I was invited to tour JSS College of Pharmacy in Mysore on Saturday, to meet faculty and staff, view the campus, and affiliated hospital. Additionally, I was able to provide short presentations to 3 groups of students, including M.S. and Pharm.D. candidates (Pharmacology, Chemistry, and Regulatory) as well as Interns working within the hospital. My friend Mohan (currently working on many social issues within different Indian communities, as mentioned previously in this blog) graduated here with a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Chemistry several years ago (they had his recent publication from March on Tuberculosis posted in the hall showcase!) and he had a great chance to re-unite with the faculty. It also provided me with a great opportunity to see this campus as well, and present short informational sessions to 3 different classes of students on ideas for future business application of their education. The final presentation was delivered in tandem with an amazing professor currently involved in clinical research, who was able to provide some excellent current practical information with regards to the industry. Some notes about this impressive Pharmacy College/Univ. It is a top Pharmacy College and University in India, recognized worldwide: “JSS Colleges of Pharmacy at Mysore and Ooty received ACPE Certification and Acceditation. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) is an autononmous national agency in the USA for accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy and providers of continuing pharmacy education. JSS Colleges of Pharmacy at Mysore and Ooty were the first to pioneer patient oriented pharmacy education by initiating a Master’s programme in ‘Pharmacy Practice’."
Dr. Madhusudan Purohit, Ph.D., Professor, Dept of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and several other amazing faculty, and Professors, hosted us, and guided us through the morning. They showed me all of the lab areas, the technology, classrooms, and other conceptual ways on which emphasis has been placed, to set this education apart, making it a best in class university. One example is a Simulation Room, where students can practice and receive 360 feedback on interactions with potential patients, or to assist with challenging communications related to other relevant scenarios. This was a beautiful campus, with dedicated, top-notch professors and faculty, who have aligned the education with current relevant, and forward-thinking concepts.
After touring the University, Dr. Shobha Churi, Asst. Professor, drove us to the partnering hospital for the Pharmacy college and nearby Medical School, which is absolutely palatial from the outside and inside alike. Some info on this busy hospital: “JSS Hospital is one of the pioneers in offering comprehensive medical services in Mysore. A notable feature of this hospital is that it caters to the needs of the patients of rural parts of the districts viz., Mysore, Chamarajnagar, Mandya Coorg and Hassan in Karnataka and Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. It treats on average, 800 to 1000 patients daily in outpatient department and has facilities to accommodate 1800 in-patients.”
I was introduced to Dr. G Parthasarathi, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy at JSS Mysore University and Professor, Pharmacy Practice. He spoke with us for a while on his background, and his current involvements, contributions to the industry, and interests. Then, one of his Pharm.D. interns was kind enough to take us on a tour of this state-of-the-art hospital. I wish I had a list of everyone’s names to list here, yet I just met so many professors, students, interns and faculty. Please check out their website, jsspharma.org. While in the hospital, there were so many things to note, yet one thing that stood out (as different from anything I had ever seen) was the fact that patient wards are attached to open corridors where the patients are most definitely inside the building, but can also have the feeling of being outside, with built-in architecture that enabled large-scale fresh air circulation. It is hard to explain the appearance, yet represented an ideal concept that if you see, you will not forget.
The first picture above was taken at the Pharmacy College, with Dr. Madhusudan Purohit, Ph.D., Professor, Dept of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, several additional Professors, myself and Mohan. The second picture above shows Dr. G Parthasarathi, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy at JSS Mysore University and Professor, Pharmacy Practice, myself, and all of the Pharm.D. interns working in the hospital. The 3rd picture above is of the Pharm.D. intern who took Mohan and I on a tour of the hospital, pictured with Mohan. Below are pictures taken of JSS College of Pharmacy students (all Master candidates and above) in action, in various lab settings. As you view these, you will notice how impressive and spacious the lab setting is. There were many labs, all similiar to these, that I was able to tour, within the facility. After leaving the College, I took a picture of this gorgeous JSS hospital facility from the outside, posted 4th picture below, that is as previously stated, affiliated with the Pharmacy College and Medical School. The final picture is of the Pharmacy College Campus. Just an incredible experience, that left an exceptional impression on me, regarding all of the institutions that I visited, and individuals whom I met!
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