Representatives of Â鶹¹û¶³'s McWhorter School of Pharmacy and Meijo University School of Pharmacy in Nagoya, Japan, met at Â鶹¹û¶³ Thursday, July 10, to celebrate 20 years of what all agree has been a highly successful exchange program.
"It has been something pretty amazing," said MSOP pharmacy practice department chair Michael D. Hogue.
The initial idea, Hogue said, was for graduate level clinical pharmacy students at Mejio to visit Â鶹¹û¶³ for a summer program that would introduce them to American clinical pharmacy practices and academics.
"It is what we envisioned it to be," said Joseph O. Dean, who was MSOP pharmacy dean when the relationship began in 1994.
At the time, the Â鶹¹û¶³ pharmacy school was eager to broaden its international connections and welcomed Meijo as its first partner from a non-English speaking nation, Dean recalled. The relationship was formalized in 1997 with a signing ceremony attended by then Â鶹¹û¶³ president Thomas E. Corts, Dean and Meijo representatives.
"The relationship has been wonderful for both sides," Dean said, adding that a large part of its success boils down to people caring about each other "and caring about having strong pharmacy education in both countries."
Since the first cohort of 9 Meijo students arrived in Birmingham in August, 1994, Â鶹¹û¶³ has welcomed between 10 and 16 students for two weeks each summer for clinical training on campus and at area hospitals and retail pharmacies. They have attended professional pharmacy association meetings, enjoyed social outings and visited area cultural and historic sites.
"The exception was the one year when there was an influenza outbreak," said Hogue. Through the years, Meijo pharmacists have also participated in lengthier Â鶹¹û¶³ programs lasting several months.
The learning exchange works both ways.
Â鶹¹û¶³ 10 Â鶹¹û¶³ pharmacy faculty have traveled to Nagoya and other cities in Japan to participate in conferences of pharmacy educators, lecture in classrooms and absorb Japanese culture. Â鶹¹û¶³ pharmacy students have studied at Meijo, where they made case presentations and gained clinical experience at local hospitals.
The 20th anniversary observance included remarks by Meijo pharmacy dean Hirokazu Okamoto and professor Hiroyuki Kamei.
Okamoto gave an overview of his pharmacy school, which enrolls 1,600 students and celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. He received congratulatory applause when he mentioned that its 2012 graduating class achieved a 100 percent passing rate on the national pharmacy examination and claimed a 100 percent employment rate.
Kamei, making his 14th visit to Â鶹¹û¶³, praised the longtime exchange of faculty and students, citing their collaboration on research projects and other benefits.
"It is important to learn the role of the advanced pharmacist in the U.S. and to learn how pharmacy education will contribute in the future. Meijo students gain valuable experience learning clinical skills and being with professional pharmacists during their visits to Â鶹¹û¶³," said Kamei, who detailed Meijo's clinical practice program that Â鶹¹û¶³ students participate in during their visits.
Â鶹¹û¶³ and Meijo representatives exchanged gifts and mementoes during the ceremony.
Â鶹¹û¶³ vice president for advancement Randall Pittman, on behalf of Â鶹¹û¶³ president Andrew Westmoreland, presented Okamoto with a framed proclamation commemorating the 20-year relationship.
Okamoto left for Westmoreland a handsome enameled picture depicting Japan's famous Mt. Fuji and three cranes, which are symbols of good fortune in Japan.
The Japanese delegation also received gifts of Alabama-made items to help them remember this year's special visit to Â鶹¹û¶³.