Being a first-year pharmacy student in the current climate has been challenging. I’ve gone from seeing my friends and professors face-to-face on campus daily to logging on and attending most of my lectures in my room. The transition from an in-person foundation year to blended learning was unprecedented, but we’ve found ways to adapt.
Blended learning
Usually, my day starts with attending lectures and seminars through the online distance learning system Blackboard Collaborate in the morning, with a timely break in the afternoon. When my lectures finish early, I meet up with a friend outdoors (socially distanced, of course) to grab a coffee, and head to the university library to go over what was covered in the online session. Proactive learning is the way to go! We also try to finish any outstanding pre-work for future lectures. Then I relax with some Netflix and prepare for the next day.
Tips for proactive learning:
- Get in the habit of staying on top of your work, this will help as you progress through your pharmacy journey and engage better with the syllabus.
- Set realistic goals and timelines, and like Caroline, study with a friend to make it a more enjoyable experience.
Since pharmacy is a course that requires on-campus teaching, I often have labs. They are enjoyable and informative and one of the few instances where we can apply the content we learn into practice. My favourite practical to date was when I made an ibuprofen suspension. It was fascinating to understand the process of making something I had bought so frequently before. The labs are also a time where I can engage with my classmates, which I always look forward to.
My pharmacy year group agrees that the main disadvantage of online learning is being unable to fully communicate and collaborate with other students as well as staff, especially for the students who have come straight from A-levels. Our university uses Blackboard Collaborate which has been such a useful platform. I am able to access all my learning content online at any time. We also have year group meetings where students can directly voice any concerns they have in real-time to staff members. We understand that it has been a challenge for students and staff alike.
Having a year group WhatsApp chat has greatly helped because we can grapple with the course united! Nevertheless, on-campus lectures are something we are all looking forward to, once normality returns since it can be much easier to engage with lectures in person.
All of our PDA student reps introduce themselves on their cohorts’ WhatsApp groups. They represent students, and you can get in touch with them should you have any relevant questions, issues or information.
“The PDA is a supportive community and has allowed me to learn many things about pharmacy, especially the legal aspects.”
Becoming a PDA student representative has massively aided the transition process this year. It has been beneficial conversing and liaising with pharmacy students of all years across the country who are going through the same thing right now. The PDA is a supportive community and has allowed me to learn many things about pharmacy, especially the legal aspects of it, thanks to weekly newsletters, as well as the meetings on Microsoft Teams. It is always good to have further knowledge of this degree, so I definitely recommend any first years reading this to join the PDA today!
Pharmacy students can join the PDA for FREE. Those interested in being a student rep can sign up here.
By Caroline Matthew, first-year MPharm student, De Montfort University
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and encourage your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, pre-regs and for the first three months of being provisionally registered/newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.