Christina Mnatzaganian, Pharm.D., Associate Dean for Experiential Education

Progress Notes and Updates from Christina Mnatzaganian, Associate Dean for Experiential Education

Hello preceptors! I am thrilled to be working with you as the newly appointed Associate Dean for Experiential Education. The Office of Experiential Education (OEE) has undergone some changes over the previous six months – please continue reading to hear about our updates.

As we continue to adapt to a post-pandemic world, we are eager to get out and connect in person again. Over the coming months, our team is looking forward to getting back into the community! Please reach out if you’d like for us to visit your site, meet your team, and/or provide any preceptor guidance or support. I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you all as best as possible.

As preceptors, you actively teach and guide our learners and shape the future of pharmacy. We value your feedback and welcome new opportunities to improve our experiential education programs.

OEE Updates: A request for preceptor availability for APPE and IPPE rotations was emailed out to preceptors in early October. If you have not done so already, please respond by the end of the year. We greatly appreciate and value our experiential partners who play a key role in educating our future pharmacists. We are also so very appreciative of all of you who have precepted our students for health-related service learning IPPEs, including vaccination events and various health education events in our community, as well as CV reviews and other workshops/presentations on evenings, weekends, and weekdays. Our students truly benefit from your expertise and learning from your career backgrounds. Thank you for everything you do to support our students!

Our current APPE students will be completing their fourth rotation this December will return from holiday break on January 8th for Winter A rotations. This past summer, students completed 73 hospital/health-system IPPE rotations and 69 community pharmacy IPPE rotations. Thank you to those preceptors who made this possible.

Wellness Series: Our APPE wellness series is in its 4th annual iteration! The focus of the first two sessions this year has been on improving stress and coping skills. Students participate in facilitated small group discussions to reflect on challenges they may face during the APPE year, and listen to faculty and alumni share stories about their failures, successes, resilience, and career journeys. Thank you to our preceptors, PGY1 residents, and faculty who helped facilitate or spoke at these events. The final wellness session for the class of 2023 will be on Wednesday, March 9th from 4-6 PM. The wellness series has given students an opportunity to reconnect with their classmates and faculty during their APPE year and we appreciate your continued support in allowing their attendance.

COVID-19: Students still need to follow UC San Diego COVID-19 protocols for testing and returning to their rotation if they have a positive test. Students are aware that any make-up time is at the discretion of the preceptor (click here for Attendance/Absence Policy). Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions about missed time or concerns related to student performance and please be sure to include the counts of missed time on their final evaluations.

Looking Forward: Many of our students are preparing to apply for residencies, fellowships, and career opportunities and may be seeking advice for this process. We are grateful to our sites and preceptors for their ongoing support and thank you in advance for your support of their career development opportunities.

SSPPS Welcomes New Experiential Education Leadership

Dr. Christina Mnatzaganian has been appointed as Associate Dean for Experiential Education upon the retirement of Dr. Renu Singh in June. Dr. Mnatzaganian is a Clinical Professor, has been on the faculty at SSPPS since 2015, and previously served as the APPE Director. She has been a pharmacy preceptor for more than a decade, precepting IPPE and APPE students in addition to Ambulatory Care and Community Pharmacy residents. Her clinical practice is at UC San Diego Health Diabetes Management and Education Clinic. She is also a course chair for the Pharmacy Practice course at the SSPPS. Dr. Mnatzaganian is excited for the opportunity to meet with and engage our preceptors and community partners for mutually beneficial collaborations.

IPPE UPDATES:

Our IPPE program recently wrapped up another successful round of Summer Block Rotations! Students entering their P2 and P3 years had fantastic learning experiences in both community and health-system pharmacy settings all across San Diego County – and beyond. We thank all our amazing partners for hosting our students this year, and for sharing your knowledge, support, and wisdom!  

Hard to believe, but we are already mid-way through our Fall Quarter Longitudinal Community IPPEs. As a reminder, one-third of the P1 class (Class of 2027) is assigned to a longitudinal rotation in either Fall, Winter, or Spring Quarters.  These experiences serve as a way for students to apply material they are learning in the classroom to real world situations – from OTC product selection to patient communication skills.  We look forward to seeing your evaluations and feedback that will help our students blossom into excellent pharmacists.   

If you are not currently scheduled for IPPE students, but interested in hosting at your site, please let us know! We would be happy to walk through our course with you and answer any questions you may have. IPPEs provide a great way to share your expertise with students who are starting out in our profession and eager to learn from your mentorship. 

Please keep a look out in the next couple months for an availability request for Summer 2024. This is the first step in our process of creating the Summer Block rotation schedules for both community and health-system sites – more to come!   

 As always, please let our IPPE team know of any questions or feedback for us. Thank you again for your support – I hope everyone has a productive, safe, and enjoyable Fall.  

OEE Departures

Congratulations to Dr. Renu Singh, our previous Associate Dean for Experiential Education and Clinical Professor on her retirement from UC San Diego! We will miss you!

Ezra Blaize, our APPE Coordinator, has accepted a position in the Office of Student Affairs at SSPPS. We are grateful to his many years of timely, efficient, and kind support to students and preceptors alike as well as his innovative skills within the OEE.

Training: University of Utah

Current Position: Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner, VA San Diego Healthcare System

Specialty: Ambulatory Care

Winner of 2023 APPE Special Recognition Award

SSPPS: What inspired you to become a preceptor, and how long have you been precepting?

Dr. Fox: During my undergrad, I always thought I would go into teaching. My first career choice was a chemistry teacher, but that faded away and my new passion began to emerge. I first started precepting students during the second half of my PGY1 residency and have been precepting ever since. I always look forward to having a student on rotation with me! I truly believe we have better outcomes when students are on rotation. Since they have a smaller workload, they can dive deeper into the chart and will often find compelling indications for medications or another perspective I haven’t considered. 

SSPPS: Can you share some teaching pearls that you have learned over the years?

Dr. Fox: I strive to have a purpose behind every activity I ask the students to do while on rotation. Many of the assignments are unconventional and topics that may not be covered fully – or at all – in a traditional didactic pharmacy school. I’ll give a couple specific examples. First, I have students listen to podcasts on different subjects during non-clinic time. These cover a wide arrange of topics including disease state refreshers (HTN, diabetes, deprescribing, etc.), micro and macroaggressions in healthcare, racism in medicine, and statistics reviews. I also have the student choose one topic that they would like to learn more about and we listen to a podcast about that. The purpose of this assignment is twofold. First, it provides a common foundation where we can begin a topic discussion. Some of my favorite days are when we discuss non-traditional topics, especially micro and macroaggressions. Often when in that situation, we may not know how to respond. We talk about what is appropriate and any steps to take so we can have a healthy work environment. Second, I want to develop skills for life-long learning. The longer I’m out of school, the harder I sometimes find it to stay up-to-date on new clinical information, studies, guidelines, etc. These microlearning teaching modalities are usually more responsive to new information. I also find them to be more accessible than emails and list-serves that just pile up and make me feel guilty for not keeping up with them.

Another assignment with purpose behind it is I have the student make a patient information handout or infographic for their topic discussion to turn in. This has the student think carefully about how they want to present medical information in terms for the public and not bogged down with jargon. It has them use other creative skills. These handouts can be hyper focused on one aspect of the topic discussion. For example, if the topic discussion is cancer screening in primary care, a student made a handout on differences in sunscreens (mineral vs chemical, what SPF really means, etc).

SSPPS: What advice would you give to new preceptors of pharmacy students?

Dr. Fox: I have a lot of thoughts. Make the rotation engaging, allow room for mistakes and turn them into teaching opportunities. Really try to get to know your students. Show why you are so passionate about your field of pharmacy and in turn find out what their passions are, their career preferences, and then tailor the rotation to that. I strive to be very flexible with my students. I tell them what assignments they need to complete to pass the rotation, and then let them choose the due dates. I don’t know what other obligations they have going on outside of rotation – whether in school or in their personal lives. I find that we get better products and results when we allow for this flexibility. Show your students you care about them, want them to succeed, and to learn a lot during the rotation. Finally, always strive to improve the rotation. I am constantly updating the requirements, topics, and workload based off feedback provided during the last day. Be open to feedback. And be flexible!

We hope that you will join us on Wednesday, February 28th, 2024, for our annual rotation fair. This year we will offer a hybrid type of event where both students and preceptors can attend either virtually or in-person at SSPPS. More information will be sent out soon.

Please hold the date for our Spring Preceptor’s Conference and Annual Preceptor Excellence and Recognition Awards to be held virtually via Zoom on Saturday, April 6th, 2024 from 9-11 am. We will be offering 1 hour of CAPE CE credit for the program “ I Think I Can, I Think I Can…Shift My Mindset” presented by Sarah A. Nisly, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP - Vice President, Outcomes and Clinical Impact, Wingate University, Kelsey Frederick, PharmD - The University of Tennessee, and Stephen A. Brown, JD, PharmD - Samford University.

Join us for a discovery journey to bring awareness and practical tips in shifting from a fixed to growth mindset in life, work, and internal reflection. This session is designed for anyone with an interest in curtailing negative self-talk, encouraging students or colleagues to build resilience, and understanding how your internal narrative can shape behavior. Registration information will be emailed after the first of the year.

On Saturday, August 5th, 2023, preceptors from the community joined us for a virtual preceptor development seminar via Zoom. The seminar, “Short and Sweet: How to Use Microlearning Techniques to Facilitate Learning” was presented by Dr. Michael Wollcott, PharmD, BCCCP from High Point University Workman School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Wolcott's presentation described the microlearning approach and its application in education, outlined a process to design a learning experience that incorporates microlearning techniques, and evaluated techniques to create a plan for implementing microlearning techniques into teaching practices.

After Dr. Wolcott's presentation, an expert preceptor panel consisting of Juan Toledo, PharmD and Laura Aykroyd, PharmD discussed relevant experiences. The panelists shared techniques and best practices for remediating poor performance, identifying and correcting knowledge gaps, and examples of microlearning used in their practice settings. Many thanks to Dr. Laura Aykroyd (Scripps Memorial) Dr. Juan Toledo (UC San Diego Health) for serving on our preceptor panel!

On-demand preceptor development programs, including this presentation, are now available in the CORE-ELMS Document Library section at left under the heading “On-demand Preceptor Development CE” in CORE: CORE Document Library

Casey Tiefenthaler, PharmD, BCPP (SSPPS Class of 2020 and Inpatient Psychiatric Pharmacist at UC San Diego Health) had two manuscripts recently accepted by peer-review publications: 

"Antidepressant Prescribing in Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals Diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria and Mood or Anxiety Disorders" was accepted for publication in the Mental Health Clinician.

“A narrative review of advances in pharmacotherapy for depression and suicidal behavior in youth within the era of heightened social media” was accepted for publication in Pediatric Medicine.

Congratulations on your recent publications, Dr. Tiefenthaler!

Olga Flores, PharmD (Home Health Pharmacist, Clinical Pharmacy Services, Kaiser Permanente) completed a two-day Latin XEmplars program from Elevate in Leadership Development in Health Care as well as an APhA's "The Pharmacist and Patient-Centered Diabetes Care" certificate.

Congratulations and thank you for advancing the field of pharmacy!

Rotation site and preceptor: Ralphs Pharmacy #123, Dr. Haley Woods

What did you like most about this rotation? 

Besides the amazing pharmacy team at Ralphs whom I’d like to shout out for the awesome learning experience, what I liked most about this rotation was Dr. Woods' worksheets! She would prepare worksheets each week to cover topics such as antibiotic classes and uses, diabetes management and medications, insurance coverage, and so much more. Working on these worksheets daily with Dr. Woods helped me learn and retain information that I would come across in the pharmacy and be able to utilize in the future.  

What was the most unique aspect of this rotation? 

The most unique aspect of this rotation was the diversity of the patient population we had. Downtown San Diego is a hub for locals, tourists, pediatrics, geriatrics, the unhoused, non-English speaking patients, etc. who are all coming to us for care for medication management, preventative care, and disease-state management. I had the opportunity to interact with every single one of these populations at my site.  

 Explain how the team and facility enhanced your learning experience. 

Everyone was so kind, patient, and eager to teach me—the pharmacists, floaters, technicians, and clerks. They made me feel that I belonged to the pharmacy and had an impact on our patients. Whenever any of the staff was going to begin a task, they would go over the task with me step-by-step then allow me to try out the task under supervision to enhance my learning experience. 

 What advice would you give to preceptors of pharmacy students? 

Ask your student what type of learner they are and try to accommodate to that style of learning while they are in your pharmacy. Dr. Woods asked me what my learning style was early on during my rotation and as someone who is a visual learner, Dr. Woods & the pharmacy staff made sure to incorporate visual learning when teaching me new things. This had a huge impact on my learning experience and made me feel cared for by the pharmacy staff. 

What about this rotation surprised you? 

I grew up in San Diego and had no clue that we had a large elderly Chinese population in downtown that only speak Mandarin. It showed me that representation is crucial, as the reason patients chose the Ralphs Pharmacy in downtown over others in the area was that they had Dr. Lee, a pharmacist who they were able to communicate with in Mandarin about their medication management and preventative care. We cannot let language be a barrier to seeking proper healthcare and while pharmacies do provide translation hotlines, it makes a huge difference to patients to have someone physically in front of them in the pharmacy speak their native language—as it allows for trust and relationships to be built between pharmacists and patients. 

Rotation site and preceptors: CKD & Kidney Transplant Clinics, Dr. Linda Awdishu, Dr. Summer Dyer, Dr. Janice Kerr  

What did you like most about this rotation?

Reflecting on my previous rotation at UC San Diego CKD & Kidney Transplant clinics, I recall feeling a bit flustered because I wasn't confident about becoming familiar with two closely related yet distinct pharmacotherapy approaches in just six weeks. However, my preceptors from both clinics were very attentive to me as a new learner and made sure to provide me with the clinics' protocols and helpful resources prior to my first day. 

Explain how the team and facility enhanced your learning experience?

My learning experience felt very personalized because the teams wanted to tailor the rotation to my goals. In the clinic, I had the autonomy to see patients on my own, but the preceptors were always there by my side to provide feedback on my recommendations and answer any questions I may have. I was able to learn from their experiences and grow as a student this way. With such strong support, I quickly became comfortable with the workflow and the outpatient aspect of disease management. 

What advice would you give to preceptors of pharmacy students?

As a student who is still developing my own clinical judgement, I seek an open and welcoming learning environment where preceptors are approachable and responsive to questions. I consider myself fortunate to have a team of preceptors who are nurturing, and I hope future students will be able to have the same experience as me. 

What about this rotation surprised you?

Before this rotation, I was unaware of the extent of collaboration between providers and pharmacists in clinics, and I was truly amazed when I observed the vital role pharmacists played. Providers depended on pharmacists for patient education, medication reconciliation, and to address any issues when patients encountered difficulties obtaining their prescribed medications. It was extremely rewarding to witness the value of pharmacists in healthcare firsthand. 

What was the most unique aspect of this rotation?

As I became more knowledgeable and more independent, I also learned to interpret trends in laboratory data and pick up on smalls details that strengthened my recommendations. Given the progressive nature of kidney disease, my time in the rotation quickly evolved into an eye-opening experience as I felt the continuity of care when transitioning from the CKD clinic to the Kidney Transplant clinic each week.  

Attending professional pharmacy meetings and residency/fellowship interviews is an important component of professional and career development for student pharmacists. Preceptors are encouraged to allow APPE students to attend professional meetings and interviews required for postgraduate applications. It is the responsibility of the student to organize these dates in ways to minimize the impact on their educational experiences. Students are expected to work with their preceptors when planning/scheduling interview dates. The Experiential Education Attendance and Absence Guidelines for the SSPPS may be viewed here

Benefits of an Affiliate Faculty Appointment include:
• Physical and VPN access to the UC San Diego library system
• Utilize the UC San Diego shuttle bus service (shuttles serve campus, UC San Diego medical centers and key points off campus)
• May be eligible for reimbursement for poster presentations and/or professional meeting registration
• Eligible to register for SSPPS Preceptor Development Programs, with CAPE or ACPE credit
For more information about how to obtain a faculty appointment please visit the Experiential Education section of the SSPPS website here

Christina Mnatzaganian, Pharm.D., Associate Dean, Experiential Education:                           cmnatzaganian@health.ucsd.edu                                                                               858-822-5642

Alex Luli, Pharm.D., Director, IPPEs:                                                          aluli@health.ucsd.edu
858-534-5750

Jennifer Le, Pharm.D., Coordinator, LA/OC:                                                                    jenle@health.ucsd.edu
858-534-3692

Pamela McGlynn, IPPE Experiential Education Coordinator:
pmcglynn@health.ucsd.edu
858-822-7803

Ezra Blaize, APPE Experiential Education Coordinator:
eblaize@health.ucsd.edu
858-822-2458

Reminder: If your contact information changes please
email Pam McGlynn at pmcglynn@health.ucsd.edu to up-date

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