Pharmacy residents and professionals from across the Southeast gathered at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy for the fifth annual Research in Education and Practice Symposium on May 21 and 22.
REPS 2018 included podium presentations from over 120 residents, fellows and postgraduate trainees, as well as three professional development lectures and numerous networking opportunities.
Residents were each allotted 12 minutes for their podium presentations and three minutes for questions, and they received feedback from evaluators after presenting their research. Presenters included residents from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and UNC Health Care, as well as presenters from medical centers across the state and out-of-state visitors from the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Tennessee.
The symposium provides residents with the opportunity to learn and improve upon their research skills, said Stephen Eckel, Pharm.D., M.H.A., a clinical associate professor at the School and a member of the REPS planning committee.
“REPS allows residents to receive feedback on their research presentations so they can learn and grow in their careers,” Eckel said. “By watching other presentations, they can also learn about pharmacy research being done across the region and celebrate and support their colleagues as they share the results of their hard work.”
On May 22 Tim Brown, Pharm.D., the director of clinical pharmacotherapy services at the Cleveland Clinic at Akron General, delivered a keynote lecture on building a resilient and thriving pharmacy workforce.
Professional development lectures occupied the time between podium presentations. On May 21, residents attended a panel discussion on health system and community pharmacy, moderated by Clinical Professor Stefanie Ferreri, Pharm.D., the executive vice chair of the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education.
On May 22, financial planners Eric Chetwood and Katherine Edwards presented a lecture on personal finance, and Michelle McCarthy, Pharm.D., the coordinator of pharmacy education and graduate programs at the University of Virginia, lectured on successfully matching learning activities and objectives.