By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE – A group of fourth-year pharmacy students in Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Pharm.D. program had the unique opportunity to travel to Tema, Ghana, in West Africa for one of their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations this fall.
Kwabena Frempong, Iman Hawkins, Belen Kebede, and Priscilla McKoy became the first School of Pharmacy students to participate in an APPE in Africa. All NDMU pharmacy students are required to complete seven APPEs during their fourth year in the program, with each lasting for a period of five weeks.
Frempong, who grew up in Ghana and earned his bachelor’s degree there before moving to the United States, first came up with the idea of potentially completing an APPE in his home nation. He made a connection with their eventual preceptor, Dr. Marc Kwame Dzradosi, who serves as the head of pharmaceutical services at the International Maritime Hospital in Tema, and he submitted a proposal to School of Pharmacy administrators asking for permission to make the trip.
“Upon learning about the interest in an APPE rotation in Ghana, both the Office of Experiential Education and the Dean's Office were highly intrigued,” said Dr. Matthew Shimoda, dean of NDMU’s School of Pharmacy. “Given our track record of seeking exceptional experiences for our student pharmacists during their rotations, such as those at the FDA, the pharmaceutical industry, and in countries like Costa Rica and Peru, this opportunity seemed like a perfect fit. We empowered the students to kickstart the process, and we were delighted to provide both financial and logistical support to ensure their success.”
The four students arrived to begin their rotation in early November. During their stay, they gained experience working in a variety of departments across the hospital, and they also had the opportunity to collaborate with students attending pharmacy school in Ghana.
“Our preceptor and other colleagues that we met were all very open in sharing their knowledge about Ghana and its healthcare system,” said McKoy. “They were also curious and eager to learn about our practices in the United States as well. This trip really helped prepare for the next step in my career as a pharmacist. I enjoyed giving back, serving the community members, and representing Notre Dame on an international level.”
The students also made several trips to other hospitals, universities, and local pharmacies during their time in Ghana. Their experiences included visiting the pharmacy department at the University of Ghana Medical Center, meeting Dr. Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt, the former chief pharmacist and director of pharmaceutical services at Ghana’s Ministry of Health, and meeting Dr. Daniel Amaning Danquah, deputy registrar for Ghana’s Pharmacy Council.
They also learned about the curriculum for a new Pharm.D. program at the University of Ghana, and they explored “Drug Lane” at the Okaishie market in the capital city of Accra, which consists of a series of independent pharmacies lined up next to each other.
“One of the objectives for our preceptor was to give us as many opportunities as possible to see how the healthcare system works in Ghana,” Frempong said. “Having an APPE rotation in Ghana exposed us to a lot of things that we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn in America. I was first trained in Ghana as a pharmacist, but being able to go back and see the differences compared to what I have experienced at Notre Dame was very beneficial.”
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
