The Pharmacy Game Newsletter

Who are you?

My name is Diede Jansen. I am in my third and last master's year of Medicine at the University of Groningen. As a healthcare professional, I like to improve people's quality of life. Therefore, after finishing my study, I would love to work in geriatric medicine and palliative care. 

How did you get involved with the Pharmacy Game?

On Blackboard, I saw a possibility to work as a student assistant in the Pharmacy Game. I had never heard of the Pharmacy Game before and didn't know what it was about. Two friends of mine were studying Pharmacy, and they would be running the game soon. They told me a lot about the game, and I responded to the call.

So, after my second master's year and before starting the master's thesis, I worked as a student assistant at the Pharmacy Game, GIMMICS. Behind the scenes, I helped keep the game running and occasionally played a role in the game. In addition, I had phone consultations as a general practitioner, 'Daniëlle Geurlings,' in the fictitious village. Behind the scenes, there was much space for creativity and original ideas to make the game more fun or interesting. I enjoyed being a part of the staff!

How many times have you participated in the game? 

I worked as a student assistant in two games. I hope to stay involved in the Pharmacy Game by participating as a doctor or playing roles as an actor in the future.

What do you like the most about the Pharmacy Game?

During the study of medicine, there is little contact with pharmacists or even with Pharmacy. You occasionally have to deal with a polypharmacy case or a medication assessment within internships. However, you don't learn about the importance of cooperation between doctors and pharmacists.

I have learned that collaboration is crucial by playing along with Pharmacy Game. As a doctor, you know a lot about clinical matters and often do not have enough time to pay attention to the patient's long list of medications. Pharmacists could be extremely meaningful for a consultation about these drugs and their interactions and side effects, and we do not use this knowledge enough yet. I would use the pharmacists a lot and benefit from their expertise in the future! 

Would you like to share some interesting moments you remember while playing the game? 

As mentioned before, creativity and enthusiasm are valued within the Pharmacy game. It is remarkable to see students growing during the game in both their communication skills and their ability to solve patients' problems. It sometimes does not go quite right, and as staff members, we try to incorporate these improvement points in the Reporter. The Reporter is a local newspaper within the game. For example, a student with diabetes was told that she could dance and drink alcohol while going to a party. This student appeared in the Reporter with a broken leg because she had hypoglycemia. In this way, wrong advice or mistakes during medication assessment are integrated into the game, and students can learn from mistakes in a fun manner!