Jolene Bostwick Wins 2022 Teaching Excellence Award
Jolene R. Bostwick, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP, is the recipient of the 2022 Teaching Excellence Award. This award recognizes exceptional teaching in the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy’s PharmD and PhD programs.
Dr. Bostwick is the assistant dean for co-curriculum and professional development and clinical professor at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. She received her PharmD from the College in 2004, after which she completed a specialty residency in psychiatric pharmacy with Kaiser Permanente in Denver, Colorado.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have had Dean Bostwick as a professor, administrator, advisor, preceptor, and mentor, and I know that I will be a successful pharmacist in the future because of her impact,” said one student nominator. “Dean Bostwick's dedication to teaching and supporting students' personal and professional growth is unmatched and incredibly deserving of this award.”
“Teaching is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job, and I am dedicated to the success of my trainees,” explains Dean Bostwick. “I use my passion and enthusiasm for well-being, leadership development, and psychiatric pharmacy to engage and motivate students in the classroom, as well as trainees I mentor.”
Dr. Bostwick practiced as a psychiatric pharmacist for 15 years, developing pharmacy services in inpatient and outpatient psychiatry, before transitioning to her current administrative role. She is the course director of Patient Care and Communication and the Lifelong Learning course sequence as well as co-director of two new electives in the past three years, Well-being for Professional Success and Foundations of Pharmacy Leadership. Dr. Bostwick has received the P1 Student Appreciation Award in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2019, and was a recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award in 2014.
“Dean Bostwick has applied her background as a mental health professional to our classrooms and has built a communications class that prepares our students to interact effectively with their patients,” says Bruce Mueller, PharmD, interim dean and professor of clinical pharmacy. “Her new outstanding wellbeing elective was the perfect addition to our curriculum as we went through the pandemic. Students learned the skills necessary to survive and thrive in that challenging environment.”
Student nominators consistently praised Dean Bostwick’s compassion, enthusiasm, and approachability. One nominator said that Dean Bostwick’s “dedication to the courses she teaches are unmatched! She’s incredibly personable and makes everyone feel welcome and equal.”
Another student explained that “Dean Bostwick truly cares about the well-being and success of her students both inside and outside of the classroom. She does everything in her capacity to ensure that all her students feel supported – from learning and addressing us by name before we even enter the classroom P1 year to always being available to respond to our questions and concerns as P4s preparing for our careers post-graduation. She has this natural ability to teach, encourage, and motivate students.”
In addition to her didactic teaching, Dr. Bostwick serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students and residents. She is an active member of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, currently serving as the Annual Meeting Director. Dr. Bostwick has published 80 articles and book chapters, many through collaborations with her trainees, largely focusing on psychiatry, teaching, and the role of psychiatric pharmacists.
