We Can Do Better

About Dr. FakhriRavari

Dr. Alireza FakhriRavari is the Director of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy (LLUSP). He completed a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Houston and received his Doctor of Pharmacy from Texas A&M College of Pharmacy. After graduating from pharmacy school, he completed a 2-year residency program in Pharmacotherapy at the University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy, focusing on adult Infectious Diseases. After residency, he has been working in academia, teaching Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy, Biostatistics, Drug Information, and Literature Evaluation. He has enjoyed precepting and co-precepting pharmacy learners ranging from students to residents over the years. His research interests include emerging treatments in hepatitis C and HIV infections, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic optimization of antimicrobials, treatment of urinary tract infections, outcomes in gram-negative bacteremia, treatment and prevention of COVID-19, and scholarship of teaching and learning.

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My Teaching Philosophy

I have realized as a pharmacist that during my professional pharmacy education, the learning environment that pushed me out of my comfort zone allowed me to more effectively learn, develop clinical skills, and grow as a professional. It is often difficult for students, as it was for me, to realize the benefits of learning in such environment as it happens. This makes it more challenging for teachers to create such learning environments. Once executed, though, the learning outcomes achieved result in a satisfying and rewarding sensation since the students are future healthcare professionals who will improve the health of patients using the newly gained skills. Hence, I have chosen to become a teacher of pharmacy practice to be involved in the development of adept pharmacists by overcoming challenges in designing effective learning environments in classrooms and in practice sites.

In order to create effective learning environments, I have adopted a teaching philosophy that embraces problem solving, learning by doing, and teamwork. I believe that the process of learning involves more than just memorizing facts, which is the lowest level of thinking on Bloom’s Taxonomy. True learning requires higher levels of critical thinking, and problem solving and learning by doing allow for using and applying basic knowledge in order to achieve a higher level of learning. Furthermore, it is essential for students to be able to communicate with each other in order to prepare them to take their role as a member of the healthcare team in the future. Being able to achieve high-level learning objectives as part of a team allows for the development of communication skills as well as effective learning.

Team-based learning (TBL) method is a great way of creating such effective learning environment. It shifts the focus of instruction away from the teacher to the students actively engaging in activities as part of a team. Students are actively engaged with each other and apply course concepts to solve problems. This can push students out of their comfort zone as the team depends on each individual member to be successful. It enables students to grow a deeper understanding of the course concepts, develop ethical decision-making, gain a sense of responsibility, and improve work performance. Therefore, I utilize TBL as my primary teaching style.

Using “backward course design”, I first develop learning objectives for concepts to be taught and then write test questions for measuring those objectives. Next, I prepare a pre-class reading assignment with the goal of achieving low-level learning to prepare students for class. By utilizing individual readiness assurance test (iRAT) followed by team readiness assurance test (tRAT) and discussion, I ensure that students have a good comprehension of the concepts at the beginning of class. Then, students engage in problem-solving activities as teams for the majority of class time to achieve learning objectives. The teams provide a powerful intellectual and social foundation for dealing with problems. High-level learning occurs during problem solving, learning by doing, and team work.

As a teacher of pharmacy practice, it is my goal to overcome challenges in creating a learning environment that provides effective high-level learning. I believe this is achievable by creating a learning environment that allows for problem solving, learning by doing, and team work. I am confident that TBL is the best way to create such environment. As I gain more experience in teaching, I will continually improve the activities in my class to maintain an effective learning environment. Achieving the learning objectives by students is quite rewarding and keeps me motivated to continue to teach throughout my career.