Updates from the Experiential Education Team

Student Updates 

The class of 2024 has done very well matching for residencies, fellowships, and career positions. Our final 2024 ASHP match rate was 85%, and nine of our students were awarded fellowships. We thank each of our preceptors and clinical faculty who have mentored our students on rotations, reviewed CVs and LOIs, written letters of recommendations, and provided mock interviews for our students. We know this is a significant time commitment and we are very grateful for each of you. 

First-year IPPE students have completed their spring quarter longitudinal community pharmacy IPPE rotations, and we extend our sincere gratitude to the dedicated pharmacy preceptors and sites hosting our students. Summer block rotations for both community and health-systems IPPEs are now in progress. 

Cheers to the Class of 2024!

As we approach the conclusion of rotation for our P4s year, we are proud to reflect on the successes and enriching experiences our students have encountered during their APPEs. Throughout the year, our students have completed rotations in various settings that are crucial to their development as future pharmacists. These settings include community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, and specialty care areas, where they have applied their comprehensive pharmacy education in real-world environments.  In addition, our P4 students participated in a mandatory wellness series, consisting of three key sessions held throughout the year. These include small group discussions to reflect on the P4 year's challenges and listening sessions where faculty and alumni share their own stories of failures and successes. This series is crucial for reconnecting students with their peers and faculty and equipping them with effective strategies to manage stress. Thank you, preceptors, for your cooperation in allowing them to attend these sessions by releasing them early from rotations on designated days.

Welcome Class of 2025!

We are already looking forward to implementing enhancements based on the valuable feedback received from both students and preceptors. Our commitment to continuously improving the APPE experience at SSPPS ensures that our graduates are well-prepared to lead and innovate in the pharmacy field.

The class of 2025 attended a detailed four-part series of APPE orientations this quarter. They learned about the transition from academic to experiential settings, how to give and receive feedback effectively, insights from a recent graduate, adherence to experiential policies, maintaining professionalism on rotations, as well as wellness and counseling resources and of course patient work-up tips led by Drs. Namba and Mnatzaganian. We welcome any suggestions for additional topics that could further prepare our students for their APPE experiences, so please feel free to reach out to the OEE team with your ideas. The class of 2025 has just recently begun their first APPE rotations!

Finally, a huge thank you to all our dedicated preceptors, faculty, and students for another successful year. We are excited to see what the next cohort of APPE students will achieve! We truly appreciate the exceptional training you provide to our future pharmacy professionals - your mentorship plays an invaluable role in shaping the next generation of pharmacists!