The Review, posted February 8, 2012

Alliance Community Hospital (ACH) is teaming up with Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) as they provide a medical student on rotation in the pharmacy for two weeks beginning Jan. 30 as part of the "Doctoring 301 Exploratory Experience."

Sonia Sharma, third-year medical student from NEOMED, will be working under the direction of Nichole Thorn, director of pharmacy, from the Department of Pharmacy until Friday.

ACH was invited to take part in this program to give students exposure to the practice of a pharmacy. The collaboration between the pharmacists and the physicians is something that NEOMED recognizes.

"This is the kind of physician-pharmacist relationship they want their med students to experience," said Paul Witkowski, director of pharmacy for ACH. "The experience will be from the perspective of the pharmacist, and (it will) incorporate much of the behind-the-scenes activities pharmacists and pharmacies do in supporting all phases of the medication use process."

NEOMED is familiar with the progressive programs that are coming out of ACH.

"We can be proud of what we've accomplished," said Witkowski, "and what we are building as we move forward."