New Rutgers Pharmacy Summer Program Welcomes 31 Students from South Korea
This summer, Rutgers Global and the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy (EMSOP) launched a new short-term program for international students on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus. The Rutgers Pharmacy Summer Program ran from July 5 through July 19 and welcomed 31 undergraduate and graduate pharmacy students from South Korea. The students hailed from Dongguk University, Ewha Womans University, Seoul National University, and Sungkyunkwan University. The goal of the two-week residential program was to introduce students to pharmacy education, clinical practice, biomedical research, and pharmaceutical career pathways in the United States. Here are some photos from the program.
Donna M. Feudo, Associate Dean for Experiential Education and Clinical Affairs at EMSOP, who helped organize the program, noted, “Our goal in launching this summer program is to foster vital international dialogue about the evolving scope of pharmacy practice.”
The Rutgers Pharmacy Summer Program included tours of the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and the Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science. Students attended lectures and interactive sessions on a range of topics including infectious diseases, pediatric pharmacy, point-of-care testing, psychiatric pharmacy, and pharmaceutical industry careers.
A special component of the program was a clinical simulation lab session led by Les Barta, Director of the Simulation Technology Program, along with a tour of the new Health & Life Science Exchange, or HELIX, building. (Here are some photos from the visit.) Students also ventured off campus for some industry tours and visits, including trips to Notitia Biotechnologies, CMIC Group and Rutgers C-SOPS (Center for Structured Organic Particulate Systems).
A crucial component of the program was that students were able to participate in career mentoring and panel discussions with Rutgers pharmacy students and Korean pharmaceutical professionals working in the New York/New Jersey region, thus gaining valuable insights for their future career paths.
While the program was designed to expand students’ knowledge, experience, and perspectives in pharmacy and NJ’s pharmaceutical ecosystem, participants also had the opportunity to experience a taste of life in New Jersey, including visits to the Rutgers Golf Course and the Jersey Shore. In addition, the students stayed on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus during their program, getting a taste of campus life at Rutgers.
On the final day of the program, students presented reflections on what they had learned on the program and reunited with the Rutgers team of faculty, staff, and program leaders who had supported them.
Daesung Lee, a graduate student from Dongguk University, reflected: “After experiencing firsthand the outstanding research environment at Rutgers Pharmacy and seeing the strong investment and innovation in the pharmaceutical field, I can confidently say that this was an incredibly meaningful and valuable experience in my research journey.”
Assistant Vice President for Global Affairs Ji-Yeung Jang added, “Our goal in creating this new short-term program with the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy was to offer international students a unique opportunity to broaden their academic and professional perspectives as pharmacy students and to consider future paths in clinical practice, research, biotechnology, and industry. It was gratifying to welcome more than 30 students in our first year!”
Jang added, “On behalf of Rutgers, we look forward to continuing these exchanges and building lasting academic and professional connections with students and institutions in South Korea.”
