Sharks Rx Spring 2018 | NSU College of Pharmacy

Alumni Pride Richard Finkel, Pharm.D. (’92), never shies away from trying new things. That’s how his 28-year-long teach- ing career with the NSU College of Pharmacy (NSU COP) got started, and it just may be the secret sauce behind Finkel’s zest for pharmacy, his students, his family, and life overall. While he recently cut back on his full-time teaching, Finkel, now an adjunct instructor, is still teaching courses in geriatric pharmacotherapy and nonprescription therapies. Finkel’s journey with NSU COP began in 1988, when it was Southeastern College of Pharmacy, and he joined the charter group of postgraduate pharma- cists for the initial Pharm.D. program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Florida in 1956, served as a pharmacist in the army from 1957 to 1959, and started his own pharmacy in North Miami Beach. While he started the Pharm.D. program as a way to get his required continuing education credits, he soon found himself getting more out of it than he’d expected. “It turned out to be so much fun, absolutely a joy,” he said. In his second year of the postbaccalaureate pro- gram, Finkel was approached by a professor who needed help teaching a course on over-the-counter drugs. Even though Finkel had never taught before, he agreed to give it a try. He used his experience as a pharmacist to put together a talk on laxatives. 28 Years of Dedication to the Profession, Students, and the College By Ellen Valladares “It was easy stuff. When it was over, the class applauded, and I told them maybe I’d see them again,” Finkel said. “As I was leaving, the department manager asked me if I could do it again next week. They kept asking me to come back. Before I knew it, I was signing a contract, just for having fun.” Finkel, who became a full-time faculty member in 1993, has played a vital role in the growth and success of the Pharm.D. program and its students. His innovative contributions include the creation of online snippets—a teaching tool akin to Khan Academy lessons that aids students in learning course materials. His dedication to his students and his unique ability to pass on real-life experience in the classroom earned him the coveted Golden Apple Award seven times. Finkel (continued on next page)