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Interview with Dr. Eleanor Vogt, PhD, RPh Eleanor Vogt, PhD, RPh, is a faculty member in the UCSF School of Pharmacy.  She has been named the president of the board of directors for the American Pharmacists Association Foundation (APhAF). Vogt has had a distinguished career working in clinical pharmacy practice, the pharmaceutical industry, health policy and planning, regulatory affairs, and patient safety and advocacy, and even as a TV pharmacist, answering questions for the public in the 1970s. She was the first consumer representative on an FDA technical review committee, and served as Senior Fellow for the AMA’s National Patient Safety Foundation, testifying before Congress on this issue. Vogt joined the faculty of the UCSF School of Pharmacy’s Department of Clinical Pharmacy in 2004 and was awarded the UCSF Presidential Chair for 2004-2005. Questions? Comments? Recommend someone for an interview? Contact us twopillspodcast@gmail.com or find us on twitter @twopillspodcast! Highlights (full transcript at www.twopillspodcast.com): My teaching style is a learning style. I consider myself a learner and that's what it's all about. Someone asked me in the classroom who should learn the most? The teacher. If the teacher is not learning, then learning isn't happening. That's the process. I really try to live that. It's a community of learners, not a classroom. We're all learning together. It's a dialogue. Learning is an internal active change process. When we have real dialogue, the real excitement and learning takes place. The answer is in the room. Having people share their experiences is what it's all about. The dynamic that goes really well for me is when everyone is involved. Sometimes that takes physical movement. I like to have people get up and move. When looking at the kinds of thoughts that medical students generate, such as imposter syndrome and thinking why did I get here. I'm not good enough. I shouldn't be here. That leads to shame, which leads to anxiety and depression. So, if we turn it around and we say that our thoughts are going to be of appreciation and gratitude and positive stories, that leads to my feelings of I am good enough. I feel confident, I am focused, I'm centered, and that leads to resiliency. Major universities are demonstrating that what happens on the outside is a reflection of what is happening on the inside. These include our perceptions and our filters that are transparent to us. We just see right through them. The exciting thing is that you can change! You can change your perception and you can change your thinking. We know so much about the benefits of breathing. In school, we teach students about inhalers and treatment for respiratory diseases. But the respiratory system is so fascinating. When you breathe in, and I invite your listeners to take a breath, be aware at the top of your in breath. And then especially at the bottom of your out-breath. There is a point at which nothing happens. Don't hold your breath, just be aware. Put your awareness when it happens. At that point, your body is in perfect balance. Both systems are in perfect balance. We call it a rest and restore point. It's potent healing. It costs nothing. It's readily available every few seconds. Not only is it physiologically healing, but it can change your perception. If you are talking to someone who is upset, you can put your focus on your own Still Point, you will find that you will become more relaxed. You'll be surprised what comes out of your mouth when you're in this more relaxed and focused state. You're no longer just reacting to the situation. You are speaking from your authentic self. It's really a mind-altering technique. And it's so simple. The prescription I give everyone, which is choose to feel good. We have the ability to change what we think. There are some wonderful simple techniques if you need them like The Still Point, like m