a student through their though process rather than providing an answer. There are multiple areas of mentorship but a vital one is the role of the pharmacist in the interdisciplinary team. Pharmacists are a vital component of patient care in the interdisciplinary collaboration. It is the responsibility of educators to model and discuss the importance of this function to the student. Understanding the roles of each provider can help future pharmacists navigate their designated responsibilities while also preventing any pitfalls.
I want to foster the development of the student as a resource and essential member of a patient’s care team. The student should leave my classroom feeling well-equipped to pursue further education through residency, fellowship, or institutional and community pharmacy services. By fostering a dynamic learning environment that prioritizes student engagement, compassion, and continuous improvement, I aim to prepare the next generation of oncology pharmacists to face the challenges of cancer care with confidence and empathy.
Education