More than 120 students from Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Upstate Medical University received first-hand experience with geriatric patient care on Monday.
“The focus of the visit includes a review of medical history and active medical problems, a comprehensive medication review, and a gait and balance assessment,” said Kenneth McCall, the chair and clinical professor of pharmacy practice. “Student teams are asked to complete a clinical assessment of fall risk factors and potentially inappropriate medications. We’re trying to make this simulation as close as possible to what they’d experience out in the field.”
Students were divided into different teams that included a pharmacy student, a physical therapy student and a medical student who work together to perform an annual wellness visit for an older adult.
Denise Romano, an assistant professor of physical therapy, shared her excitement in getting her inaugural class of students involved in an event like this.
“This was such a valuable opportunity for our students to be able to learn about, from and with pharmacy and medical students,” Romano said. “Organizing IPE activities can be challenging, especially when it comes to aligning curricula and schedules, so it was great to see everything come together so smoothly.”
Throughout the four-hour training event, the student groups rotated working with 11 community members who volunteered to act as patients for the students to interview and practice with.
Diane Sasina, a volunteer and Endicott resident, was impressed with the students she was with and how thorough they were during the assessment.
“They are very organized,” Sasina said. “They help you feel comfortable when you start and they’re thorough. They not only looked professional, but they worked well together, and they wanted to do a good job. I was very impressed.”
Another volunteer, Lisa Mihalko, who is a former pharmacist and Endicott resident, understands first-hand the importance of simulations like this.
“Patients are the best thing you can have for any student,” Mihalko said. “When you actually have a patient who responds to what they’re saying and looks at you for the answers, it’s the best training that they could have. I remember being so nervous when I was still in school and had to practice with patients. Now, I’ve sort of come full circle!”
One of the students who participated in the simulation was P3 Pharmacy Student Hamza Rashid. While working with patients was the highlight of the day for many, Rashid was just as interested in working with and learning from students from different disciplines.
“I feel like it was very important to work with other groups and professionals such as medical students and physical therapy students,” Rashid said. “It was very eye-opening to see their specific specialties and how we can corroborate with other groups to work together to help a patient. I thought was very interesting to see what they know versus what I know.”
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