Wegmans School of Pharmacy Advances Partnerships with Indian Universities

This winter break, while participating in a medical service trip to Pune, India, Dr. Christine Birnie, dean of the Wegmans School of Pharmacy, established and advanced memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with two Indian schools of pharmacy.

Fisher renewed its MOU at the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) in Chennai, India. The School of Pharmacy has had a formal partnership with the SRIHER since 2017 and has engaged in student and faculty exchanges, as well as research partnerships.  Since that time, Fisher has hosted three final year pharmacy students from the institution for clinical experiences and hosted two of their faculty for a four-week experience here in Rochester. From 2017 to 2020, Dr. Kobi Nathan, associate professor of pharmacy practice in the Wegmans School of Pharmacy, spent two weeks each year at SRIHER, teaching Pharm.D. students and supporting faculty in strengthening clinical pharmacy practice. Birnie also continues to visit SRIHER periodically to provide guest lectures and maintain the relationship between the institutions.

This year, Fisher signed an MOU with Dr. D.Y. Patil Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research in Pune, India. Fisher has partnered with the School for more than six years, providing annual guest presentations and participating in their conferences, which have coincided with Fisher’s annual service trip to the city.  Pharm.D. students at the DY Patil School have historically provided support to the annual medical camp, located just 15 minutes from the campus.  The School has large baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, but just started their six-year Pharm.D. program in 2018.  The partnership allows Fisher to provide support to their growing pharmacy degree and developing their clinical pharmacy service. Through the MOU, both Schools plan to host clinical exchange programs for faculty and students in support of these efforts.

“International partnerships such as these provide mechanisms for faculty, staff, and students across the universities to learn from one another and collaborate on research, service, and educational projects,” said Birnie. “The MOU’s allow us to formalize the relationships to better support these ongoing efforts.”