Amidst the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, we speak to students and staff of the Department in this issue of PharmConnect to find out how they have been coping with and overcoming disruptions to their learning and work. As we stay physically apart, these perspectives will hopefully shed light on our different circumstances and enable us to remain socially connected; we stay as a strong ‘Pharmily’ during this season.
Ng Hong Kai (Year 1 Pharmaceutical Science student)
Hi Hong Kai (HK)! How have you been adapting to the classes that have been converted to e-learning format?
HK: E-learning requires much more self-discipline and motivation than physical lessons which I quickly realised is not one of my fortes! I normally study together with my group of friends which often gives me the peer pressure and motivation I need to stay focused. However, with the implementation of e-learning, we have also moved online with the physical study sessions being converted to Skype study sessions.
It sounds like a major change! What are some study methods that have helped you to learn better?
HK: Although there is a difference between seeing my friends physically and through a screen, we are still able to motivate and encourage each other to continue studying. I have also compiled a to-do list along with a timetable to ensure I stay disciplined and motivated to do my work! While there are certain challenges and limitations to e-learning, it is definitely heart-warming to see the various professors do their best to assist and cater to the various learning styles of students in this unprecedented time.
What are some things you miss most about the days prior to this COVID-19 episode?
HK: There are many things I miss but the one thing I miss the most would definitely be the various social interactions with my friends. While we have been keeping in touch through various social media and messenger apps, it definitely doesn’t feel the same without the physical interaction. Being unable to physically meet up, we have started playing and exploring various games and activities that we wouldn’t have done normally. To our surprise, we really enjoyed them!
Is there any advice you would like to give to our readers?
HK: It is important to take care of our mental health in this challenging time and the rediscovery of online activities are perhaps a silver lining in the cloud.
Hi Mr Fan (FWJ)! Hong Kai shared with us that all classes have been moved online due to the current COVID-19 situation. I was wondering what happened to the practical classes?
FWJ: As practical classes are focused on experiential learning via hands-on experiments, it was quite a pity that practical classes had to be suspended in light of the COVID-19 situation. However, as a faculty we were able to conserve the experiential learning by filming the entire experiment process, including the briefing, experimental procedures and de-briefing contents. Although the mode of teaching has changed but students were still able to partake and experience the practical to acquire the intended learning outcomes.
It must have taken a lot of effort to film all these videos. Thank you for your dedication! Could you share with us an insight you’ve gained through this experience?
FWJ: The entire teaching faculty has no doubt been greatly affected by the COVID-19 situation, but perhaps our students might be the ones who were the most affected considering the changes made. This crisis has proved to us, especially to the current cohort of students, that we are all adaptable and resilient even if we think we are not.
Teaching Assistant Mr Fan Wenjie
Sneak peek of two of the videos Mr Fan recorded for practicals on 1) purification of a flavoprotein (picture on the left) and 2) specific detection of antigens by ELISA (picture in center and right).
Teh Feng Kun (Year 3 Pharmacy student)
Hi Feng Kun (FK)! Now that everything has been converted to online, how has your studying been?
FK: I hope everyone is coping well! For me, with e-learning formats such as webcasts and Zoom lessons, I find it slightly more challenging to understand and absorb the lecture content, especially at the start when everyone was not used to it. As someone who attends lectures often, being physically there at the lecture theatre helps me to stay more attentive throughout the lesson and absorb better. One needs a sheer amount of discipline to sit in front of the computer screen all day and not get distracted by online shows/ social media.
It certainly does! Hopefully you’re able to remain disciplined in this period too! Is the home environment more conducive for you?
FK: Home isn’t the ideal environment for me to learn and study especially when it’s so tempting to wake up later/ take a longer nap/ eat more snacks. I miss seeing my friends face-to-face, because catching up with each other online isn’t really the same, although it’s definitely the safer option for everyone now.
Oh yes, the freedom to go out! If all goes well, perhaps we can do so responsibly after the Circuit Breaker ends! Is there anything you would like to say to your friends or even our faculty during this period?
FK: I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the lecturers who are also adapting to this new mode of teaching and having to adjust lesson plans/ assessments as the situation evolves rapidly. It is really not an easy time for everyone – let’s hang on and persevere together!
Hi Prof Chan (CSY)! Can you share with us what happened to the Pre-Employment Clinical Training (PECT) during the COVID-19 season?
CSY: When DORSCON Orange was launched on 7 February, the Ministry of Health (MOH) halted all clinical training. Singapore Pharmacy Council (SPC), Chief Pharmacist & the Department worked with 3 Retail Pharmacy Chain Chief Preceptors (RPs) to develop, endorse and launch the Contingent Module (CM) to replace the on-site community pharmacy training of interns on 11 February. This paved the way for uninterrupted completion of PECT prior to these interns’ graduation and commencement of pre-registration pharmacist training.
It must have been an enormous undertaking to develop the CM in just 4 days. What does the CM consist of and how are the interns assessed without on-site training?
CSY: Ms Esther Huang of Guardian, Ms Tan Swee Chin and Mr Edwin Lee of Unity, Mr Anson Lim and Ms Chung Wing Lam of Watsons, Mrs Felicia Ling of SPC, Ms Tan Mui Ling, Dr Yap Kai Zhen, Ms Tan Poh Leng and I sat together for 2 hours to draft the CM on 7 February. The training team of RPs contributed reading materials and assignments on community pharmacy topics. Pharmacists with ample practice and teaching experiences, Mr Khu Jia Vui, Ms Tan Chew Eng, Ms Tan Poh Leng, were engaged as part-time Clinical Educators to enhance the setting of daily assignments and weekly assessments, grade the interns’ work and provided regular feedback via video-conferencing platform (LumiNUS and Zoom).
A/Prof Chan Sui Yung
A big thank you to you and the team for sustaining the new model of community pharmacy PECT. Do you have any thoughts about this experience?
CSY: I am pleasantly delighted by and deeply indebted to fellow pharmacists of MOH, SPC and the PECT training institutions (Guardian, Unity, Watsons, community hospitals, Health Sciences Authority and Pharma companies) for spontaneously working together with us to support our resilient students during this challenging time. It certainly takes the entire PharmVillage to be united as we grow our pharmacy students during this COVID storm.
Smiling Pharmacy Year 4 students with A/P Chan Sui Yung just before DORSCON Orange.
(From left to right and their respective PECT arrangement: Ong Li-Suen & Ada Tan on off-site training with Watsons and Guardian,
Charmaine See & Juliana Fransisca working from home with Johnson & Johnson and Servier,
Timothy Tan & Long Zhaorong on off-site training with Unity@Fairprice.)
Nichole Tan (Year 4 Pharmacy student)
Hi Nichole (N)! We heard from A/Prof Chan Sui Yung about changes in PECT during COVID-19. From a student’s perspective, could you share with us how your batch has been affected?
N: With the COVID-19 situation, some of our on-site PECT at community pharmacies has been suspended and replaced with a Contingency Module, comprising daily assignments and submissions, and weekly quizzes.
Oh, it’s great that the department is able to come up with contingency plans so quickly! Through this, are there any learning points that you took away?
N: I realised that self-discipline is key to not only submitting assignments on time, but setting high expectations for myself is also important in ensuring that I hand in quality work. Without the actual experience of physically being in the pharmacy, I also had to take charge of my own learning by doing things such as going to pharmacies (before Circuit Breaker) to familiarise myself with the presentation and range of products, and get a sense of the general operations of a community pharmacy. Setting goals throughout the day and achieving them also kept motivated.
What are some things you miss most about the days prior to this COVID-19 episode?
N: I do miss the sense of normalcy prior to COVID-19. Simple things such as meeting up with different groups of friends, and going to crowded places like malls and places of attraction on the weekends are things that we all have to put on hold for now. In fact, I actually miss going to work! I had a great time at my PECT pharmaceutical industry rotation, and I was disappointed to hear that our community pharmacy PECT had been suspended as I was looking forward to it. However, at the same time I am extremely grateful to the Faculty, Clinical Educators, and Preceptors at Guardian, Unity, and Watsons, for putting together the Contingency Module at such short notice and for supporting our learning.
Hi Prof How (PH)! Could you share with us what you have done/changed in your usual Pharm.D. classes to adapt to the measures put in place in this COVID-19 situation?
PH: In light of Dorscon Orange and with more stringent measures put in place in the public healthcare institutions, we could not conduct clinical practicum sessions in the hospitals for the Pharm.D. students. As a result, I converted these sessions into more practice sessions with standardized patients in small groups (less than 10). That way, the students were still able to get some hands-on practice with guidance from the physician facilitators. This took place before Circuit Breaker came into effect. I also relied a lot more on technology to help me in running my classes and conducting assessments, which is rather new to me.
Indeed, it seems like change is the only constant. Could you share with us an insight you’ve gained through this experience?
PH: I’ve learnt to be more open in trying new things, especially where technology is concerned. In this IT age, technology can help narrow the gap between me and my students and colleagues, and make the interaction closer than not interacting at all.
A/Prof Priscilla How
With the hashtag #SGunited trending now, it is evident that we are still able to remain connected during this uncertain COVID-19 season. From the different experiences and perspectives shared, one thing that is certain is that the virus has not eroded the strong bonds and professionalism that the Department has nurtured. NUS Pharmacy faculty and students alike are going beyond their comfort zone, finding their own rhythm in this trying time, revealing our indomitable spirit. Indeed, even as we are physically distant, we remain connected as ever – we do not exist in isolation! In sum, these experiences show that “It certainly takes the PharmVillage to support the training of pharmacy students.” #PharmacyUnited
Article by Eugene Toh and Joshua Lim (Class of ’21)