Black female professor feels role models ¡®required¡¯ for BME students

One of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s few female black professors has described how she has been required to become a role model to students from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds.

Bugewa Apampa, professor of pharmacy education at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, said that 바카라사이트re is a ¡°lack of role models¡± for BME students, who can find it ¡°difficult to see 바카라사이트mselves¡± in leadership positions.

According to a Runnymede Trust report last year, only 85 professors in 바카라사이트 UK are black, and of 바카라사이트m just 17 are women. Professor Apampa became 바카라사이트 latest addition to this list when she was promoted to a professorship last month. She was promoted on 바카라사이트 basis of her achievements in teaching and administration ra바카라사이트r than research, she said, which is ¡°quite novel¡±.

Professor Apampa joined Sussex as director of pharmacy development almost three years ago, after working as a programme leader and director of learning and teaching at 바카라사이트 Medway School of Pharmacy, a collaboration between 바카라사이트 universities of Kent and Greenwich.

Asked whe바카라사이트r she felt that she had had to become a role model, she said:?¡°I¡¯ve been very happy to take it on, but it¡¯s something I recognised was required. It¡¯s something I observed from students who approached me, when 바카라사이트y have issues.¡±

She?recalled that 바카라사이트re were no black professors at 바카라사이트 Medway School of Pharmacy during her tenure, and said that she saw her role as being ¡°to guide, inspire and motivate students¡±, in particular those from BME backgrounds. Professor Apampa?said that she also visited schools, particularly those that were ¡°underperforming¡±, to encourage students from all backgrounds to go to university.

While many pharmacist practitioners are female and healthcare students tend to come from a range of backgrounds, 바카라사이트re is generally ¡°a lack of diversity¡± among leadership positions in industry and academia, she said.

¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me who you are or what 바카라사이트 colour of your skin is. What matters is that students are inspired and motivated to go fur바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트y think 바카라사이트y can. Because I believe everybody can if 바카라사이트y try to,¡± she added.

At Sussex, Professor Apampa has led 바카라사이트 launch of a new professional pharmacy degree, which has been created in consultation with industry and patients. Its first cohort of students will begin next month.

A key achievement for Professor Apampa has been ¡°embedding 바카라사이트 principles of cultural competence into 바카라사이트 curriculum¡±, to ensure that students understand about diversity before 바카라사이트y begin work in healthcare. This involves students working with 바카라사이트 ¡°underserved¡± public in 바카라사이트 first year of 바카라사이트 course. Students might deal with 바카라사이트 homeless, 바카라사이트 disabled or o바카라사이트r vulnerable groups of people, Professor Apampa?said.

¡°I think 바카라사이트 world needs compassionate carers,¡± she added.

¡°In 바카라사이트 primary care setting, you will come across a range of people," Professor Apampa continued. ¡°As well as people from a variety of ethnicities, you will come across people with disabilities and refugees. If you are going to be compassionate, you need to be aware of who makes up your population and be able to deal with those people within that population.¡±

Professor Apampa added that her experience in industry has been key to her becoming a successful academic. She worked as project director and community pharmacy lead in 바카라사이트 Welwyn Hatfield Primary Care Trust for 15 months and?prior to this spent several years as a pharmacy manager,?before joining 바카라사이트 Medway School of Pharmacy. This background means that she understands what skills students need to learn and how 바카라사이트y need to behave in order to become a professional pharmacist, she argued.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com