The Importance of Staying Connected
When I came to Madison in October 2003 as dean of this incredible School, the single most amazing feature I found -- among a huge array of amazing features -- was the dedication and generosity of our alumni. Your desire to stay connected with the School takes many forms: serving as a mentor for our students; functioning as a clinical instructor in the experiential education portion of the PharmD curriculum; giving your time as a guest lecturer, discussion group leader or Board of Visitors member; recruiting our PhD students for careers in industry; including the School in your philanthropic priorities; and participating in the events of the Pharmacy Alumni Association, among many, many things. I cannot overemphasize the importance of staying connected. You are, and will always be, important members of the School of Pharmacy family.
You'll be hearing more about ways to stay connected with the School in terms of upcoming Pharmacy Alumni Association activities, all of which ultimately support our people and programs in important ways. For example, the eighth annual PAA Golf Tournament is coming up in June. Thanks to your interest in staying connected through this mechanism, over $20,000 was raised last year for PharmD scholarships. During fall semester, we'll hold our 2006 Alumni Weekend, a wonderful way to stay connected with the faculty, your classmates, and other alumni of the School.
I'll be on the road again this semester, scheduling visits to Milwaukee, Green Bay, Wausau, Eau Claire, La Crosse (May 23) and Madison to stay connected with you. With the help of local "point people"in these areas, we'll have a social gathering of some kind, after which I'll offer a one-hour presentation that has been approved for CE credit. I don't have any alumni dinners planned outside the state at the moment, but hope to visit Minneapolis soon to stay connected with our many alumni in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.
Please continue to stay connected with the School. I look forward to seeing you at upcoming PAA events, around campus, or during my visits throughout the state and the country. On Wisconsin!
Reaccreditation
As mentioned in the last Pharmacy Graduate, we continue with the process of obtaining reaccreditation of the PharmD program. The self-study of our activities, shaped around eight "standards,"was submitted to our accrediting agency, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) in early February. An external review team will be visiting UW in early April to validate the self-study and get a first-hand view of the School and our programs. Their report then goes to the ACPE Board of Directors who will determine the final outcome. I'm very proud of the product of this extensive activity, as well as the process that was used, involving faculty, staff, administration, students and alumni. Thanks to everyone who was connected in some way with this important activity. The School's self-study is available on CD, and I would be more than happy to share it with you; just let me know if you would like a copy.
Pharmacists thanked for contribution of time
Many thanks to the pharmacists around the state who have partnered with the UW School of Pharmacy in the following areas: participation as clinical instructors for required and specialty experiential rotations; service on School of Pharmacy Committees (e.g.. Quality Review Council, Board of Visitors, Admissions, etc.); participation in our first year of applicant interviews for the Doctor of Pharmacy program; presentations in class and/or seminars; on-site application of didactic course work (e.g. supporting the Communication and Medication Safety courses); and participation in Pharmacotherapy Lab, the annual Town Hall Meetings and Visits with the Dean. Your contributions are greatly appreciated.