Columbia University College of Pharmacy - Apothekan Yearbook (New York, NY)

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Comment on our PHARMACY EDUCATION We have just completed our. first and last year under tke ' New Deal. Although it is somewhat of an improvement over the old regime it is far from what an ideal phar- macy education should he. Such an education should place the pharmacy school grad- uate on a par. intellectually, with the physician, and thoroughly train him in chemistry, physics, pharmacology, and pharmacy. Many of the leading educators in pharmacy realize that the student is not heing equipped with an adequate knowledge in these subjects. The late H. B. Carey of the College of Pharmacy of California University emphasized this when he stated: The present day merchandising pharmacist cannot hope to obtain the confidence or respect of scientific medicine. If we do not provide a class of educated persons who can meet the physician on an equal basis and counsel with him. we shall, and rightly so, lose all contact with scientific medicine. This clearly indicates that the educational problems before the colleges of pharmacy are acute. An examination of the curricula of the pharmacy schools throughout the country shows that considerable stress is laid on the training of a merchandising phar- macist, who is really a druggist, skilled in the art of setting a customer a lot of question- able remedies. If you want proof, go to the nearest chain or department store and tell the clerk you want something t for a particular ailment. If you leave without buying a few dollars worth of unnecessary remedies, it is because you lack the money. A word must be said to voice our disapproval of the method of teaching which places the ability to memorize often meaningless material at a premium. This is reminis- cent of the ancient Chinese method of educating its people. The smartest one was he who could recite the texts most perfectly. The State Board examinations are patterned on this Chinese method. They require the mere rendition of cut-and-dry definitions as answers to the pharmacy questions. The Chinese, because such antiquated practices still persist, remain as one of the most backward of the civilized nations. Similarly, if the pharmacy colleges persist in following this Chinese replica, pharmacy will also decline and become stagnant. Every progressive educator should condemn this stereotype. Any wide-awake instructor and student realizes that physical chemistry and colloid chemistry are the greatly emphasized subjects on any science curriculum. Without a well- grounded knowledge of these subjects how can a pharmacist ever hope to completely understand his profession, and how can he ever think of embarking upon a research pro- ject? Yet these subjects are not included in our programs but such dubiously scientific courses as medical appliances, pharmaceutical economics, newer remedies, business law and pharmaceutical jurisprudence are. Such methods are antagonistic to the spirit of science of which pharmacy should be a vital part. Unless the educators rouse it from its lethargy: pharmacy is doomed tn Lecome extinct in this country.

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Mr. Ingenhuett ... In his person has resterl the German education of several graduating classes. An unassuming individual with rather passive resistance to the diver- sions of the class which could never decide whether he was hungry— or just nervous. Mr. Sole . . . Although he seems to understand and even sympathize with the caprice of the class, yet he commands its attention and respect. An excellent mathe- matics instructor, one with infinite patience and thoroughness. A true gentleman if there ever was one. STAFF Harold T. Boner. A.B. W. Bradford Smith. A.M. Arthur H. Ingenhuett, A.M. David Sole. A.B. Reixhard H. Luthin, A.M. Henry C. Hatfield, A.B. Herbert K. Stone, B.A.. D.d ' Uni ' Instructor in English Instructor in English Lecturer in German Lecturer in Mathematics Lecturer in Contemporary Civilization Lecturer In German Lecturer in French

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