Reflecting on My Journey During the COVID-19 Pandemic

I was hired as an assistant professor at the University of Toronto at the same time as the world was facing an unprecedented global pandemic. I was a course coordinator for the first course in the medication therapy management (MTM) laboratory series. The faculty was rethinking and adapting their teaching methods for virtual learning. I had to restructure the lab into a virtual format, which was no small feat, because the course relied heavily on practical, in-person experiences. 

Pharmacy education has traditionally relied on didactic lectures, face-to-face learning in laboratories, and experiential placements to develop the professional skills required of a pharmacist. In-person learning allows students to enhance their communication skills through realistic patient interactions, and students benefit from immediate feedback and mentorship from clinical instructors (i.e., practicing pharmacists). Additionally, the classroom environment fosters meaningful relationships with peers and faculty, which is important for networking and long-term career development.  

By leveraging Zoom and its breakout room feature, we were able to continue running the labs with small groups of students. The lab was synchronous and included a significant interactive component, but maintaining student motivation and engagement in the Zoom environment remained a challenge. We had to address technical issues in real time, which was managed by an IT team dedicated to the pharmacy faculty. To ensure equity and confirm that all students had access to necessary software, we utilized AppsAnywhere, a cloud-based platform that enabled students to access Kroll, our pharmacy management software. AppsAnywhere facilitated students' hands-on learning experiences by providing access to software and applications.

One significant challenge was the inability to realistically mimic patient interactions. Nonverbal communication skills, such as eye contact and body language, are not easily practiced or assessed over Zoom. It is thought that more cognitive effort must be exerted to convey and interpret nonverbal communication cues due to the limited visual fields, lack of mutual gaze, and unnatural interpersonal distances in virtual interactions (Bailenson, 2021). It is proposed that this can lead to nonverbal overload, which hinders natural conversation, and this did impact students as they were less confident and efficient when speaking to patients during their experiential rotations (Bailenson, 2021). 

Despite the challenges that arose during the term, the digital tools we utilized ensured we maintained the integrity and quality of the lab course to the best of our abilities. MTM labs have since resumed in-person to better simulate real-world pharmacy practice. However, the faculty maintained access to Kroll through AppsAnywhere to provide students with added flexibility and support. 

The pandemic shaped my teaching approach and my use of technology and digital tools. It reinforced the value of trying new things, being adaptable, and demonstrating perseverance. As I continue teaching, I remain committed to providing a dynamic and supportive learning environment for all my students.  

A female teacher seated at her desk at the University of Toronto, working on her laptop.

ChatGPT. (2025). 

References

Bailenson, J.N. (2021). Nonverbal Overload: A Theoretical Argument for the Causes of Zoom Fatigue. Technology, Mind, and Behaviour, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000030

ChatGPT. (2025). Home Office Focus During Pandemic [AI-generated image].  ChatGPT/DALL·E. https://chat.openai.com/


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