​​​​Robert Wood, PharmD, BCCCP, VHA-CM

Learning is a natural passion that consumes my personality to such an extent
that I feel inspired to share, to teach. Furthermore, the science and art of education
prove to be as much of a relished challenge as the reward they offer. Therefore, I
commit myself to being an excellent teacher with an ironclad commitment to meet
each pupil's needs and the profession in which they will serve. My entrusted
responsibility and their endpoint is shaped by guiding principles (see below),
which prepare students to effectively function in the most versatile service: healthcare.

“When the goal of teaching and learning is knowing and using, true skill emerges. “ – K. Michael Hibbard

I strive to provide much more than the mere “nuts and bolts” transference of facts. While I certainly want students to learn fundamental concepts, I hope to foster critical thinking, facilitate life-long learning skills, and instill problem-solving strategies. To succeed, students need not only possess a broad knowledge base, but more importantly, they should be able to apply what they know. Ultimately, students learn what is examined for. If we test for learning of facts, students will learn facts. If we test for problem solving, they will learn to be better problem solvers. For this, I employ Performance-Based Learning and Assessment through patient cases, practical resources integration and application based assessment questions to help students develop the ability to interpret, synthesize and apply knowledge.

Of course, this enrichment is most opportune at the point of integration of academic and experiential understanding. I work diligently to instruct, coach, and facilitate learners while modeling ideals of pharmacy practice. The amalgamation is instrumental in relating to patients, peers, and students. I am dedicated to learning about and implementing improved mechanisms for student instruction and evaluation to promote their education.

                                                                                             “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
                                                                                                                                                                                       – Benjamin Franklin

                                                                                               Subscribing to the principle that an engaged person is most receptive to the content
                                                                                               presented, I also endeavor to utilize effective active learning techniques.
                                                                                               In face-to-face and online environments, through teaching and tutoring, my
                                                                                               mnemonics, creative learning assignments, and collaborative work exercises cater to the 
                                                                                               variety of learning styles, incorporating visual, auditory, and tactile methods of instruction. 
                                                                                               By posing insightful inquiries throughout the lecture, recharging focus with entertaining 
                                                                                               snippets, and inviting students to expound on progressive material before its final delivery,
                                                                                               I guide students to discover the “pearl points.” The higher investment in their learning 
                                                                                               usually results in a proportional reciprocation of effort on their part. My goal is to stimulate
                                                                                               student ownership of the lesson, shifting the paradigm of “being taught” to “learning.”

“How can we remember our ignorance, which our growth requires, when we are using our knowledge all the time?” – Henry Thoreau

After all, students must transition from formalized direct instruction to self-education. We must emphasize the necessity to identify what-we-do-not-know in acquiring what-we-want-to-know. Moreover, students need to be equipped with resources and methods for staying current in practice. I apply this whole-heartedly in my efforts to focus on learner-centered teaching. By encouraging students to capitalize on intellectual curiosity and knowledge deficits, I campaign for habits essential to being a life-long learner.

“[People forget what you said, forget what you did, but never forget how
you made them feel].” – Maya Angelou

At the end of the day, these individuals are not defined by their career but rather
by who they are as people. Noteworthy educators are more than creative, effective
communicators of knowledge. They are also distinguished as enthusiasts of
scholarship, champions of leadership, and mentors of life. It is my sincere desire to
personify that description and to excel in what I love to best impart that love in
others. The most significant contribution to my success, personal and professional,
came from the blessing of having exceptional teachers and mentors. My teaching
career will be spent serving those in whose shoes I once walked, in honor of those
who taught me.