Dean’s Hour Recap at Touro College of Pharmacy

The week before last truly meant a great deal to me. I was honored to be invited back to Touro College of Pharmacy to deliver another Dean’s Hour lecture, after having the privilege of speaking there last April.

Spending time with PharmD students and faculty in this setting is always deeply humbling. These students aren’t simply earning a degree, they are preparing to assume an enormous responsibility as future leaders in medication safety. Very soon, patients and families will place their trust in them during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

When I share Emily’s story and the lessons learned from it, my hope is never to instill fear. It’s to help students understand the very human side of healthcare…to recognize that we all become patients at some point, as do the people we love, and that medication safety must be intentionally designed into every system, process, and decision they make.

What stood out during this Dean’s Hour was the thoughtfulness with which these students engaged. Their questions reflected not just curiosity, but true ownership of the responsibility they are preparing to carry.

That’s what gives me real hope!

I’m incredibly grateful to my friend, Batoul Senhaji-Tomza, PharmD, MPH, for welcoming me back and for her continued commitment to shaping pharmacists who understand that preventing harm is not optional, it is foundational to their profession.

Every time I speak with pharmacy students, I leave encouraged. They are our future leaders in medication safety, and Emily’s legacy will live on through the patients they protect and the systems they improve.