Nicholas Fusco, PharmD
Nicholas Fusco in Pharmacy Building at the University at Buffalo South Campus.
What is your role in the IPE program at UB?
My role in the IPE program is to serve as a representative of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPSS) and to explore and develop IPE activities.
Has interprofessional education helped in your own career?
As a pharmacist practicing in the pediatric acute care setting, engaging with other health care professionals is a vital part of my day-to-day activities. Most of my professional development in interprofessional collaboration has come through real-world practice. The benefit of intentionally developed and organized interprofessional activities gives new graduates an advantage prior to entering the health care field workforce.
What’s next for IPE at UB? What are your hopes and future for your role and the work you are doing to further it?
There now is an expectation for our graduates entering the health care workforce to be competent in interprofessional communication and collaborative activities. We need to hold IPE to the same standards as we do other areas of knowledge and professional skills and abilities. I plan to be a part of the movement to design, implement and assess IPE activities across our campus to give our students a one-of-a-kind experience while setting them up for success as they enter a very challenging, yet rewarding, health care workforce.
