The grant was awarded to Dr. Michelle Seegert by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation to introduce students to pharmacy careers in a fun and innovative way.
Dr. Michelle Seegert, associate dean for admissions and enrollment at the University of Toledo, was awarded a $20,000 grant from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation to benefit the university’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The grant will fund the creation of Pharmacy Unboxed, an immersive escape room-style learning experience that will help high schoolers explore pharmacy as a career option.
According to an article on the University of Toledo’s website, Dr. Seegert was quoted as saying of the project, “I wanted to make it easier to showcase pharmacy, which meant creating something that could be done anywhere without extra resources required. The vision is to make healthcare career exploration more interactive, accessible and inspiring for students who may never have considered these pathways otherwise.” She added, “Experiential learning is so important in pharmacy education. Almost half of our curriculum is hands-on. So having a hands-on experience to introduce students to this field was important.”
Pharmacy Unboxed presents students with a healthcare-themed challenge reminiscent of an escape room that features locks, clues, and teamwork to work through dosage calculations, patient case scenarios, and critical thinking puzzles. The physical Pharmacy Unboxed kit will travel to local high schools via a UToledo student ambassador or via direct shipping to a teacher. The grant funding will allow these student ambassadors to help develop the program and run it at the participating schools.
Dr. Seegert said, “Success for Pharmacy Unboxed is not simply measured by how many students choose pharmacy. It is about helping students see themselves in healthcare and science in ways they may never have imagined before. If even one student walks away feeling inspired, curious or excited about a potential future in healthcare or science because of this experience, then we have accomplished something meaningful.”
Pharmacy school enrollment has been declining in recent years, which Dr. Seegert partially attributes to lack of visibility compared to careers like nursing or being a physician.
While the overarching goal of Pharmacy Unboxed is to promote careers in pharmacy, it will also introduce concepts of broader healthcare and STEM careers like medicine, toxicology, public health, and biomedical sciences.
For more information about the University of Toledo, visit the school’s website.