Nancy Stern, BA, BS, RPh
Associate Profssor
MCPHS University
Nancy is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University (MCPHS), where she also serves as Coordinator of the Pharmacy Practice Courses and Labs. With a strong commitment to innovative education, she is actively involved in mentoring faculty and advancing the integration of technology in pharmacy education. Nancy is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), where she contributes to the Lab Instructors group as a mentor and participates in the Technology in Pharmacy Education and Learning (TiPEL) group. In addition, she serves as a mentor and judge for the MassChallenge Health Tech competition, and the Colleges of the Fenway Center for Sustainability & the Environment’s Davis Mini-Grant program. Her professional background includes work as a Consultant Pharmacist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, specializing in Drug Utilization Review (DUR). Prior to that, she was Director of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Product Information Division at Franklin Electronic Publishers, leading the development of medical content for handheld electronic books. Earlier in her career, Nancy was Vice President of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research and Communications at Travcom Inc., a division of American Medication International (AMI). In that role, she directed the creation and publication of the Specialist’s Pocket Reference series. Nancy holds degrees from Brandeis University and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University. She began her pharmacy career as a Clinical Pharmacist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Presenting at the Nexus Summit:

Background:  Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), such as insurance status may affect patients’ access to care and health outcomes, however health professions students often receive limited training in how these factors influence team-based care. This study aims are to evaluate the impact of incorporating (SDOH) into interprofessional Team Objective Structured Clinical Encounters (TOSCEs) by comparing facilitator evaluations of team performance and evaluate how patient insurance status influences team dynamics.  Methods: TOSCEs involved students from pharmacy, physician assistant, and…
Objective: This study evaluates how incorporating an element of social drivers of Health into interprofessional Team Observed Structured Clinical Encounters (TOSCEs) impacts team performance, collaboration, and communication. Methods: TOSCEs included students from pharmacy, physician assistant and nursing programs. Students were assigned a peer-evaluated standardized-patient case focused on transitions of care, 30-minute cases were run 16 times, with 2-3 students/case. Case A involved a Black patient, while Case B involved a White patient. All other aspects were identical. Facilitators…
Objective: This study evaluates the impact of age on facilitator evaluations of team performance during interprofessional Team Observed Structured Clinical Encounters (TOSCEs). Methods: TOSCEs included students from pharmacy, physician assistant, dental hygiene, and nursing schools utilizing paid actors as standardized patients. Students were assigned 30 min peer-evaluated patient cases focused on interprofessional collaboration in a medical emergency involving opioid use. Cases were run 16 times with 2-3 learners per case. Case A involved a young adult (Age: 25) and Case B an older adult (…
Background: Team Observed Structured Clinical Encounters (TOSCEs) involving standardized patients (SPs) are an effective way to teach and evaluate core interprofessional skills and support learning to improve health outcomes. TOSCEs provide a method of evaluating interprofessional skills in a formative, low stakes environment. TOSCEs provide valuable feedback to students which better prepare them in real-life clinical patient care. Methods: Pharmacy, Physician Assistant (PA), and nursing students participated. Medically trained actors were used as SPs. Students (2-3/group) were assigned to…
Background:The use of interprofessional collaborative practice simulations, enhanced by standardized patients (SPs), serves as a powerful educational strategy to assess and improve students' learning experiences, outcomes, and teamwork skills, ultimately preparing them for professional practice. This study examines the impact of integrating Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) into interprofessional Team Objective Structured Clinical Encounters (TOSCEs). It focuses on how SDOH considerations affect interprofessional team dynamics, as evaluated by facilitators. The study aims to evaluate…