G.O.A.L.S.
Requested by popular demand! Learn how you can participate in the SNPhA T- Shirt Design Competition
SNPhA Goes International pg 14 Our PTES Chair attends the 62nd ISPF World Congress
Signatura
NPhA Member Spotlight: Meet Dr. Trishia Shaw pg 10
1972-2016
Student National Pharmaceutical Association
The
Globalization | Outreach | Advocacy | Leadership | Scholarship
"Laissez les bons temps rouler!" SNPhAm share their experiences at MidYear
How well do you know Diabetes? pg 30
February 2016
HAPPY SNPhA DAY! On February 11, 2016, SNPhA celebrates 44 years of serving the underserved. This day, we reflect on our historical founding and rededicate ourselves to professionalism, service, and education.
Dear SNPhAm, We hope that everyone has entered the New Year with new found courage and determination to achieve all of your G.O.A.L.S. We are excited to share with you the next installment of the Signatura! This issue is dedicated to the letter "A" of our presidential theme for advocacy. For 44 years our beloved organization has made great strides advocating for the underserved population and being a voice for the unheard. We are consistently evolving with our initiatives, competitions, and special projects. Without our founders, these opportunities would not be possible. Therefore, we dedicate this issue to them. We challenge our current and past SNPhA members to continue the legacy that was established over four decades ago and to take deep pride in knowing that we are a 100% student-run organization. Always remember that we are the Student National Pharmaceutical Association! In this issue, we continue with our "Disease Dialogue" series, highlight experiences from our members who have had unique advanced pharmacy practice experiences and share experiences from members who attended the ASHP MidYear Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana last December We also have our National Power to End Stroke Chair, Ojong Tbong-Bate to share her experience at the 62nd Annual World Congress Meeting in Hyderabad, India Most importantly, we would like to thank you for all of your contributions in chapter submissions, and we hope to see even more in the next issue! Please let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you again at the regional conferences! P.S. We will announce our 2016 Signatura Student in our next issue! Always stay informed and involved. Sincerely, Kharmen P. Gray National Public Relations Liaison, 2015-2016
"Our history is still being written, from humble beginnings to great achievements." (L to R) SNPhA Founders, Sharon Roquemore Lovick Edwards, RPh of Howard University and Dr. John Scrivens of Florida A&M University, at the first SNPhA Conference organized in 1972.
Greetings Regions III, IV, & V! On behalf of the University of Toledo SNPhA, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to Cleveland “The Land”, and the 2016 Regions III, IV, & V meeting. We are happy to host you all in Cleveland, Ohio from March 11th through 13th 2016. Our chapter has worked tirelessly to ensure that we create the best regional meeting experience for you. We are excited at the opportunity to “Rock YouRx World” with innovative workshops, CE’s, and a “Bridging the Gap” social that will celebrate the diverse set of talents that student pharmacists have to offer. I hope everyone will say engaged at the conference , and continue to be great stewards of our profession. Join us for an unforgettable weekend in “The Land” as we serve our community, learn from one another, and continue to shape the future of our profession. Please take advantage of our early bird prices from now till February 2nd, 2016, and register at http://toledosnpha.wix.com/regionalmeeting2016. My personal respect and thanks goes out to all of you, and I wish you all safe travels. See you in “The Land,” Akeem Bale, UToledo SNPhA Chapter President
The Signatura
Table of Contents SNPhA at ASHP MidYear...........................................................................................6 Disease Dialogue: Colorectal Cancer.......................................................................9 NPhA Member Spotlight: Dr. Trishia Shaw.............................................................10 P4 Rotation Spotlights...........................................................................................11 Ojong Goes International.......................................................................................14 Chapter Submissions..............................................................................................15 Upcoming Events/Announcements........................................................................29
G.O.A.L.S.| Globalization | Outreach | Advocacy | Leadership | Scholarship
Greetings Region I & II! On behalf of the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy SNPhAmily, I want to welcome you all to the city of Charleston and the 2016 Region I & II conference. It is with honor to have the opportunity to host the next SNPhA regional conference and introduce you to the beautiful city of Charleston, WV. As you all take part in making the pharmacy profession, the healthcare system and community better, I hope this will be an opportunity for each one of you to learn, connect, and most importantly “Maximize your Potential.” Our team has worked effortlessly for the past few months to put together the most beneficial workshops, social events, and CE’s to allow you all to learn and share something new. We hope that everyone will take the time to fully participate in most events and will be able to take away something significant and memorable to make the world, as future pharmacists, a better place to live in. We are truly excited to see you all April 1st-3rd in Charleston at the Marriott Town Center Hotel and we look forward to meet, mingle, and learn with all of you. Safe Travels! Loic Noubossie, UCWV Chapter President
SNPhA member, Kristina Larizadeh-Poole, enjoying her time in New Orleans for MidYear with her classmates
"Thousands of pharmacy students interviewing and hustling to residency booths can only mean ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting is taking place. This time can be an overwhelming experience for new students because the days are packed full of interviews, workshops, reception dinners, and showcases. Using the tips and advice from the SNPhA panel webinar, I felt like a seasoned professional. With my comfortable shoes and pressed suits, I was ready to conquer the world or at least the residency showcase. Presenting my first student poster and participating in the Personnel Placement Services (PPS) made the conference a unique opportunity. PPS allowed me to interview and meet residency programs from all over the nation. My friends also participated in PPS to interview with fellowship programs. Even though it was an exhausting and stressful week, I was able to relax in the downtown streets of New Orleans, which was filled with lively music and delicious beignets. The best advice that I can give is to “Prepare, Plan, and Practice”! In order to get your money’s worth and the information needed to succeed in your future endeavors, you have to utilize your time efficiently to network and have your questions answered. Hopefully, I will see you next year as a resident at one of the booths! Wishing everyone good luck in applying for jobs, fellowships, and residencies!" -Adrian Lawrence, National CKD Chair
National Chronic Kidney Disease Chair, Adrian Lawrence, at her poster during the MidYear Exhibition
#SNPhAatMidYear We asked our SNPhAM to share their experiences at the ASHP 50th Annual MidYear Meeting in the Crescent City. We would like to send best wishes to all of our SNPhAM applying for residencies, fellowships, and other opportunities.
"I had a great experience attending ASHP’s midyear in New Orleans. I was able to present my research poster during the student presentations and received excellent feedback from other presenters and preceptors. Additionally, as a third year pharmacy student preparing for residency, I was able to see how the residency showcase was set up. I was able to attend several workshops that included how to prepare for a residency; women in leadership; clinical pearls for students; and a CV workshop. Throughout the conference, I had multiple networking opportunities with students from all over the country, and was even able to secure a guest speaker for a meeting at USF. The Dean of our school, Dean Sneed, even set up a social for current USF students and alumni, and we were able to connect with some of our inaugural classmates and learn about their residencies and transitions into their pharmacy career. I can’t wait to attend again next year as a fourth year pharmacy student! " -Kristina Larizadeh-Poole, University of South Florida
SNPhA member, Meshell Maxam (middle), and her classmates at the poster exhibition.
"With much anticipation I walked into the convention center with the hopes of getting acclimated to all that ASHP’s Midyear has to offer. Instead of only walking through the residency showcase, I had the opportunity to listen to Antonio Neves speak about how it is possible to make a carbon footprint in the pharmacy world. He really blew my mind. From there, I learned about how the match process works which was really beneficial. The speakers broke down how the computer actually matches a student and a program. After attending multiple sessions ranging from interview skills to clinical pearls for students, I put on a different hat and had the opportunity to present a poster. This allowed me to educate other students and pharmacists and put into practice what I had recently learned days before. And once all work was completed, I was able to have some fun. Experiencing the culture of New Orleans outside of the convention center was simply refreshing: second-line bands, unique artwork, and good food. Overall my experience at ASHP’s 50th Midyear Conference was one for the books and I am excited to experience this annual event in the years to come." -Meshell Maxam, South Carolina College of Pharmacy-MUSC Campus
SNPhA Member, Jateh Major (left), and his classmates looking forward to attending MidYear next year as P4 students.
Have you ever had a parent or relative try to avoid getting a colonoscopy? Well, you should persuade them to go! According to WebMD, “minorities under age 50 are twice as likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer than whites . " Colorectal cancer, also known as colon and rectal cancer, is a preventable disease that disproportionately affects the minority community. This disease is the result of the presence of malignant tumors in the lining of the large intestine. Colorectal Cancer can be prevented through diet and exercise, specifically by adding vitamin D supplements. “The National Cancer Institute recommends a low-fat, high-fiber diet that includes at least five servings of fruit and vegetables each day." Symptoms are not always present and sometimes do not occur until the later stages of colorectal cancer. Some common symptoms of colorectal cancer are blood in stool, fatigue, and diarrhea. Getting a colonoscopy and other screenings are really important! These screenings drastically improve a patient’s chance of survival because colorectal cancer is very difficult to treat in the later phases. Colorectal cancer is treated initially by removing the tumor. Then the patient receives chemotherapy, radiation, and medication like Erbitux and Avastin to relieve symptoms. The survival rate decreases in later stages, with stage IV colorectal cancers having a five-year survival rate of 8%. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. I urge you to eat clean, be physically active, and join me in advocating for colorectal cancer. Please remember that colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable, and beatable! For more information on how to become an advocate, visit http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/.
"Disease Dialogue: Colorectal Cancer" Submitted by: Lauren Latten, Signatura Subcommittee Member
1. http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/news/20160118/minorities-more-likely-to-be-diagnosed-with-colon-cancer-at-younger-age 2. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/colorectalcancer.html 3. http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/guide/prevent-colorectal-cancer 4. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Colorectal-cancer-infographic-copy.jpg
"ASHP-Midyear is the largest national pharmacy conference that one can attend. Students who attend are given the opportunity to meet current residents, fellows, residency and fellowship directors, and they have the opportunity to interview with some of the organizations for residencies or fellowships. As a P3 student, my main goal of attending the conference was to see what the conference was like and how I could best prepare for next year. I took advantage of this opportunity and went to as many showcases, networking events, and workshops as possible. This opportunity decreased my anxiety toward next year's meeting. With this being my first time attending a conference of this magnitude, I was highly impressed with the organizers consideration to minute detail. It seemed like the organizers considered everything; including having pins available for those with poster presentations and making the WIFI password easily memorable. Everything was so fluid, it was easy to see that this conference has been going on for almost 50 years. For those that are not 4th year pharmacy students actively seeking to obtain residencies, I still highly encourage attending this conference. The opportunity to come and learn what the process is to obtain a residency and or fellowship is priceless. This can truly assist with directing ones focus on career goals and identifying the best way to obtain them. While pharmacy school is a bridge, conferences such as ASHP midyear are tools to determine what you want to find on the other side. " -Jateh Major, Howard University
What SNPhA experiences motivated you to transition into NPhA after graduation? All of my SNPhA experiences helped me make the decision to transition into NPhA. SNPhA was my family and most times my rock in pharmacy school and after graduation. I missed my SNPhA family. Our NPhA immediate past president, Cornetta Levi, asked me to get back involved with NPhA a few years after graduation and it was a no-brainer. Now, I get to make more memories with my NPhA family.
Submitted by: Basirat Adeyemi Touro College of Pharmacy, New York, Region I
Location: Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Washington, DC
What advice do you have for SNPhA Members? My advice is to continue to be motivated and service leaders upon graduation by transitioning in NPhA. Our efforts shouldn't cease upon graduation, we have to be the mentors for high school, undergrad and pharmacy students who are interested in our profession. In addition, continue to take all opportunities to learn and expand your skill set. Although you may not need the skills immediately, those skills (or the people you meet gaining those skills) may propel you into the next phase of your career.
P4 Rotation Spotlight
I was fortunate to complete a 6-week rotation at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year September till November. It was a unique experience in that, as suppose to majority of pharmacy students who complete their FDA rotation at the Center of Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), mine was at the Center of Device and Radiological Health (CDRH)|Office of Compliance (OC). I decided to pursue this rotation as I wanted to experience pharmacy from a different perspective. I wanted to understand the roles of pharmacists in a governmental agency setting such as the FDA. Additionally, as someone who aspires to pursue a Regulatory Affairs career in the pharmaceutical industry, I believed this experience will be vital. As it will allow me to have a first hand experience of how the FDA collaborates with pharmaceutical industries ensuring a company’s product(s) are in compliance with regulations, for the benefit and good of the public health. The beauty of working or rotating at the FDA is that there is always something new every day. During my first week of rotation, I had the opportunity of attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Devices FDA Advisory Committee Meeting on September 24, 2015 for a permanent birth control device known as “ESSURE®." The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the benefits and risk of the device. I have met several well seasoned professionals especially in the pharmaceutical industry who inform me they are yet to attend a FDA Advisory Committee Meeting. Hence, being able to experience this meeting was absolutely an honor. My duties varied daily depending on what was going on in the department. I had the opportunity to review several recalls, 510(k)s (Premarket Notification), Medical Device Reports (MDR), Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE), warning letters, FDA forms 483 (Inspection Observations), 806 (Recalls, Corrections & Removals), 2253 (Advertising & Promotional Labeling Submission Form), advisory packet, provided updates on recalled devices and it goes on. Additionally, I was able to present my final project to my preceptor’s division: Division of Manufacturing & Quality (DMQ) which involved regulatory reviewers, medical officers as well as pharmacy interns. It was a learning experience in that I was provided with immediate feedback on my performance. My experience at the FDA was also fun as I met other FDA pharmacy interns from attending lectures presented by pharmacists in offices ranging from Office of New Drugs (OND), Office of Regulatory Policy (ORP), Office of Generic Drugs (OGD) etc. Some lectures were held outside the FDA such as at the Bureau of Prisons Central Office (BOP), American Pharmacists Association Headquarters (APhA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Headquarters (ASHP), United States Pharmacopeia Headquarters (USP) and so on. These lectures were held one to three times a week and was attended by FDA pharmacy interns. Hence, I had the opportunity of not just meeting about 25 other pharmacy students, but also getting to know each one of them on a personal level within and outside the FDA. From the lectures, I was able to set up several one on one meetings with pharmacists and regulatory reviewers in the Office of Prescription & Drug Promotion (OPDP) as well as the Office of Pharmacovigilance & Epidemiology (OPE). These meetings gave me a further insight as to what their roles entail within the various functional areas. This rotation obviously provided and involved LOTS of NETWORKING. I cannot emphasize enough how rewarding this FDA rotation experience was for me. I met some great people I now consider as mentors. I made new friends who have expanded my network, ran into and reconnected with old friends (especially SNPhAM). And with May 2016 around the corner, I cannot wait to finally graduate pharmacy school and move on to the next chapter in joining the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Program with Merck & Co., Inc. as a Global Regulatory Affairs Fellow this summer. Thanks for reading.
NPhA Member Spotlight Meet Trishia Shaw, PharmD, BCPS Professional Position/Title: Clinical Pharmacist/Non-Traditional PGY-1 Resident Role in NPhA: Exhibits Coordinator SNPhA/NPhA Background Information: Previous UIC Chapter Secretary (2 years) Previous SNPhA National Recording Secretary Previous NPhA Secretary (4 years) What are you GOALS for the year? My primary goal for this year is to attract more exhibitors to convention and help the NPhA Board of Directors make this convention one of the best EVER!
Location: Masindi-Kitara Medical Center, Masindi, Uganda
Nuclear medicine is medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose and determine the severity of, or treat a variety of diseases, including many types of cancers and other abnormalities within the body. Nuclear medicine procedures are able to pinpoint molecular activity within the body; therefore it is offered to identify diseases in its earliest stages for a patient’s immediate response to therapeutic interventions. The imaging scans utilized for nuclear medicine are composed of radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals or radiotracers which are used to allow physicians to diagnose and evaluate medical conditions. I am currently completing my module five Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) at Cardinal Health Nuclear Pharmacy Specialty services in Glendale Heights, Illinois under the supervision of Dr. Raymond Tanaka, Pharm.D. We compound and distribute radiopharmaceuticals daily to all of the hospitals and specialty clinics throughout the Chicagoland area. The radiopharmaceutical process begins in the early hours of 0100 hours and daily duties are completed around 1600 hours. Pharmacists are set to receive, enter, and verify patient orders made from the hospitals/clinics. Once entered, the certified nuclear pharmacy technicians are to compound and draw doses of the radioactive materials. After each kit is made, the pharmacist verifies the purity of the compound via quality control (QC) testing. After they were approved, all doses are wrapped and shipped to their respective places by the nuclear radiopharmaceutical driving team members. During my rotation, I have conducted QC testing and drawn doses of the radioactive materials. Once I receive my sample for QC testing, I distribute each sample onto its respective chromatography paper and test the product for its purity. Currently, I have been drawing sources which are radiopharmaceutical doses drawn for facilities to calibrate their imaging scans in order to assess patients for an early detection of disease states. Moreover, nuclear pharmacy has been an amazing experience and I am ready to explore what the remaining weeks have to offer!
Submitted by: Micheala N. Smith Chicago State University, Region III
Submitted by: Brandyce Coes South Carolina College of Pharmacy- Charleston, Region II
Location: Cardinal Health Nuclear Pharmacy, Glendale, Illinois
When the time finally comes for fourth year APPE rotations many of us can’t wait to leave the classroom and finally begin utilizing all of the knowledge and skills we’ve learned the past three years. For me and fellow SNPhA member, Sidra Mitchell, the idea to practice pharmacy internationally was an opportunity of a lifetime that we could not pass up. Our international rotation took place at Masindi-Kitara Medical Center (MKMC) in Masindi, Uganda. The clinic is sponsored by Palmetto Medical Initiative (PMI), which is a non-profit organization based out of Charleston, SC. In Uganda the government provides public hospitals where patients can receive free care and medications, but the quality of care is very poor due to the lack of resources, drug shortages, and overcrowded patient wards. Privately funded hospitals and clinics are too expensive leaving huge gaps in access and quality of health care. MKMC is a fully functional 40-bed hospital with an outpatient clinic, 2 inpatient hospital wards, and a pharmacy where Sidra and I were able to work with the local doctors, select medications, and counsel patients. Patients in Masindi and surrounding villages come to MKMC to receive quality care at reduced rates. PMI brings a medical mission group at least 4 times out of the year to provide care to surrounding villages in Masindi. The mission is a week long and ends with a fun weekend safari trip up past the Nile River. During our rotation the mission group came the second week we were there, so our first week in Masindi we spent prepping for the team. Prepping included organizing and inventorying drugs, discarding any expired medications, and pre-counting commonly prescribed drug, such as analgesics and multivitamins. Pharmacy students are responsible for dispensing the medications and the overall running of the pharmacy. Being that we both are interested in community pharmacy this was a great opportunity to get a feel for operating your own pharmacy. Counseling the patients was my favorite part! Since most of the locals are not fluent in English we were given translators to help us provide counseling. If you thought the counseling for your OSLE in school was intense, try counseling with a translator for an average of 3-5 medications per person. The most rewarding experience for me on this rotation actually had nothing to do with pharmacy. We visited a local orphanage, “Family Spirit Orphanage”, where most of the children had lost their parents to HIV. The gratitude these orphans possessed quickly made me re-evaluate my selfish intentions and how blessed most of us really are. It also reminded me why I decided to pursue pharmacy in the first place and that was to have a professional outlet to serve. SNPhA is committed to serving the underserved and this rotation showed me that the underserved isn’t limited to your backyard. To all my rising P2/P3 SNPhA members if given the opportunity to complete a rotation overseas I would highly recommend it.
Region Three St. Louis College of Pharmacy The Ohio State University University of Illinois- Chicago University of Iowa
Region Two Auburn University East Tennessee State University Mercer University University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill University of South Florida
Region One Howard University Northeastern University University of Maryland University of Pittsburgh University of Rhode Island Virginia Commonwealth University
International Spotlight Place: The 62nd International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF) World Congress, Hyderabad, India Submitted by: Ojong Tbong Bate, National Power To End Stroke Chair
Submissions
Chapter
Thank you for making a contribution to the Signatura!
University of Pittsburgh
Region Four University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences University of Oklahoma University of Texas- Austin Xavier University of Louisiana
Region Five California Northstate University Loma Linda University Touro University- California University of Southern California University of Washington Washington State University- Spokane
As a leader and student pharmacist, I have had many experiences through my involvement in the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) as well as many other pharmacy student organizations. As a member of SNPhA since my first professional year of pharmacy school, I have been involved in many health fairs and attended regional and national meetings. Out of all my involvements, the most memorable leadership moment for me was this past summer at the 62nd International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF) as a pharmacy delegate. An adventure to India was never part of my wish list until I found out about the IPSF World Congress at a pharmacy seminar I attended in Morgantown West Virginia. During the career exhibition session, the IPSF educational boot caught my attention immediately, so I decided to stop by and get some more information. This was when I learned about the upcoming 62nd IPSF World Congress, which was to have taken place at Hyderabad India. When I returned to school after the seminar, I could not stop thinking about the idea of an adventure to India in pursuit of global pharmacy knowledge. I later decided to apply to attend the Congress and luckily I was accepted. I then went through with my plans for the trip with a mission to explore the global meaning of the pharmacy profession. At the world Congress, I discovered that IPSF was completely run by students just like Students National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA). I also learned that IPSF World Congress was like any other SNPhA regional or national conference but completely organized by student pharmacists from around the globe. My ten days stay in India made me very proud in choosing to pursue a career in pharmacy. I had the opportunity to network with over 600 student pharmacists and pharmacists from about 100 countries worldwide. It was truly humbling to be at the World Congress. I took part in many educational symposiums, clinical skills competitions, public health awareness campaigns and much more. In India, my most memorable interaction was when I took part in a public health campaign activity where we visited the local school and taught students about basic hygiene methods such as hand washing techniques and lifestyle modification methods such as healthy eating and smoking cessation. I believe my global exposure has given me a better understanding of the need to serve the underserved and a reason to always put the patient first in all I do. I also learned how to read and interpret non-verbal cues and gained cultural sensitivity. It was an enlightening experience connecting with student pharmacists from around the globe, and I can say with absolute certainty I want to be a pharmacist involved in serving the underserved population.
"Hmong New Year Celebration" California Northstate University During the month of November 2015, the Sacramento community held a Hmong New Year Celebration to appeal to the vast Hmong population in our area and to establish positive relationships between clans, promote higher education, and advocate for the health of future generations. Sacramento is home to the third largest Hmong-American community in the nation and, overall, this community represents one of the largest underserved in our region. The CNU SNPhA chapter had the pleasure to participate in this celebration by providing blood sugar screenings to the event goers. People of Asian descent, in general, are at a higher risk of developing diabetes. This validates the importance of testing blood sugar levels at events, such as this one, to control and slow disease development and progression. One of the major barriers that we encountered was language. Fortunately, we had translators to help us with our process so that we were able to effectively and efficiently screen event goers. We also provided general education about diabetes including the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a balanced diet. We informed event goers about what a normal blood sugar level should be if your body is producing insulin properly, what an appropriate blood sugar goal is for those with diabetes, and what signs to look out for hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. With the help of our members and our poster, we were able to screen 37 event goers. Thank you to the Sacramento Hmong New Year Group for allowing us to promote the importance of health in the Sacramento Hmong community.
"City of Hilliard Senior Center CKD and Blood Pressure Screening" The Ohio State University There was a lot of participation at the blood pressure screening today. One particularly touching experience was with patient Jane (Doe). Jane was our third patient of the day and shared her amazing story with all of us. As of just this morning Jane learned she is cancer free! Everyone burst out in praise, and her eyes grew moist with relief as she continued. Without today's positive diagnosis she would have had to wait 5 years for a kidney transplant. Jane has been undergoing 4 hour dialysis sessions, three times a week, for quite some time. She even let us feel the pulsating port in her right arm. Jane is also fortunate enough to have a friend that is willing to donate a kidney! She goes to the doctor tomorrow to discuss the next steps. Something new I learned is that if Jane's friend is not a match to her, and she still donates, Jane will then be bumped to the top of the waiting list. This was a very successful blood pressure screening because it allowed me to hear Jane's story.
Chapter Submissions
"Pharmacy Day in Olympia" University of Washington On January 22, 2016, over 100 University of Washington pharmacy students traveled to Olympia, Washington’s state capital. We met with legislators to support bills important to the profession of pharmacy and to advocate for the profession. One of the bills supported by students was a bill regarding long-term care facilities, which reinforces the role of pharmacists and nurses as part of the health-care team. Another bill we supported was standardization of health care provider credentialing. Pharmacy students voiced opposition to a new bill that would erase our recent efforts to bring more scrutiny and transparency to Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) in our state. It is important to SNPhA, the University of Washington, and the profession of pharmacy that we not only advocate for our patients but the profession as well. We play an integral part in change that affects students, pharmacists, and the general public.
"The 'Art' of Pharmacy" University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Recently our chapter went to Hot Springs, Arkansas to talk to high schoolers about pursing a career in pharmacy. During our time we spoke with 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. This event promoted advocacy for the profession of pharmacy. Our event provided an interesting twist because we spoke to students in an art class. Most students in the class had not considered how you can intertwine pharmacy and art. We are able to spin our presentation to show how pharmacy encourages creativity you just have to use science as the base. We started the presentation talking about out know drugs are discovered. We showed an example how the drug lisinopril came to the market. We explained to the students how scientist have to use their creativity to be able to create a drug, and deliver it in a way that patients can take the medication. We also used children medication as an example. We explained how most children do not like to take medicine, however if you put medicine in the form of gummy bears or lolllipop kids would be more inclined to take it. Scientist had to use there imagine and creativity to figure out how to get children to comply. We also used SNPhA as part of the presentation by explaining how our organization promotes creativity. We showed several examples how we used our creativity to spread a message or educate people about a disease state. We started by showing the diabetes picture we submitted for awareness. We explained that over 400 people saw and liked that picture on social media which helped spread awareness about diabetes. We also showed our Ready, Set, Action video that was submitted for the legislative committee. After the students had a chance to see that creativity can take place in art as well as science, many were open to the idea of exploring science and pharmacy as an option. Our chapter thoroughly enjoyed this project, and working with the students.
"M&Mphetamine with Gretna #2 Academy" Xavier University of Louisiana After successes from XULA SNPhA's High School Outreach Program (#HSOP), we decided to expand our horizon and impact even younger persons. On Wednesday November 4th, XULA SNPhA traveled to Gretna #2 Academy to teach 11 3rd-graders how pharmacy relates to a healthy lifestyle. We were able to talk to the youth about the various types of pharmacists, the duties of each type, and how we as pharmacists can help make positive nutritional and medication changes to a patient's regimen. For a fun activity, we split up into groups to teach the young ones how to count M&Mphetamine pills (candy), which will help their future patients' disease. The labels for the M&Mphetamine allowed them to write the count, date, and their name as a Doctor. At the end of the session, the kids showed us their yoga routine, another way they have learned about a healthy lifestyle. Before starting our talk and activity, the young children did not know what a pharmacist was. After, many of the 3rd-graders said they now wanted to be pharmacists. We assured them that they could do this, with a little push towards Xavier and SNPhA!
"Paint It White!" University of Iowa University of Iowa SNPhA members joined their fellow pharmacy colleagues at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines on January 27th. The Iowa Pharmacy Association held their annual event with the theme “Paint It White!” This is a special event for pharmacists across the state to come together and advocate for important topics making headlines in our profession. Student pharmacists from both the University of Iowa and Drake University were also invited to the event to meet leaders in our profession both at a state and national level. The morning began with state pharmacy leaders discussing the most important legislation that is currently being emphasized by the Iowa Pharmacy Association. Following the morning programming, new student attendees were paired with practicing pharmacists to understand the process of meeting with state senators and representatives to discuss these crucial issues. This event gave SNPhA members in attendance the opportunity to come together with practicing pharmacists and bring important issues such as provider status, Medicaid modernization and statewide protocols to the attention of our legislators. After a day full of advocacy and education all attendees congregated in the rotunda with white coats to truly “Paint It White.”
"SNPhA-WSU Off to a Fantastic Start!" Washington State University- Spokane The Washington State University Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) Chapter is looking to build our momentum into the New Year! One of our biggest accomplishments late last year was collaborating with PPSO, APhA-ASP, CPNP and Walgreens to host an educational outreach and health-screening event at Fiesta Spokane. Professional activities conducted at the event included depression awareness, diabetes and infection prevention education, immunizations, and blood glucose, as well as blood pressure, screenings. We hope to strengthen this inter-organizational collaboration into the future. This year, SNPhA-WSU has already hosted several diabetic health screenings, including glucose and diabetic foot exams, at various Safeway pharmacies in the Spokane area. Furthermore, SNPhA-WSU has been continuously collaborating with the Spokane AIDS Network in providing health screenings to underserved communities. We look forward to continuing our focus on lowering the stigma and bringing awareness to specific health diseases, such as chronic kidney disease, stroke, and AIDS/HIV this New Year. We are excited more than ever to get involved with the community in diverse ways, such as helping the homeless, teaching science to young students, and fundraising for non-profit organizations. We will also continue our successes in providing diabetes health screenings and immunizations to the Greater Spokane Area throughout this New Year. Stay tuned with SNPhA-WSU to learn about all of the exciting opportunities coming up this year!
"Advocacy through our Health Initiatives" University of Illinois-Chicago The month of November was Diabetes awareness month and our diabetes initiave chair, Grace Go, organized several outreach events. This event in particular was geared towards educating pharmacy students at UIC about diabetes. Through this event, Grace Go carried out an instagram campaign where students at UIC pledged to no longer use the word "diabetes" inappropriately. For instance, people have the tendency to refer to high calorie foods as diabetes. As future health professionals, it is our duty to educate the general population on this disease state as well as common myth and misconceptions. Using the word diabetes inappropiately defeats the purpose of us advocating towards eliminating these misconceptions. Therefore this event was used as a mean to educate the student body as well as turning them into health advocates. This was a very successful event as Grace Go was able to reach out to 150 students. Our CKD chair, Mariet Eivazi, along with our PTES chair, Kali Weber, organized a health fair in november at Community Health. The goal of this event was to provide patients with general information on stroke, how to recognize symptoms of stroke, hypertension screening, and medication adherence. Through this event, they were able to reach out 12 patient in an underserved community.
"Get to know a CDOE! (Rhode Island Certified Diabetes Outpatient Educator)" University of Rhode lsland In honor of American Diabetes Month during November, our SNPhA chapter wanted to inform our members about career opportunities in diabetes outpatient care available to pharmacist after graduation. Certified Diabetes Outpatient Educator (CDOE) is a certification unique to Rhode Island sponsored by the Rhode Island Department of Health Diabetes Prevention and Control Program. Rhode Island licensed Dietitians, Pharmacists, and Nurses are eligible to become a CDOE. URI Pharmacy Outreach Coordinator and CDOE certified faculty member, Dr. Ramos-DeSimone, lead an information session on the requirements and outreach opportunities available to pharmacists. For example in the community, pharmacist may lead support groups centered on self management and education at churches or senior centers, or provide MTM services within in a pharmacy or managed care organization. Dr. Ramos-Desimone also spoke on educational barriers that pharmacist face when educating patients with diabetes, whether that is with perceptions and cultural beliefs, cost related issues or difficulty adhering to medications. Our SNPhA chapter believes that is imperative that our members are aware of certifications such as becoming a CDOE because there are so many different ways pharmacist can be an accessible educational resource to patients.
"Advocating Our Profession" University of Tennessee Health Science Center UTHSC SNPhA quickly sprang back into action for the new year. We began hosting several health fairs with Walgreens spread vastly through out Tennessee. We provided blood pressure screenings, informed participants about different disease states, and educated everyone on the importance of knowing their medications and their pharmacists. One unique opportunity students were allowed to experience was a health screening at Lutheran Village. Lutheran Village is an assisted living center for senior citizens located in Memphis. Student pharmacists were allowed to educate residents on specific disorders that are most common among the elderly, review and discuss their current medications, and provide blood pressure measurements. This experience was a great way to prepare students for their participation in Walgreens’ upcoming “Seniors Day” events. UTHSC SNPhA has also been seeking to partner with the Boys and Girls Club in the Memphis area to assist students with homework and other after school activities as well as educate them about the roles of a pharmacist. As you can see, UTHSC has hit the ground running this academic year, and we are determined to advocate the profession of pharmacy to the young, old, and everyone in between. We are extremely excited about what this year has in store.
"Keep Calm and Stop HIV/AIDS" Northeastern University The Northeastern SNPhA members finished the Fall semester strong and had a restful Winter Break. Now they are ready to start the new year off with a bang! On December 3rd, two students tabled at 458 Huntington Avenue and provided information about HIV/AIDS to students passing by. We tested people by asking questions about AIDS in order to engage conversation and teach them if they did not know the answer. Prior to AIDS Day, we posted flyers in order to spread the word about World AIDS Day. On December 7th, five members from Northeastern University had a joint tabling event. We educated people about Diabetes, Power to End Stroke and Chronic Kidney disease. We passed out flyers and brochure to teach patients about diabetes, stroke and chronic kidney diseases. We were able to directly help people because we answered and clarified questions that students and faculty members had. On December 9th, we had our last meeting of the semester. In order to give a break to our awesome members during finals week, we held a potluck where members brought food and drinks to kick back and de-stress. We always gave out awards and gifts to our 2 most active members in SNPhA! On January 20th, we had our first meeting of the semester with a guest speaker from LEAD 360. LEAD 360 is an organization on campus set out to develop students through workshops on various areas such as teamwork, communication, and critical thinking to name a few. The Lead 360 consultant helped us discover what type of leadership “color” we had by filling out a worksheet. She later went on to explaining the strength and weakness of each color to make us more aware of our habits and our team members’ habits.
"Sacramento Hmong New Year Health Fair" Touro University-California Touro University SNPhA collaborated with a Walgreen’s pharmacy to serve the Hmong population of Sacramento on the 28th of November 2015. Our goal for the event was to provide blood pressure readings, hypertension education, and free influenza vaccines. There were two tables, one with blood pressure readings while the other one was for immunizations. At the blood pressure station, we measured blood pressures for 35 patients. Many of the patients were hypertensive and were counseled on their sodium intake, importance of exercise, and other daily activities that could help with their hypertension. For example, one of the patient’s blood pressure was in hypertensive range. Upon questioning I found out that she only took her medications when she felt like she had high blood pressure. I was able to convince her to take her medications regularly with the help of Dr. Sakura. Some of the patients were not currently diagnosed as hypertensive and were recommended to see a primary care provider. At the immunization table, we provided free immunizations to economically disadvantaged Hmong population. Over 80 immunizations were given by Dr. Lau with the majority of them being elderly. At the Hmong festival, we were able to demonstrate some of the capabilities of pharmacists by counseling patients on blood pressure and providing influenza vaccinations to the Hmong community. This event was made possible by the help of the 2 pharmacists, 8 pharmacy students (3 second year students, 3 third year students, and 2 fourth year student), and 5 Hmong volunteers who helped us translate and effectively communicate. We were able to successfully accomplish our goals for the day and were glad to have such a wonderful event.
"Feeling the Burn with The Diet Doc" University of Pittsburgh Here in the University of Pittsburgh's very own Salk Hall, our SNPhA chapter had the pleasure of inviting Joe Klemczewski, dubbed "The Diet Doc" for revolutioning and personalizing fitness and nutrition for lifelong health rather than temporary diet fads, to come motivate our soon-to-be pharmacists and friends on how we can make a change to the profession of pharmacy through personal care. Doctor Klemczewski focused on the social psychology of the pharmacist-patient interaction, challenging us to take an active role with our patients rather than give them their pills and move on to the next task. His experience with pharmacists has been a dull one, one that isn't so friendly as we hoped. By bringing in the Diet Doc, we were urged to make a difference beyond what the textbooks teach us and be more personable with our patients. Many other attendees to the event can agree that we were motivated to take that active role in our future job place. As the next generation of pharmacists, we have the opportunity to create the community we want to create. Doctor Klemczewski said it best himself, "Why can't our pharmacists ask about our day when handing over the pills? Why can't they offer a healthy parfait instead of leaving our patients with the temptation of worse options?" Our event helped open the eyes of what we can do with the future pharmacy. Instead of being that pharmacist who can't wait until it is 5pm to clock out, we can be that pharmacist who knows his patients and gives them the best personal care possible. And who knows, maybe parfaits can be just as tasty as that chocolate milkshake I'm craving right now too.
"Advocacy: Committed to the Underserved in the Triangle" University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Our chapter has partnered with CAARE (a non-profit organization) to serve the uninsured, underinsured , and low-income populations in the triangle through our SNPhA Pharmacy Clinic at CAARE every Wednesday night. Last year we conducted the pilot run of the clinic with only executive members and initiative chairs before opening to the general members. The success during our trial period afforded the means to have general members regularly volunteer for this semester. This amazing opportunity allows members to utilize their skills in patient education, management in chronic diseases (such as hypertension and diabetes), encourage medication adherence, and advocate lifestyle modifications to optimize the patients experience through our services. Another wonderful opportunity to give back to our community is by teaming with Global Scholars Academy, a local charter school in Durham, to help under-served children in the area. Student pharmacists have committed to serving as mentors and tutors to 5th and 8th graders each week. This will allow them to build a positive relationship with the children and foster a different prospective in achieving ambitions and dreams. This will not only impact their lives immediately but will help to promote affirmative outcomes for this group of children and their future. Our goal is to be a great resource to the children and build a rapport with the parents to ensure they are invested as well.
"Advocating for Pharmacy in the San Bernadino Community" Loma Linda University The SNPhA chapter of Loma Linda University consists of proud members, who believe in the progression of pharmacy and its role in helping chronic health in the United States. There is an incredible number of Americans managing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. But do patients know they can come to us for help? Pharmacists today are highly trained to assist patients in preventative care, management of diseases, and appropriate adherence to medications. As an organization, we are dedicated to be an advocate for pharmacy and its efforts to benefit the patient the most. Our initiative chair leaders in Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease, Stroke, HIV/AIDs, and Immunization are passionate in establishing a foundation for patients to obtain free healthcare screenings and education in the San Bernardino community. It is especially valuable for patients who lack the resources to meet with their PCP. It is up to us to take advantage of the fact that pharmacists are often more accessible to a patient on a day-to-day basis. It is a privilege for us to extend a helping hand in patient care and achieve a collaborative health goal. Along with the community outreaches our initiative leaders partake in, our chapter delegate Adrian Wasylyshen is actively executing the next step forward for pharmacist provider status. Currently, several states have passed legislation allowing pharmacists to furnish self-administered hormonal contraception. Adrian is pushing a resolution to have this further resolved by encouraging all pharmacy schools to offer education on self-administered hormonal contraceptives leading to potential certification. One of our GOALS as an organization is to delegate the progression of pharmacy by being an advocate for the profession so that the patient can obtain optimal care!
"STLCOP Celebrates the Roles of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians" St. Louis College of Pharmacy STLCOP SNPhA partnered with the St. Louis College of Health Careers to celebrate American Pharmacists Month and National Pharmacy Technicians Week. Students engaged with SLCHC pharmacy technician students in dialogue about the roles of a pharmacy technician and a pharmacist, and how they work as a team. Students participated in role-play and worked through “mock” pharmacist-pharmacy technician interaction scenarios which were applicable to potential real-life instances. Students were able to relate to the importance of teamwork and collaboration, as well as interdependence, between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This was an opportunity to advocate for the profession of pharmacy and discuss what and how pharmacy technicians may make a successful transition into the ideal pharmacist, in honor of American Pharmacists Month. Additionally, pharmacy students were able to listen to the opinions of pharmacy technicians, the backbone of pharmacies and best partners of pharmacists, in order to help understand the importance and values of pharmacy technicians, and how they may aid pharmacists in providing all necessary care to patients as well as optimize pharmacy function. Many of the pharmacy technician students had plans to apply to pharmacy school upon completion of their program. This event also gave them the opportunity to discuss with STLCOP SNPhA students in how to apply pharmacy school, tips and advice for success in pharmacy school, and more.
"A Rally for Pharmacy, Legislative Day 2015 at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy" University of Southern California Serving as our Legislative Initiative Director, Min (Sammie) Kang worked with fellow student leaders at the USC School of Pharmacy, with support from local pharmacist sponsor organizations including the California Pharmacists Association, South Bay/Long Beach Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and San Gabriel Pharmacists Association, to plan Legislative Day 2015 on November 13, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. There were 180 students in attendance who were inspired to get involved and lobby government. Students were reminded to advocate for the profession and ensure that pharmacists are reimbursed for the clinical services they provide. During the planning process, Min attended more than 10 committee meetings, helping to recruit speakers and vendors and advertising the event to students. With the theme “Pharmacy provider status!” many honored guests addressed key issues and motivated students to stay involved. Speakers included assembly member Anthony Rendon, Senator Jeff Stone, Dr. Michael Hochmann, Dean Glen Stimmel, and Senior Advisor to the Dean Dr. Pete Vanderveen. Senator Jeff Stone was impressed by students' efforts and passion for legislature at this significant stage of their careers. The goal of the event was to shine light on the vital role student pharmacists play in impacting the pharmacy profession. This year focused on promoting new pharmacy federal provider status bills, H.R. 592 and S. 314. Legislators and faculty shared their perspectives on these pieces of legislature and what future advocacy is needed. It was an inspiring and productive event for lawmakers, pharmacists, and students alike.
"Standing Up for Global Vaccinations" East Tennessee State University SNPhA members at East Tennessee State University has been hard at work advocating for childhood vaccination by participating in the Shot@Life 60in60 Challenge. The contest challenged us with the task of raising funds to provide lifesaving vaccines for children in need. Our chapter recruited seven Shot@Life champions and contacted five Members of Congress to make them aware of the need for global vaccinations. We started our advocacy with a bake sale and received overwhelming support from our fellow classmates, faculty, and staff members. The Dean even came out to enjoy a peanut butter brownie for the cause. Next, we held a lunch fundraiser made possible by a generous donation from our local Chick-fil-A. With the combined effort of each SNPhA member, as well as the support from the community, we were able to raise over $650 which can provide about 300 measles vaccinations in an underserved area. We were ecstatic to receive favorable correspondence from Senator Lamar Alexander and are excited to announce that we were able to reach “gold level,” placing us third in the nation in this competition. Although the 60in60 Challenge is over, our efforts in globally serving the underserved continues.
"Signed, Sealed, and Delivered" Mercer University Over the course of three months, the Mercer University SNPhA Chapter started a mission to redefine advocacy on their campus and in their community. Collaborating with more than five organizations, the Legislative Committee facilitated an array of events to include, but certainly not limited to, global immunization efforts, letter-writing campaigns, voter registration drives, and men’s health events. Many individuals view advocacy within the limited scope of serving on the frontline defending a cause, deterring them from participating in any legislative related activities. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, legislative postcards, and the Ready, Set, Action National Video Competition, all represent unconventional avenues that this chapter utilized to advocate for others as well as the pharmacy profession. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day serves to raise awareness about services pharmacists provide that expand beyond the scope of a pharmacy. Through the use of legislative postcards, patients receive the opportunity to share how they benefit from pharmacist-provided services with their local senators and representatives. Last but not least, the Ready, Set, Action National Video Competition presents an opportunity to influence individuals around the world through the use of social media. The beauty of it all, through these events, committee members made an undeniable impact without the added pressure of standing before crowds or facing the task of speaking before congressional representatives. Advocacy takes on various shapes, forms, and sizes. No cause is trivial. No action is too small. No voice is too soft. Advocacy does not require perfection, elaborate speeches, or some grandiose display of political knowledge. Advocacy only requires a desire to make a difference and willing participants. Everyone possesses the power to make a difference in the lives of others. It is as simple as one letter. Signed, sealed, and delivered!
"SNPhA Wants You to Know Your Legislators!" Auburn University The SNPhA Chapter at the Harrison School of Pharmacy held an advocacy event to urge the student body to learn more about their state’s House of Representatives and Senate members. The event was an important step towards raising awareness towards S.314 and H.R. 592 (Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Enhancement Act), two important bills that can play a big role in advancing the profession of pharmacy. The daylong event started with a pharmacy school-wide trivia asking a question of who the current supporters and non-supporters of S.314 and H.R. 592 were in the state of Alabama. The winner of the trivia received a free lunch courtesy of the SNPhA chapter. Later that day, a display board in the main atrium of the Harrison School of Pharmacy featured every Alabama legislator in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The board detailed a photo of each legislator, their respective counties in the state, and information on S.314 & H.R. 592. While featuring the display, SNPhA talked with pharmacy students about the significance of knowing your local legislators and how state laws can greatly affect the profession of pharmacy. Lastly, the event concluded with pharmacy students reading and signing a letter addressed to Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) urging support for S.314. The event was a great way to spread awareness amongst the school of pharmacy and communicate with legislators for the advocacy of the pharmacy profession. We greatly support S.314 & H.R. 592 and urge anyone in the pharmacy profession to learn more about the bills.
"Advocacy In Pharmacy, Kid Style" University of Texas- Austin Based in the Austin community, our SNPhA organization aims to reach out to elementary and high schools to educate students about health related topics. The Lee Elementary School Science Fair is an annual event where we teach first to fifth grade students about smoking cessation and kidney disease through a Wheel of Fortune game. A student would come up, spin the wheel, and answer questions pertaining to smoking or kidneys. We would elaborate on their answers so that they could learn new information. It was amazing to witness the intelligence and the zeal for learning that these children possess. Every student that approached the station was enthusiastic and incredibly interested in science. In addition, not only were the students attracted to the game, but the parents were also attentive and asking follow up questions. This event served to promote the profession of pharmacy, because the children were able to see the impact pharmacists can give to patients. The parents were also able to relate their experiences with pharmacists and expressed their gratitude for our health services. Something so simple as a science fair made a big impact to us as pharmacy students. We learned how to tailor health information to children in a way that allows them to understand in simplest terms. Pharmacists play in important role in the community, and it is vital to inform the public of our disease and drug expertise. An event like this gives pharmacy students the ability to spread the knowledge we gain in pharmacy school. Even though the topics were on smoking cessation and kidney disease, the parents asked about general medications such as cardiac and allergy medications, which further showcased our knowledge about medications. Overall, this event was successful as we were advocates of the pharmacy profession to children and parents.
"VCU Takes a Shot at Life" Virginia Commonwealth University With the motivation from our immunizations chair, Alvin Maraya, interest meetings were held on campus in Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University. The inspiration stemmed from 60 in 60, a Shot at Life campaign. The message was to emphasize the importance of vaccinations and the audience was the general public. Our immunizations chair reminded members that we have the power and responsibility to advocate for immunizations to prevent any loss of funding globally. Twenty members attended this interest meeting. Alvin surveyed members if they could pledge to contact their legislators through email, phone or in person. With overwhelming interest and support from members, Alvin organized a meeting with our local legislator. VCU students are lucky enough to go to school in downtown Richmond, where our state legislators are located. Eight members attended the meeting to increase our advocating presence. The members spoke on the importance of the issue and why it is so important to us, pharmacy students. Members engaged the office of our in district legislator, Bobby Scott, with etiology and facts about measles, polio and rubella and left handouts at the office.
"Sweet Success" University of Oklahoma As the semester of Fall 2015 dwindled down at the University of Oklahoma, stress levels rose as finals drew nearer but the SNPhAmily remained motivated. Our motivation comes from knowing that there is always something we can do to further the profession of pharmacy and its interests. Advocacy is important to us in Oklahoma. We recently brought attention to diabetes during World Diabetes Day. Many of our members donned blue and shared facts about diabetes with our health science center community. We also participated in the “Shot at Life - 60 in 60” campaign. SNPhA members reached out to state legislators to advocate for life saving vaccinations. Reaching state senators could be done via e-mail, phone call, or post mail. We opted for the post-mail route and were able to reach all of our state’s senators! Our chapter received the Bronze Level in this campaign. In addition to legislative advocacy, we collaborated with the APhA-ASP chapter at OU to host a bake sale to raise money for “Operation Immunization,” an initiative to provide vaccines for preventable diseases. We were able to raise $160 for this important initiative! We always enjoy teaming up with other organizations at OU, so this bake sale was a perfectly sweet end to our semester.
"Our Own Best Advocates" Howard University As future pharmacists, we are our own best advocates. As student pharmacists we should want the public perception of our future career to reflect all of the roles that we will take on. When people think of advocacy in the professional sense, most will think of lobbyists, large organizations and policy makers, but advocacy at its’ core is a form of promotion. The role of the pharmacist has changed profoundly over the years, and some of the less technical roles of the pharmacist are being emphasized. Through out this school year, the Howard University chapter of SNPhA has carried out initiatives that advocated the profession of pharmacy in the communities we as student pharmacists hope to one day serve. On another spectrum, student pharmacists can advocate for the profession of pharmacy both locally and nationally by reaching out to lawmakers. This school year our chapter President, Jateh Major, along with about 15 SNPhA members advocated for the profession of pharmacy at Washington D.C. City Hall, also known as The Wilson Building. Members spent the day educating lawmakers and their staff on the roles of pharmacist, and how they could assist pharmacist across the nation obtain provider status. Student volunteers also provided blood pressure screening and medication therapy reviews for employees. The day spent at the Wilson Building showed that we as student pharmacist could use our unique position to educate lawmakers about other services we provide. With the end goal being provider status, we must work diligently through initiatives to continuously represent the profession of pharmacy in a good light. As stated, no one else will advocate for us if we are not willing to do it for ourselves. If we are not earnest and ensure that we are heard, we will never reach our highest potential.
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"Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes" University of South Florida SNPhA raised money from bake sales and personal donations for the annual American Diabetes Association Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. 100% of the proceeds went towards the walk, where we raised a total of $64 dollars. The walk was a fun way to bring together the community to raise awareness about this disease state. The event was a success and hundreds of Tampa Bay residents walked to stop diabetes. Overall Tampa Bay raised $258, 468 for the American Diabetes Association.
"Mock Interview Event" University of Maryland On January 21, 2016, as Maryland was awaiting a record breaking blizzard, APhA/ASP and SNPhA mentorship programs collaborated at UMBC and held mock interviews for their respective mentees. The turn-out was great being that it was an unfriendly cold evening. About 12 mentees from both organizations were in attendance some who had interviews quickly approaching within two weeks. The plan for the night was to have a Question and Answer session where the mentees had an opportunity to inquire about the interview process at University of Maryland School of Pharmacy as well as the school in general to the mentors who were present. There was a parallel session that took place where mentees were interviewed individually by two mentors for ten minutes, were given feedback for about ten minutes and the last few minutes were spent answering any questions the interviewees had. The two groups switched allowing the group that was in the Q and A session to experience the mock interview process. After all the mentee had participated in the mock interview there was a debriefing that gave the mentors a chance to ask any additional questions they had. The mock interview event gave the mentors and mentees an opportunity to interact and share ideas in a unique setting. At the end of the event the mentees mentioned that they gained information that helped them feel more knowledgeable about the interview process.
Thank You!
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Entries must be 300 words MAX with a title and include 1-3 high quality pictures. Deadline for submissions via CIC 2.0 website: March 25, 2016 by 11:59PM EST
Down: 1. Diabetes 3. Glucometer4. Glycemic Index 12. ADA
Crossword Puzzle "Diabetes"
Across: 1.Diet 2. Sugar 4.Gestational 5.HBA1C 6.One 7. Exercise 8.Metformin 9.Two 10.Insulin 11.Neuropathy
See You In Atlanta!
SNPhA National Convention July 29-31, 2016 The Renaissance Waverly Hotel Atlanta, Georgia