NEOMED pharmacy faculty meet the challenge of teaching disruption

COVID-19 is affecting all aspects of life. As events are cancelled en masse, the public is ordered to stay-at-home, and all K-12 schools close, college students are also being impacted. Since mid-March, many universities in Ohio have not had classes on campus. Instead, classes are all online. This change affects the manner in which all students are taught. At Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) College of Pharmacy, professors are using technology to teach their students and stay connected with them.

Fady Abdlrasul, assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at NEOMED and community pharmacist at at NEOMED, is proudly teaching future pharmacists and serving the Rootstown community in Northeast Ohio, where NEOMED is located.

Abdlrasul – like other professors across the country – has spent hours redesigning his course work to be available online for students, work through the barriers students encounter during these unique times, and communicate with the students. He, along with the other faculty members at NEOMED, are working diligently to ensure future pharmacists are receiving a high standard of education during these uncertain times so they can serve the community and provide a high standard of care to patients.

This can be seen in the changes that NEOMED has made for their students. Students are receiving numerous information bulletins from the university concerning the ongoing situation with COVID-19. Additionally, the college of pharmacy is hosting open forum meetings daily for the students. During the open forums, the Dean of the college of pharmacy Richard Kasmer has addressed students multiple times, and other faculty members are available so students can have open lines of communications.

The biggest barrier that pharmacy students have identified is the fear of the unknown. In addition to the general stress that students have from completing a doctorate program, students are stressed over the unpredictable future that the pandemic brings. They are not sure about their school schedules, their rotation schedules, their exam schedules, and if a student is working in externships, they are unsure if they can work or not. Furthermore, as the pandemic changes pharmacy practice across the state, there is the added uncertainty of the profession they will be entering. On top of these stresses, students are having a hard time maintaining their typical motivation. Generally, students motivate each other; but, due to social distancing, the camaraderie and encouragement that a united collective body provides has been undermined.

Abdlrasul and the other faculty members at NEOMED are working with students to calm their fears of the unknown and keep them motivated during these uncertain times. By having open lines of communication, being open to changes, and working individually with students, the faculty at NEOMED are able to help their students succeed.

Abdlrasul said “We put the student first. We will do whatever we need to do to help them succeed.”

Across Ohio, thousands of pharmacists and faculty like Fady Abdlrasul are practicing in many different types of practice settings to answer the call and rise to the challenge of combating the COVID-19 pandemic and maximizing patient outcomes. As one of the most underutilized and overlooked health professionals, pharmacists have the training and expertise to make a significant impact on patient lives, but because of antiquated and decades-old federal laws that have disincentivized their use, many are left on the sidelines at times when they are needed most.

At a federal level, pharmacists lack what’s typically referred to as “provider status,” which inhibits their ability to provide needed care to our nation’s seniors and also limits their access to personal protective equipment (PPE) amid the pandemic. At the state level, an Ohio “provider status” law went into effect in April 2019 to help better utilize pharmacists on the health care team, but state officials have not yet taken the steps necessary to activate the law’s provisions.

The Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) is working to ensure that pharmacists can have the same recognition and protections as other health care providers, so that they can be better utilized during ordinary – and extraordinary – circumstances. Pharmacists are an important tool in the healthcare toolbox, and it’s imperative that they are deployed to meet our greatest healthcare challenges. For more information about COVID-19 and the role of pharmacists, visit OPA’s dedicated coronavirus resources page.