On Tuesday 23/11/2021, the Field Training Committee represented by the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous, held a meeting with a number of representatives of pharmacies in Amman, Jerash, Ajloun, Zarqa, Rusaifa, and Mafraq, aiming to building bridges to communication with those in charge of local community pharmacies in various governorates.

The meeting discussed various topics including the training protocols, objectives, and forms to be filled out for the whole experience to be clear for all involving parts. At the end of the meeting, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous thanked all the pharmacists who train pharmacy students at Yarmouk University. The Dean also thanked the efforts of Dr. Mayada Al-Shaabani, Secretary of the Pharmacy Owners Division in the Syndicate, and also thanked the heads of The Pharmacists Syndicate Branches of Jerash, Ajloun, Mafraq, Rusaifa and Zarqa, represented by Dr. Ayman Hamed, Dr. Abdul Rahman Tanbouz, Dr. Yazid Al-Daqs, Dr. Youssef Abu Malluh, Dr. Hussein Khazali, Dr. Nasser Abbas, Dr. Ashraf Mahasneh, Dr. Nasser Abbas, Dr. Siham Al-Atoum, Dr. Ashraf Hemtini, Dr. Nadia Diab, Dr. Haitham Abu Zeid.

As part of the Faculty of Pharmacy’s endeavor to find new opportunities for training its students in community pharmacies and  identify the most important challenges facing this matter from the perspective of pharmacy owners, the Faculty of Pharmacy, represented by the Dean, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous, held its first meeting with a number of representatives of community pharmacies in Irbid (Misk and Leen pharmacy, Aktham pharmacy, Al-Ajlouni pharmacy, Bab Al-Hamd pharmacy, Berr Al-Walidain pharmacy, Reza Al-Walidain pharmacy, Al-Hamidoun pharmacy, Arzak Qamim pharmacy, Al-Qasila pharmacy, Laura pharmacy, pharmacy Al-Hamra Palace). during the meeting the pharmacists' field training program and the required forms were clarified as well as explained the role of the responsible pharmacist in guiding and following-up students during training.

The Faculty of Pharmacy has thanked the efforts of the representative of the Pharmacists Syndicate in Irbid, Dr. Mahdi Al-Ajlouni, for his efforts in arranging this meeting and facilitating the process, in addition to the representatives of pharmacies themselves.

A meeting was held in the Faculty of Pharmacy between the administration of the college and the academic and administrative staff on Tuesday 5-10-2021 in the Faculty of Pharmacy seminar hall. Where the colleagues were welcomed at the beginning of the new school year. At the meeting, a number of the teaching and administrative staff were honored for their service to the college and university, especially with regard to preparing for the American Accreditation Certificate (ACPE), and during the period of the Corona pandemic. The Dean Dr. Mervat Al-Sous reviewed the strategic plan, what has been accomplished, and the future plans of the faculty. The meeting was attended by the Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous, the administration of the Faculty, and members of the academic and administrative body of the Faculty.

The Faculty of Pharmacy has organized a meeting between the newly accepted students in the faculty and the Dean Dr. Mervat Al-Sous as well as a number of faculty members.

Dr. Al-Sous started by greeting and welcoming the new students, and provided an introduction to Yarmouk University and the College of Pharmacy. Al-Sous also focused on the university and college missions, their vision, goals, and values, in addition to introducing them to the programs offered by the Faculty of Pharmacy and the new study plan implemented, its most important axes, and the importance of academic advising.

Dr. Alaa Al-Jabali, Vice Dean, also spoke about the importance of adhering to the health protocol, the importance of the vaccination, adherence to the means of prevention and social distancing in limiting the spread of the Corona virus. Dr. Al-Jabali also continued his speech to urge the students on the importance of reviewing the student’s guide and code of conduct, adhering to the instructions, and knowing the student’s duties and rights.

Dr. Bilal Al-Jaidi, Head of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, also spoke about the importance of adhering to the advisory study plan and stressed the importance of communication between students and academic departments in the college, encouraging students to continuously communicate to receive advice and proper guidance to help them overcome obstacles and difficulties they may face during the study phase.

Dr. Saja Al-Nahar, Assistant Dean for Quality Affairs, also addressed the students to inform them about the courses, activities and workshops that the university provides on professional and self-development levels as well as working to improve their abilities and skills such as language and communication skills and the importance of continuous email follow-up and the E-learning system on a daily basis to stay updated. She also stressed the importance of mutual respect between Student and teacher.

The meeting concluded with a presentation of the experience of one of the distinguished students in the Faculty of Pharmacy, student Hamza Al-Rawashdeh, describing to his colleagues how to deal with the qualitative shift between pre-university life and university life, explaining the role of university life in refining the student’s personality, stressing the importance of participating in systematic and extracurricular activities alike.

Within the extracurricular activities and student initiatives inside the university campus, the first activity was held at the Faculty of Pharmacy on the occasion of the Prophet’s birthday on Wednesday, 10/20/2021.

The event was inaugurated by the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Thiabat, and the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous, with a student initiative and audience during which dates and sweets were presented to commemorate this blessed religious occasion.

The Faculty of Pharmacy concluded the training and professional preparation program. The program consisted of three lectures and interactive sessions targeting the students of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Yarmouk University.

 In the first lecture, which was presented by the pharmacist Dr. Firas Al-Tarifi, Director of Strategic Business Development and Director of Central Bidding at Al- Takadum Pharmaceutical Industries, the various fields of pharmaceutical work available locally, regionally and globally were discussed.

 In the second lecture, which was presented by Mr. Ghassan Salameh, Director of Human Resources at Al-Takadum Pharmaceutical Industries, the correct way to prepare a CV, conduct job interviews and employment was discussed.

 As for the third lecture, which was presented by Dr. Ahmed Al-Rasasi, it included the requirements and procedures for equivalence of the pharmacy certificate in Canada.

 At the end of the lecture, each lecturer answered the questions and inquiries of the audience. The lectures were attended by a number of students of the College of Pharmacy and Yarmouk University and a number of members of the faculty and administrative staff of the college.

The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad has inaugurated the activities of the "Diabetes Awareness Day" on Sunday 11/14/2021, where the Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous, gave an awareness lecture entitled “Diabetes and the medicines Used in its treatment,” in which she explained that the treatment of diabetes depends on its type and levels of glucose in the in the blood.

She has also emphasized that a healthy diet and physical activity contribute to maintaining a healthy weight and thus controlling diabetes. The event involved a variety of activities, including an exhibition of educational materials on diabetes, various blood glucose tests, weight and pressure measurements, and an eye examination for the attendees.

As a part of the new year preparations, the college of Pharmacy held the first meeting of the college council on 18^th Oct 2021 in the presence of the Dean of the college Dr. Mervet Alsous and the Administrative staff, the Vice Dean, Department Heads and Assistant Dean were the next stage preparations were identified. Also, the readiness of the university campus, the college halls and laboratories were discussed especially with the return of students to the university, and a number of academic departments related issues were discussed. As a conclusion, the council stressed the need to pay special attention to public safety and the commitment of all defense ordered being forced at the present time.  

On behalf of the President of Yarmouk University, the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous, sponsored the opening of the activities of the "Distance Education in Pharmacy - Opportunities and Challenges" symposium, organized by the faculty in cooperation with members of the Arab American Association of Academic Pharmacists.

 Al-Sous referred to the efforts made by the university administration and its various faculties to be able to shift from face-to-face education to distance education in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the whole world and made it imperative for the higher education sector to deal with this emergency situation in a correct manner so that the quality of education and information received by students are not affected. She commended the efforts made by the faculty members in the college who kept pace with the various technological developments in the field of distance education to be able to give the various courses offered by the college and to deliver the information in the correct form to ensure that students absorb it and benefit from it.

 Al-Sous stressed the importance of cooperating with the American Society of Academic Pharmacists and exchanging experiences with them, which will reflect positively on the progress of the educational and research process in the college. To reach a qualified graduate in various fields of pharmaceutical work and to achieve distinguished pharmaceutical care that takes into account the comprehensive quality.

 For his part, the main speaker in the symposium, Dr. Nasser Al-Sharif from Creighton University, USA, referred to the best methods of distance education. At the beginning of his speech, he reviewed the objectives of the Arab American Association of Academic Pharmacists, and its tasks, which include introducing the basic steps before, during and after the design of electronic courses "distance", And identify the sources that can be used.

 Al-Sharif said, “Has distance education become an option or is it mandatory for all of us to be familiar with it and to be fully aware of how to deal with it?” stressing the importance of the teacher reflecting the personality that students see in the classroom during electronic courses as well, and that mutual respect between teachers and students is The basis of dealing, explaining that e-learning "distance" includes cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skills.

 He explained the steps that the lecturer must follow to design distance-taught courses, which must include and reinforce with pictures, videos, and audio recordings that make education easier and more enjoyable and enable students to receive information better. He also reviewed the most prominent distance education theories, and how to prepare study plans for courses. Which are taught remotely, the methods of distance education, and the technological knowledge that the teacher and student must be familiar with.

 He stressed the need for the availability of modern technological equipment and fast internet connection, which is a basis for the success and benefit of the distance education process.

 The symposium included a number of lectures entitled "Distance Pharmaceutical Training - Benefit and Applicability" by Dr. Hanin El-Amawi from the university, "BINGO, the use of educational games to stimulate engagement in distance education" by Dr. Ola Ghoneim from Western New England University in America, and "Education Remotely in pharmaceutical laboratories” by Dr. Rasha Bachattowa from the university.

 At the end of the symposium, which was attended by a number of faculty members at the faculty and members of the Arab American Association of Academic Pharmacists, a discussion took place among the participants about distance education in the pharmaceutical field, ways to develop it, and the challenges it faces.