We laugh off game shows, but they are tougher than they look. They require quick thinking, cool under pressure and a base of knowledge that runs both broad and deep. They can even require quick reflexes.
It’s no surprise that academic health sciences educators often use game show-type contests to test students — and no surprise that the UNMC College of Pharmacy often does well.
Fourth-year Pharm.D. students David Cordwin, Kristen Guiliano and Lauren Pohren recently made the national semifinals in the game show-style American College of Clinical Pharmacy Challenge.
The preliminary rounds featured more than 100 teams from schools and colleges of pharmacy from all 50 states. Teams had to advance through four online rounds to make it to live in-person competition. UNMC was one of eight teams to advance to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy 2017 ACCP Annual Meeting in Phoenix.
Cordwin, Guiliano and Pohren were the first UNMC team to make the live rounds, which consist of rapid-fire trivia, clinical case with questions, and finally, Jeopardy-style.
“The questions all test students’ therapeutic knowledge to solve drug therapy problems,” said their faculty leader, Kristen Cook, Pharm.D., pharmacotherapy lab coordinator and clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice.
UNMC beat Thomas Jefferson College of Pharmacy in the quarterfinals, then narrowly lost to eventual national champion University of Kentucky in the final four.
“The UNMC College of Pharmacy placing among the top four teams in the country is a great honor for the school,” Dr. Cook said.
Dr. Cook said several UNMC College of Pharmacy faculty and alums were at the ACCP annual meeting, and enthusiastically attended the live competition to support the team.
Fantastic ! Congrats !
We are SO proud of your accomplishments