Students from India Visit Wegmans School of Pharmacy

Harini Sivakumar and Lakshya Balan, two students from Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in India, spent a month at St. John Fisher College’s Wegmans School of Pharmacy.

The trip introduced the students to pharmacy education in the United States, and included clinical rotations, visits to local medical centers, and time spent with School of Pharmacy faculty and students. And, of course, no trip to Western New York would be complete without a visit to Niagara Falls.

Sivakumar wanted to study in the U.S. to learn more about the health care system that she said was completely different than that of India. In pharmacy education, key differences she saw included more practical teaching and work, whereas pharmacy education in India is more theory based.

One of Sivakumar’s favorite experiences from her time at Fisher was visiting the different clinical settings. She said that each hospital experience was different, but Strong was her favorite because they were in the surgical department there.

The trip also left room for some fun. Sivakumar visited Irondequoit Lake, Lamberton Conservatory, and as a guest at the Sisters of St. Joseph, some of the sisters gave her a car tour of downtown Rochester.

Upon graduation, Sivakumar hopes to work in a hospital setting, as she likes to be involved with patients. She may also explore earning a doctoral degree.

Balan is in her final year of pharmacy school, and said studying pharmacy in two countries showcased similarities and differences. The concepts are the same, she said, but the U.S. system includes clinical preceptors to help guide students through the profession and on patient care.

A highlight of her experience was the clinical sites they visited, as they are not a part of the curriculum in India. Balan also said she learned a lot about content patient care.

After graduation, she hopes to do policy based research and pharmaceutical outcomes.