College of Pharmacy to Develop Hands-On, Immersive Career Exploration Initiative

College of Pharmacy to Develop Hands-On, Immersive Career Exploration Initiative

When most high school students think about pharmacy, they picture a retail counter.

Dr. Michelle Seegert wants to expand that view.

Seegert, associate dean for admissions and enrollment at The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, was awarded a $20,000 grant from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation to develop Pharmacy Unboxed, an escape room-style learning experience designed to introduce high school students to pharmacy as a career in a way that doesn't feel like a classroom.

"I wanted to make it easier to showcase pharmacy, which meant creating something that could be done anywhere without extra resources required," Seegert said. "The vision is to make healthcare career exploration more interactive, accessible and inspiring for students who may never have considered these pathways otherwise."

Pharmacy school enrollment is declining nationwide, a trend Seegert attributes in part to limited exposure at the high school level. While students regularly encounter physicians and nurses, pharmacy remains less visible as a career option, but a Doctor of Pharmacy degree opens doors to more than 100 different career paths, Seegert said.

Pharmacy Unboxed addresses that gap through hands-on problem solving. Modeled after a previously tested activity called "Race to the Remedy," the experience incorporates locks, clues and teamwork to guide students through healthcare-themed challenges including dosage calculations, patient case scenarios and critical thinking puzzles. Early pilot activities conducted through HOSA-related programming and on-campus outreach events allowed Seegert and her team to observe student engagement, refine the pacing and identify which concepts generated the most excitement.

While pharmacy serves as the central theme, the activities connect naturally to broader healthcare and STEM careers including medicine, toxicology, public health and biomedical sciences.

"Experiential learning is so important in pharmacy education. Almost half of our curriculum is hands-on," Seegert said. "So having a hands-on experience to introduce students to this field was important."

The kit will be designed to be portable enough to travel with a UToledo student ambassador or ship directly to a teacher to set up in any space regardless of size or shape. Student ambassadors funded through the grant will help develop the program and be available to run it at local schools. Seegert hopes to have Pharmacy Unboxed finalized and ready to ship to local schools by early fall.

"Success for Pharmacy Unboxed is not simply measured by how many students choose pharmacy," Seegert said. "It is about helping students see themselves in healthcare and science in ways they may never have imagined before. If even one student walks away feeling inspired, curious or excited about a potential future in healthcare or science because of this experience, then we have accomplished something meaningful."