Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the University Psychological Counseling Unit at the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy held an in-person educational and guidance seminar titled “First Steps in Pharmacy: Inspiring Student Experiences,” as part of Guidance Week. The seminar was delivered by Assistant Professor Dr. Lubna Abdalkarim Sabri and fifth-year student Saif Saadi Abd from the follow-up team. It was directed toward first-year students to introduce them to the fundamentals of university life by providing essential academic and personal skills.
The seminar aimed to familiarize students with healthy practices for integrating into the university environment, enhance their communication and teamwork skills, and highlight inspiring student experiences that could serve as positive models for new students.
The seminar included several key topics, including the fundamentals of interaction and effective communication, strategies for dealing with different personality types in a simple and engaging way, the importance of understanding diverse communication and collaboration styles, an overview of the challenges and opportunities students may encounter during their early years in the college, and ways to develop academic and personal skills as well as the value of teamwork and the dynamics of collaboration in laboratories and classroom activities.
The seminar concluded by emphasizing that a student’s success in university depends on building communication skills, understanding the academic environment, and developing oneself through active participation in scientific and student activities. Also encouraged students to learn from the experiences of their peers and to engage confidently and thoughtfully in new opportunities.
The seminar ended with an open discussion, during which first-year students posed several questions regarding the study system and the future prospects of the pharmacy profession. These questions were thoroughly answered in a way that supports their vision for their upcoming professional journey.
