On March 2, 2019, Prof. Donald E Letendre, Dean College of Pharmacy, University of IOWA, USA addressed GMU PharmD students on “Taking Personal Responsibility for Pharmacy’s Societal Imperative”.
During his presentation, Prof. Letendre emphasized the importance of ‘determining and defining societal needs’ and spoke about ‘intertwining professional objectives with overarching healthcare goals’, two crucial areas for every budding pharmacist to reflect upon. He further emphasized the importance of ‘professionalism’ in pharmacy practice and told the students to imbibe professionalism from day one at the entry to the College and continue throughout their professional career. He further said, “it is the high expectation from the faculty that drives quality education standards” and urged the students to think beyond examinations.
Dean Sherief Khalifa commented: As we deliver our curriculum we include elements of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Professional behavior is an integral part of these attitudes and plays an important role in carving and maintaining the image of the profession in the minds of pharmacists and the public.