The_Pulse_April_11

Pulse

The

News from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

April 2011

By the Numbers 4

Graduates Find Success by Following Different Paths Residency and Fellowship The Road Less Traveled: Naturopathic Medicine Point to Academic Career For Pharm.D. students looking to gain more specialized experience after graduation, the answer may lie in the form of a fellowship or residency (or both).

Jessica Adams, Class of 2009, is one recent graduate who decided on this path. She elected to forego more lucrative employment opportunities upon graduation and is now pursuing an HIV pharmacology fellowship at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy.

Jessica Adams ’09

Much of her work is clinical research, involving patient screening, enrollment, follow up, and data analysis. She also works in an HIV clinic and teaches a course called “Problems in Pharmacotherapy.” Adams began her fellowship in July 2010 and will continue there for two years. She chose the fellowship because of her interest in HIV and the positive HIV research experiences she had with ACPHS faculty members.

“There are very few fellowships that deal with HIV research specifically, and I wanted to be in an academic program that was associated with a pharmacy school so I could gain teaching skills and also be able to work in an HIV clinic where I could continue to practice clinical skills that I had learned in my prior residency,” Adams said.

“These few years at a reduced salary are worth it to me to pursue a career that better suits my interests long term.”

Many career paths exist for ACPHS graduates, regardless of their program of study. For those who decide not to immediately enter the workforce, graduate education is a popular choice, but very few have taken the path of Ronak Patel.

Beginning this fall, the B.S. student in Pharmaceutical Sciences will begin pursuit of his Naturopathic Doctorate (ND) at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in Tempe, Arizona. Patel originally saw himself pursuing an M.D., but he changed his mind after learning about career opportunities in naturopathy and shadowing a naturopathic doctor near his home in Connecticut. It’s a “natural” fit for someone whose two sisters are also involved with

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Find out why these students are smiling

See Naturopathy Continued on page 4

First Master’s Student Completes Successful Thesis ACPHS announced in 2008 that it would be enrolling students in its first graduate program, a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Earlier this year, Florian Radu made history as the College’s first master’s gradate when he successfully presented and defended his thesis.

Pharmaceutical Sciences Chair Bill Millington describes Radu as “a quintessential academic.”

He’s a hardworking one too. Radu completed the four-year bachelor’s program in pharmaceutical sciences in three years and did his master’s in about a year.

“His thesis defense was basically Ph.D.-level,” Millington said. “People on his thesis committee challenged his science, and he rose to that challenge.” Making the accomplishment even more impressive was the fact that he finished his thesis work while in his first year of study at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York City.

Radu’s thesis, titled “The Effect of Antioxidants on the Response of Rabbit Urinary Bladder to In Vitro Ischemia/Repertusion,” was done with Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Bob Levin

See Medical School

See Adams Continued on page 5

medicine (one is a doctor and one is a nurse).

Pharmaceutical Sciences Chair Bill Millington said Patel’s research and enterprise led him in this direction.

Ronak Patel ’11 “Ronak figured out what he really wants to do as a career,” Millington said. “He’s been successful in pursuing it, and I think success will continue in his work. What could be better than that?”

Florian Radu ’11 with thesis advisor Bob Levin

on 3 Reflections Japan’s recovery

Continued on page 4

tips from 5 Study the experts

2 The Pulse

April 2011

Capturing ACPHS: On and Off Our Campuses ACPHS-Vermont’s Operation Diabetes Outdoors Club Adventure A group of 25 faculty, staff and students involved in the College’s Outdoors Club travelled upstate to Indian River (in North Creek) for a day of whitewater rafting. The group traversed nearly 20 miles in the Indian and Hudson rivers.

Campus Welcomes Japanese Exchange Students

The Vermont Campus’ APhA chapter conducted their Operation Diabetes program on April 16. Twenty-two students participated in the event, including P1 students Selina Yun and James Guan (pictured above). They distributed information and performed glucose tests on approximately 200 people in two Burlington area malls. Seventeen of the people screened had high enough glucose levels that they were recommended to their physicians for follow ups.

ACPHS Academy Presentations

Exchange students from Tokyo’s Showa University recently arrived at the College and will spend six weeks on the Albany Campus. The five students (front center) came as part of ACPHS’s global exchange program and recently took part in a Multicultural Club event to raise reconstruction funds for Japan.

Pharmacy Legislative Day

Pharmacists and pharmacy students recently visited the State House in Albany to discuss a variety of health care topics with state legislators. Subjects included mail order medicine, immunization, Medicaid and collaborative drug therapy management. Pharmacy Practice Associate Professor Gina Garrison (speaker) hosted a morning rally, which was held before the legislative meetings.

Members of the Student Society of Health System Pharmacists speak with ACPHS Academy students about poison prevention (top). ACPHS mentors teach students how to make ointments (bottom).

April 2011

The Pulse 3

Reflections on Japan’s Natural Disasters and Recovery

By Dudley Moon Japan is an orderly country. The Japanese are an orderly people. On March 11, 2011 chaos replaced order as a powerful earthquake and tsunami struck the Tohoku region of Japan’s Honshu or main island.

The area most affected was about 150 miles northeast of Tokyo although the earthquake tremors were felt throughout Japan and Southeast Asia.

Like so many others around the world, I watched the videos and news clips of events that followed the earthquake and the tsunami (a Japanese word meaning literally “harbor wave”). The scenes of destruction were unbelievable and horrifying as we saw the waves wipe out houses and overtake fleeing cars. Watching the cars being caught by the tsunami was the worst part because you knew that there were people in those cars.

As the houses and whole villages were swept away, I remember hoping that everyone had gotten to safety. Yet I realized that was not probable, and it started to become

clear that many thousands of people had lost their lives.

I immediately began to contact my friends and colleagues in Japan to check on their safety.

Over the next two days I was relieved to hear from all of them.

But the images of the tsunami and those cars stayed with me.

Those people were gone; their families and friends had lost them.

For the first week or so, everyone in Japan was stunned. Most people in Japan simply did not know what to do. Although the majority of Japan was not damaged by the earthquake or tsunami, everyone was devastated – as if their town had been hit.

While this is a common response to a disaster, it seemed prolonged in Japan. It might have been the result of the media in Japan showing the horrific scenes over

and over again. But I think another factor was that for the average Japanese, the everyday order of things had been lost. The best analogy I can think of is what it might be like if the law of gravity had been repealed.

And the crisis is not over. At the time of this writing, the challenges to contain the Fukushima reactor breach continue. However, the Japanese people are recovering. Quietly and with no fanfare, resolve is building as each person decides what he or she needs to do to bring back order to Japan. It is not the kind of thing any Japanese person would talk about. It would be unseemly and self-promoting to traditional

Japanese. However, the Japanese people are incredibly resilient.

Already they are beginning to rebuild. And while they won’t speak about their efforts, all of my Japanese friends have expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the world and America in particular.

Recent years have presented many challenges with natural disasters occurring from Haiti to New Zealand and worldwide economic difficulties. It would be easy for folks to ignore the events in Japan as “not their problem.” But that has not been the case. People have responded throughout the world, and ACPHS students have been no exception. They have held a number of benefit activities to raise money for those affected by these tragic events.

So on behalf of my friends in Japan, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the relief efforts. Thank you.

Dudley Moon is a Professor of Biological Sciences. He has coordinated a rotation at Maruzen Pharmaceuticals in Japan for more than a decade. He also started an exchange program with Tokyo’s Showa University to promote cultural and academic exchange (see page 2).

Q&A with Health Sciences Assistant Professor Kenneth Ihenetu Kenneth Ihenetu recently joined the Department of Health Sciences as an assistant professor. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in his native Nigeria, he went to England for additional schooling, eventually obtaining his Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Hertfordshire. He is teaching Clinical Chemistry Lab and Biochemical and Cellular Technology this semester, and he recently answered a few questions about himself and his work.

What brought you to ACPHS? I came to the States to do my post-doctoral work. My first post-doc was in basic research in pharmacology and neuroscience. I trained at the University of Louisville to be a clinical chemist and at Texas A&M for clinical lab science. I also worked at the University of California-San Francisco’s clinical toxicology lab. I’ve always loved to teach, so I saw this position and applied for it.

What attracted you to this position?

The way the program is organized. The skills the students acquire are excellent.

The nature of the curriculum helps students do whatever they want to do. It broadens students’ perspectives on science. They can go into a number of industries. I wanted to become a part of that.

What do you love about your job?

I’ve always had a passion for teaching.

I enjoy interacting with young people, seeing them grow, being able to talk with them about science. I mentored more than 20 students at Texas A&M. We published together. I love mentoring. It’s a rewarding experience.

What’s most misunderstood about lab professionals?

They occupy very important positions in hospitals, but they don’t work on the front lines. Most people aren’t aware of what they do, but they perform many important functions. For example, more than 75% of diagnoses are based on the results of a laboratory test.

4 The Pulse

April 2011

By the Numbers: Relay for Life 39 | Number of registered teams.* 51 | Number of miles completed by Assistant Registrar and Men’s Basketball Coach Craig Tynan.

418 | Number of registered participants.* 3,300 | Number of dollars raised by ACPHS-VT students.

36,000 | Total number of dollars raised to date.* * Final numbers not yet available.

Medical School from page 1 serving as his advisor. Levin, along with many on his thesis committee, attested to Radu’s professionalism, diligence, and research talent. Radu has authored and co-authored several journal articles and presented at meetings of the American Urological Association – rare achievements for a student at any level.

“Florian is an extremely motivated individual with a real talent for basic and applied medical research,” said Levin.

Pharmaceutical Sciences Associate Professor Rich Dearborn also served on the committee and echoed the praise for Radu. “I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him grow as a student and a person. Florian has always been a hardworking student, reliable and sharp. He’s never wavered in the face of criticism, which he’s always taken in stride and used to improve — in this respect,

Florian is an ideal student,” Dearborn said.

Radu said he learned a lot at ACPHS as well. He is now thinking of specializing in urology and wants to teach someday. He is grateful for the ACPHS faculty members’ mentorship, and says he gleaned valuable research, time management, critical thinking, and communications skills while at the College.

“The labs and projects we had throughout the classes forced me to be a strong thinker and worker, both individually and within a group,” Radu said. “The research presentations, projects, thesis dissertation, and tutoring I did at ACPHS greatly improved my skills as a professional communicator. This will be particularly important to me because a key part of being a good physician is being a good communicator.”

Commencement Weekend Friday, May 13 Hooding and Awards Ceremony Albert M. White Gymnasium • 4:30 p.m. – Student arrive • Students with A-M last names report to the SC Atrium.

• Students with N-Z last names report to the SC 2nd Floor.

• 5:00 p.m. – Ceremony begins • 6:30 p.m. – Ceremony concludes. Reception to follow in Student Center for graduates and families.

Saturday, May 14 Commencement Empire State Plaza Convention Center • 12:00 p.m. – Convention Center opens • 12:30 p.m. – Student arrive at Convention Center and report in full regalia to Meeting Rooms 3 and 4 • 2:00 p.m. – Ceremony begins • 4:00 p.m. – Ceremony concludes There is no restriction on the number of guests that each graduate may bring to both events, but graduates are asked to try to limit parties to no more than four individuals.

Naturopathy from page 1 One of the things he quickly observed during his job shadow experience was that the doctor didn’t rush through her appointments, an aspect of the job which he finds very appealing.

“There was more listening than talking,” he said. “It was more of a conversation than going to the regular doctor.”

Patel wants to work on improving the diets of cancer patients, patients with diabetes, and obese children.

Through his interest in the field, he has already helped his diabetic father eliminate his dependence on medications and manage his disease through healthier eating.

“Nutrition is probably the most

physiology, and biochemistry) in important factor when treating the first year. The second year patients,” Patel said. “The better introduces disease response, educated people are about diagnoses, and naturopathic nutrition, the more they take out procedures. The third and fourth of staying healthy.” Currently, 15 years of the program focus on states have laws regulating clinical practice. naturopathic doctors. Licensed ND’s must obtain a four-year Alternative degree from a “The better educated medicine is naturopathic people are about nutrition, becoming an medicine school and pass a the more they take out of increasingly popular choice for comprehensive staying healthy.”

Americans, a fact board exam that was reinforced in the Patient (NPLEX).

Protection and Affordable Care Act (part of President Obama’s The academic program at SCNM, health care bill) which includes similar to other naturopathic provisions for both alternative medical colleges, begins with health care practitioners and medical sciences (anatomy, treatments.

Naturopathic treatments such as homeopathy, plant-based medicine, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and yoga are already covered by many health plans in the western United States (where most ND’s are licensed to practice), and they continue to gain wider acceptance in the rest of the country.

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that consumer demand for alternative health care will continue to grow because of “research and changing attitudes about alternative, noninvasive health care practices.”

The Department also recently revised its official definition of naturopathic doctors so they can be categorized as primary care providers.

April 2011

SGA Senate and Class Programming Representatives for the 2011-2012 school year

The Pulse 5

Study Tips from the Experts

Second Year Class of 2016/2014 President – Stephen Ziter Vice-President – George Oliva Secretary/Treasurer – Jicae Nuguid Programming Representatives – Brianna Luft and Jayne Graffam Third Year Class of 2015/2013 President – Sarwang Shah Vice-President- Miranda Mazzariello Secretary/Treasurer- Alex Grieco Programming Representatives – Ronald Ta and Nick Maggi Fourth Year Class of 2014/2012 President – Dan Corwin Vice-President – Peter Aiello Secretary/Treasurer – Emily Bruni Programming Representatives – Ashley Seakan and Jacqueline L’Heureux Fifth Year Class of 2013 President – Travis Lemon Vice-President – Sarah DeRuosi Secretary/Treasurer – Alex Goh Programming Representatives – Sarah Botting and Brittany Fitzpatrick

As the academic year winds to a close and final exams quickly approach, we asked Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Michael Pittman, ACPHS-Vermont Pharmacy Practice Assistant Professor Sommer Zarbock and Academic Support Coordinator Julianne Messia to provide some exam tips for students.

• Analyze old exams. This means not only looking at the content of the questions, but also the types of questions.

• Create your own study guides by making charts, diagrams, flow charts and/or flash cards.

• Use different colors when highlighting material. If you learn best by listening, make an audio recording of your notes.

• Write your own exam questions. If you were the professor, what information would be important?

• Review the hardest material first. You will need the most time and energy to tackle the difficult topics.

• Take advantage of faculty office hours.

• Get plenty of sleep, exercise and fresh air. Eat well and treat yourself. Cook your favorite meal, go for a run, do yoga.

• Try to have fun and remember success isn’t all about grades.

Eliminating stress goes a long way towards helping you concentrate.

Sixth Year Class of 2012 President – Peter D’Amigo

Adams from page 1 Fellowships often lead to tenuretrack faculty positions, with the ultimate goal being to develop an independent researcher. “Fellowships are a structured approach to doing research,” Pharmacy Practice Professor George Bailie said, and they typically last two to three years.

Bailie, who was an infectious disease fellow at the University of Minnesota in the 1970s, added that the competition for fellowships can be intense. There are about 50 fellowships in the U.S. for which Pharm.D.’s qualify, mostly at large universities.

Where fellowships are more research focused, residencies place a greater emphasis on patient care. More than 30 ACPHS students have received residencies since 2008.

Prior to UNC, Adams did a pharmacy practice residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. In the future, Adams hopes to continue to have this mix of experiences.

“Following the completion of my fellowship, I hope to be well prepared to start a faculty position where I will be able to teach, do research, and maintain some clinical practice,” she said.

There are two fellowships offered through ACPHS. Pharmacy Practice Associate Professor Tom Lodise runs an infectious disease fellowship, and Pharmacy Practice Assistant Professor Darius Mason runs a nephrology fellowship.

More information on fellowships and residencies can be found through your academic advisor or online through the American Colleges of Clinical Pharmacy (www.accp.com) and the American Society of HealthSystem Pharmacists (www.ashp.org).

Get Involved!

For students interested in helping shape academic or student life at the College, there is a range of committees on which you can serve.

Send an e-mail to SGA@acphs.edu to express your interest in any of the below committees.

Academic Advising Committee Academic Standards Committee Advisory Committee to Campus Safety Affirmative Action Committee Bachelor of Science Curriculum Committee Curricular Assessment Committee Dean’s Committee Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Committee Dining Services Committee Educational Resources Committee Library Advisory Committee Pharmacy Admissions and Academic Standards Pharmacy Curriculum Committee Student Conduct Committee Undergraduate Admissions and Academic Standards Committee

6 The Pulse

April 2011

Checking The Pulse A roundup of ACPHS news and notes

The

Teachers of the Year Announced. Department of Arts and Sciences Instructor Ellen Kennett ’91, Department of Pharmacy Practice Instructor Andy Flynn ’87 and ACPHS-Vermont Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Dorothy Pumo are the recipients of ACPHS’s Teachers of the Year awards for 2010-11. Kennett received the Traditional Teacher of the Year award, which recognizes an outstanding faculty member in the first two years of the curriculum. Pumo received the Vermont Faculty Member of the Year award, and Flynn received the Professional Teacher of the Year award for the third time. The Professional Teacher of the Year award recognizes an outstanding faculty member in years P1- P3. The awards are voted on by students in years 1-5.

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin Visits ACPHS-VT Campus. Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin visited the ACPHS-Vermont Campus on April 21 to discuss his proposed single payer health care plan for the state. Students, faculty, alumni, and pharmacists from across the region filled the main lecture hall to learn more about the bill which intends to provide all Vermonters with access to health care. The Governor spoke for nearly an hour, spending 20 minutes providing an overview of the plan and then using the remaining time to take questions about various aspects of the proposal, including its potential impact on the practice of pharmacy.

Rho Chi Receives Praise for Chapter Proposal. The Rho Chi Honor Society Gamma Gamma Chapter has been selected by the national organization to receive a 2011 Chapter Project Proposal Award for their project, “Balance Beyond the Books.” The project incorporates a multi-faceted initiative aimed to support fellowship among students, faculty and staff at ACPHS, fostering development of student pharmacists as well-rounded lifelong learners, including the following five key components included within “The Oath of a Pharmacist” and the “Pledge of Professionalism”: academics, community outreach, collegiality, personal health and wellness and professional advocacy. Chapter President Scott Beeman ’11 accepted the $500 award and plaque on behalf of the chapter at the Rho Chi Annual APhA Meeting/Award Presentation in Seattle last month.

ACPHS-Vermont Chapter Recognized for Video. Congrats to Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences-Vermont for placing in the Top 10 for the 2010 APhA-ASP PharmFlix Public Service Announcement Video Contest. The theme was “Know Your Medicine, Know Your Pharmacist” and the chapter filmed an eHarmony parody (“ePharmony”). You can view the video on the ACPHS YouTube channel, ACPHS1881.

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Summer Calendar May Monday-Friday, May 9-13 – New York State Board Review Friday, May 13 – Hooding and Awards Ceremony Saturday, May 14 – Commencement Thursday, May 19 – CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge Monday, May 23 – First Summer Session classes begin Monday, May 30 – Memorial Day

June Friday-Sunday, June 3-5 – Reunion Weekend Wednesday, June 15 – Continuing Education Event: Pharmacy Practice Update

July Monday-Friday, July 4-8 – Summer break (College closed) Monday, July 11– Second Summer Session classes begin

August Monday, August 8 – Dean’s Cup Golf Tournament Wednesday, August 10 – Continuing Education Event: Annual Medication Errors Symposium Thursday-Sunday, August 25-28 – Orientation for the First Year Class and Transfer Students Monday, August 29 – Classes start

September Monday, September 5 – Labor Day (College closed)

The Pulse Editorial Staff Editor Patrick Rathbun • Contributors Gil Chorbajian, Dudley Moon • Designer Debbie Lussier Send questions, comments or submissions to patrick.rathbun@acphs.edu or call 518-694-7131.