Clinical Education Center is open for classes

Nine Binghamton PharmD students went remote this semester — but only after applying for the opportunity. All third-year students, they are the first cohort to take classes at the new Northwell Health Vivo Health Pharmacy Clinical Education Center (CEC) on Long Island.

Classes are taught in the CEC or at the Health Sciences Campus in Johnson City and simulcast to students at the other location.

“The first class was in January, and it was one of our complex cases courses,” said Danielle Cabral, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. “I went in early to make sure everything was set up, and Jim Conroy [School of Pharmacy technical coordinator] had done training for us, so it was pretty seamless.”

The students agreed with that sentiment.

“The class was activity based versus a didactic lecture,” Cabral added. “It gave students an opportunity to work in their groups while hearing the faculty and students from upstate.”

Cabral said two students, Oumaima Chamar and Lauren Radziewicz, are in charge of the CEC technology. In her absence, they led the group in setting up the Zoom sessions and communicating with the upstate faculty. Their role is also to serve as liaisons in communicating any potential issues that may arise throughout the time students are downstate.

“Having this unique experience, and being able to have downstate rotation sites were a few of the reasons we decided to apply for the CEC program,” said Chamar and Radziewicz. “In addition, our capstone project will be with a Northwell pharmacist, which will provide networking opportunities.”

“It’s definitely a team effort, between myself and Jessica Isaac, the downstate experiential education coordinator,” Cabral added. “It’s a team effort to make sure there are no issues with the class, supplies are there and there are no problems with the teaching updates.

“The first didactic class was a bit of a learning curve, dealing with the volume of the class or when to mute from our side or theirs,” Cabral added. “It involves coordination with the teaching between upstate and downstate.”

Overall, Cabral said the first week of classes went off with no issues. She was there the first few days to make sure logging on and simulcasting went smoothly.

“The students seem to appreciate being able to be downstate and still attend their classes,” Cabral said. “It broadens their opportunities for rotations too. Most of them are from the downstate area, so it allows them to be at home and start creating connects that can jumpstart their career. .

“Students have access to Northwell sites and are able to network in ways that are truly invaluable,” she added. “Northwell is very large, so it helps to have connections and to know people. Pharmacy is a small field and it a plus to know someone who can help you down the line.”

Chamar and Radziewicz agree. “We’re both very fortunate that Binghamton and Northwell have been able to collaborate to make this a possibility,” they said. “Aside from taking classes inside a working pharmacy and being close to home, being able to work throughout the semester is another perk. Applying knowledge we have learned and are continuing to learn throughout our didactics is helpful in making several concepts more cohesive and really seeing the full picture.”