The PharmacyFika crew critically examines educational trends, how fads develop, and why they fade. In this episode, you'll discover: 1) Tina loves boiled peanuts but is circumspect about the nutritional value of fish sticks, 2) Jeff, the grittiest guy we know, is ironically skeptical about measuring and teaching grit, 3) Stuart thinks learning styl…

The Fika Crew share their pharmacy educator meeting experiences at the Monash Pharmacy Education Symposium in Prato, Italy, and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting in Boston, MA. Kristin shares her travel misadventures, Tina wants to turn the "dark caves" of convention centers into "delightful" learning spaces, Je…

Critical reflection is an important part of our work as teachers. Kristin, Jeff, and Stuart discuss the four lenses through which teaching practices can be examined: the personal lens, the student lens, the colleague lens, and the theoretical lens. Sadly, Tina had technical difficulties and couldn't join us for this discussion. But don't feel too b…

The Fika Crew explores the things that boost and drain our mental and physical energy. Energy management (personal and organizational energy, not national energy policy) seems like an appropriate topic as we head into the summer months. Learning what generates positive energy and how to mitigate things that drain, sap, and siphon energy can enhance…

The Fika Crew talks with Sara Stallworth, PharmD, MPH from the University of Kentucky and Mira Haddad from The Ohio State University about their journey toward a career in academia. Joining a college or school of pharmacy (or other academic institution) as a faculty member can be enormously rewarding, but it is not right for everyone. How do progra…

On the heels of March Madness (the NCAA College Basketball Tournament) and the Spring Rx Writing Challenge, the Fika Crew talks with Zachary Noel, PharmD, PhD, BCCP—Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy—about his recently published paper on ungrading individual readiness assessment tests (iRAT) and its …

The Fika Crew (back in full force this month) talk about the challenges of receiving feedback. How we receive feedback is colored by our identity (and beliefs about self), the relationship with the person giving feedback, and our beliefs about what is "true." Few of us have had formal instruction on how to receive feedback well - but perhaps this s…

Three of the Fika Crew (missing Kristin's wisdom) talk about their challenges and successes in delivering meaningful feedback to learners. Using a consistent and shared framework for providing feedback to learners in various contexts (assignments, practice laboratory, OSLEs, and experiential education) can make feedback more apparent, more actionab…

The Fika crew invited Caroline L. Ko, PharmD, BCCCP - Associate Clinical Professor at the University of the Pacific - and Ila M. Saunders, PharmD, BCOP - Health Sciences Clinical Associate Professor at the University of California San Diego - to talk about their work to create the PharmGradWishList and how service can be uplifted and recognized in …

In this epidose, we speak with Denise H. Rhoney - Ron and Nancy McFarlane Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy - and Zubin Austin - Professor at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto - about Competency-based Education (CBE). There is a movement afoot to transform health pr…

The Fika Crew talks about scholarly writing — the process, discipline and activation, joy and pleasure, technology, and success. If you've ever felt you were in a writing rut, you're not alone! Kristin, the mastermind behind the Rx Writing Challenge, guides us through a discussion about our writing habits. Introductions and Fika Sharing from 0:00 t…

In this epidose, we speak with Lindsey J. Yates, DDS - Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and Assistant Director, Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus - about the benefits and challenges of interprofessional education. There are lots …

The Fika Crew is delighted to have Melissa Medina, Ed.D. - Interim Dean, Professor, and Associate Dean for Assessment and Evaluation, University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy - to talk about the Curricular Outcomes and Entrustable Professional Activities (COEPA, pronunciation: / kōp pä/) released in 2022 by the American Association of Colleges of…

In this epidose, Jeff, Tina, and Stuart share with Kristin their observations, reflections, and key takeaways from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting held July 22-25, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Introductions and Fika Sharing from 0:00 to 3:14 Our Conversation about AACP Meeting Reflections starts at 3:15 _________…

We're gearing up for the fall semester and sharing ideas on how to get your class off to a great start. Can you make your syllabus more inviting (and less about asserting authority and power)? How about a brief, fun video introducing the important themes or critical questions you'll explore in the course? Can you engage students in a fun, energizin…

Humans are naturally curious, and we are learning machines! But do most of our students truly know what it takes to learn? We all learn to walk quite naturally ... but becoming an ultra-marathoner takes a whole new set of physical, cognitive, and psychological skills. The Fika Crew considers what it takes to become a self-regulated life-long learne…

We talk with AACP President and Pharmacy Fika Super-Fan Russell B. Melchert, Ph.D. - Dean, University of Missouri-Kansas City and Professor, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences - about the importance of community and connection to our sense of wellbeing. Learning is a social phenomenon, and the advancement of our disciplines, profe…

The Fika Crew invites Michelle D. Lazarus, Ph.D. - Associate Professor of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Monash University and Author of The Uncertainty Effect: How to Survive and Thrive Through the Unexpected - to talk about tolerance of uncertainty. Our lives are filled with uncertainty. Healthcare decisions are filled with uncertainty. The…

The Fika Crew talks with Dr. Timothy Aungst from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy - Worcester Campus about artificial intelligence and how it will reshape healthcare delivery and pharmacy education. Undoubtedly these new tools will enable us to work more efficiently and tackle bigger problems. But it may lead to downsizing and diminish the val…

The Fika Crew talks about their mentoring relationships - some organic, some formal, some long-term, some narrowly defined. Academic institutions have grown to recognize the importance of mentoring and many have created formal structures and processes to ensure everyone can be successful. But do formal mentoring programs really work? The results so…

Exploring mysteries, being inquisitive, and approaching the world with a sense of wonder are at the very heart of the academy. In this epidose, Jeff leads a discussion about curiosity. Dr. Daniel Malcom shares with us the connection between aviation "incidents" and drug safety ... and how stories, deprivation "gaps," cognitive dissonance, and criti…

In this epidose, Kristin leads a discussion about happiness at work. Dr. Seena Haines shares with us the ingredients for happiness through the lens of the PERMA+H Model - Positive emotions (P), Engagement (E), Positive Relationships (R), Meaning (M), Accomplishment/Achievement (A), and Health (H). We talk about the importance of recovery experience…

In this epidose, Jeff, Kristin, Tina, and Stuart grapple with how to make the learning environment more inclusive. In recent years, there's been lots of attention devoted to inclusive teaching with the goal of addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Should we be catering to different learning styles? Supporting students who ar…

In this epidose, the Fika Crew talk about when, where, and how they get into deep work -> cognitively demanding work that requires undistracted time with our full attention. The world seems to find more and more ways to intrude and disrupt, so we all need to be more intentional about creating the conditions for deep work to occur. Whether it's writ…

In this epidose, Dr. Jeanne Frenzel shares with us her experience with and insights about ungrading - a process to de-emphasize grades, scores, ratings, and rankings while increasing student motivation toward mastery. It's human nature to compare ourselves to others, but the most important comparison is to our past performance and achieving our per…

In this episode, we talk about overload and bloat. We've got far too much material to cover and not enough time to cover it. We've got too many things to accomplish, and not enough resources to accomplish them! Our natural tendency is ADD when addressing a problem rather than subtracting, simplifying, or streamlining. Subtracting isn't always the b…

In this episode, we talk about student engagement ... or the lack thereof ... cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, behavioral engagement, and professional engagement. Students seem less connected to the faculty and their peers, despite "returning" to campus this past year. There are likely a number of converging contributing factors: increas…

Citizenship involves acting in ways that advance the common good. It's about being community-minded, convivial, loyal, and service-oriented. Citizenship within many colleges and universities has been slowly eroded and devalued in favor of individual achievement. In this episode, we explore the essential elements of academic citizenship and how to c…

In this episode, we explore the fundamental elements of critical thinking, how to signpost it, and why context matters. We discuss how to model critical thinking and when to engage students in the process. Are we presenting students with too many "simple" problems with pat answers? Or should we give students wicked problems without clear answers? S…

In this episode, we describe the performance evaluation processes mandated at our universities/colleges/schools — what works and what doesn't. Too many purposes often lead to onerous processes that don't serve anyone well. ______________________________ Resources Peppercorn S. 5 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask Their Direct Reports. Harvard Bus…

In this episode, we talk about our experiences working in high-functioning teams and how to find a team to produce scholarly works related to teaching and learning. While teams of "convenience" are commonplace, finding collaborators outside your immediate circle, people with complementary skills and experiences, can really boost your creativity, pr…

In this episode, we discuss the value of generalists (aka utility infielders) - faculty with broad knowledge and range of skills - and why our students may be better served by generalists rather than specialists. While academia (and clinical practice) prizes specialization, there are downsides. Narrowing our focus too much can limit creativity and …

In this episode, we discuss our frustrations with various grading systems and how they can have harmful effects on students. Grades are a powerful motivator but have become a poor substitute for what really matters. There may be some alternative ways to assess student performance ... but we run out of time! We need to come back to this discussion i…

In healthcare, we try our best to coordinate patient handoffs and handovers to ensure smooth transitions. But in higher education, it's frowned upon. Why? We explore the potential benefits and risks of sharing student performance data between preceptors and educators in the same educational program (handoffs) and between educational programs (hando…

Pharmacy Fika is a podcast for pharmacy educators by pharmacy educators. Mission: We want to create a positive, compassionate, and fun "place" where pharmacy educators gather to discuss teaching and learning, SoTL, and academic life. We value excellence without perfectionism, practical actions, and community. Hosts: Jeff Cain, EdD, MS (@DrJeffCain)…