Tagged with "College of Pharmacy"

Upon arriving at the UI his freshman year, Yuhao Cai was paired in Stanley Residence Hall with roommate Jared Szabo, an Iowa native who was also a freshman. Szabo, a fifth-year UI senior, says his hometown of Postville, Iowa, is “a really diverse town,” so being paired with an international roommate “wasn’t too much of a shock.” Cai, on the other hand, was nervous his roommate would fit his perception of American stereotypes.

Thanks to the support of generous private donors, these UI students were able to study or conduct research abroad in the past year, gaining invaluable experiences and memories that enhanced their education and lives.

In an ongoing series from International Programs, we look at connections between the University of Iowa and countries around the world. Our faculty, students, and programs reach far beyond the UI campus. Below are some of the highlights of our connections with Thailand.

Did you know that Thailand’s population is nearly 22 times that of Iowa, but only about three and a half times larger in size? With 70% of international students coming from East and Southeast Asia, many have come to call this land of wide open spaces their home. Here are the thoughts and reflections of two Thai students on classes, food, and the benefits and challenges of life abroad at the University of Iowa.

The trip across the stage to collect her diploma will be the shortest leg on the journey so far for Stephanie Lukas. Just two weeks ago she was in West Africa, completing an elective rotation for her pharmacy degree. During four weeks in Liberia studying the pharmacy system and ways to improve it, she met with the ministry of health’s medication supply chain manager, interviewed health care providers and patients, and participated in a training session for pharmacy workers who dispense medications. She set up the rotation herself, in collaboration with Lloyd Matowe, University of Iowa assistant professor of clinical pharmacy and founder of the nongovernmental organization Pharmaceutical Systems Africa.

Last spring, our College of Pharmacy hosted Prof. Nguyen Van Hung (MD, PhD), Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmacy and Family Medicine Unit at Haiphong Medical University in Vietnam. It is not unusual, of course, for us to host visiting faculty from abroad: in fact, we have visitors on campus from abroad on a weekly basis, perhaps even on a daily basis, throughout the academic year. What made Hung’s visit special was that he was in residence for the entire spring semester as a Fulbright scholar, working on long-term goals for pharmacy education and practice in Vietnam. Another thing that made it special is that his visit began discussions toward what promises to be a comprehensive, deep partnership between the University of Iowa and his home institution, Haiphong Medical University.