Outstanding faculty: Kristen Cook, PharmD

Kristen Cook, PharmD, a clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice and science in the UNMC College of Pharmacy, will receive the Outstanding Teacher Award during the annual faculty meeting to be held virtually via Zoom on April 18, beginning at 3 p.m. Details to access the ceremony will follow in UNMC Today.

• Name: Kristen Cook, PharmD
• Title: Clinical associate professor
• Joined UNMC: 2007 
• Hometown: Grand Island, Nebraska

What are the greatest rewards of teaching? 

Working with students who have struggled and watching them grow. Collaborating with a fellow educator who shares enthusiasm to innovate in the classroom. Pushing students outside of their comfort zone to help them realize they can handle a difficult situation or topic. Taking risks and being creative in the classroom, which sometimes work great and sometimes fail. 

What are the biggest challenges you face as a teacher? 

Time. I still haven’t found a way to create more of it in a day. Please reach out to me if you have. I’d love more time to incorporate more individualized learning and feedback. The pace at which technology and health care are changing creates a challenge to adapt content and skills you are teaching to help your students be prepared for the future of health care. 

Describe a moment in your career when you knew you chose the right occupation. 

Watching the first class of students I had taught all four years go through hooding at our UNMC College of Pharmacy ceremony. 

How do you know when you’ve been a successful teacher? 

My success as a teacher has been influenced and supported by so many others I work with. I’m a big believer in teamwork and collaboration in teaching ultimately leading to a better learning environment for students. I feel most successful when I’ve worked with other educators to develop an innovative session, case or simulation that students are actively engaged in and walk away from feeling like they can better take care of patients. It’s important for learners to see educators work as a team, which helps them feel supported and invested in. I’m lucky that I get to work with fellow educators and students every day that value learning together.