Trisha Seys Ranola, assistant director, Office of Global Health and clinical assistant professor, along with Pharmacy Practice Division colleagues Barry Gidal, professor (CHS), and Division Chair, and Karen Kopacek, associate professor (CHS) and associate dean, Student & Academic Affairs, travelled to South Africa to meet with faculty at the University of the Western Cape to develop a new collaboration.

Kopacek has worked closely with South African colleagues to develop a pharmacotherapy lab at the Western Cape. She has contributed her expertise to strengthen the lab structure and curriculum.

In addition, the faculty discussed the school’s new fellowship that is being established with the Western Cape. The Comparative Health Systems Global Pharmacy Fellowship will promote global partnerships for improved health. Graduates of this program will be prepared to strengthen systems and address health disparities both locally in their practice settings, and globally through research, advocacy and ongoing international collaboration.

While in South Africa, Ranola and Gidal presented at a meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa in the Western Cape. Ranola’s talk was entitled, “Pharmacist’s Role in Diabetes Education.”

Shortly after her return to Wisconsin, Ranola led a session on what pharmaceutical care is, Medication Therapy Management (MTM), how to council a patient, and completion of a SOAP note for official medical documentation for Henrico Heystek and Jorine Rix, two pharmacy students from North-West University at Potchefstroom, another of the school’s sites in South Africa. The students will be in the state for five weeks working at local community pharmacies, learning about the U.S. Health care system, and the roles of pharmacists here. This opportunity provides a comparative look at pharmacy between the two countries.