Hands-on experiences hardening soft skills
Students in the School of Pharmacy are taking the initiative to plan events in the spirit of advocating for pharmacists expanding scope of practice, providing public awareness of the services pharmacists provide, and collaboration amongst their peers.
The School of Pharmacy’s Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM) activities for 2015 included a vast array of Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI)-planned events that ranged from substance abuse presentations to primary, elementary, junior high and high school students, to offering blood pressure testing at various community sites - including The Honourable Steve Kent of the Department of Health and Community Services during the Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland and Labrador’s PAM Opening Reception.
Sydney Saunders (Class of 2017) was the lead organizer of the students’ initiatives.
“The majority of the events we planned this year were to engage the public and educate them of the ever-expanding role of pharmacists. Our goal was to include events for all ages. We developed a Fun With Science program for preschoolers and reached out to over 1500 school aged children to educate about the dangers of smoking, drug abuse, and information about the School of Pharmacy and expanded scope of practice.”
Student initiatives also put into action skills learned in the program, including teamwork, time management, communication and professionalism, and leadership – all of which are equally as vital for a pharmacist as is their knowledge of medications.
“PAM reminded me of why I want to become a pharmacist,” Ms. Saunders added. “Actually working and interacting with the public made me realize the positive impact we have on patients’ lives, but also that there is more work to be done as many people are still unaware of the expanding scope of pharmacy practice. So advocating for the profession is key.”
Ms. Saunders feels that because of her experiences during PAM, she feels that advocacy will be an important part of her future education and career.
Each year, the Schools of Pharmacy at Dalhousie University and Memorial alternate in hosting the Atlantic Pharmacy Advancement Conference (APAC). This year’s conference takes place at Memorial in November.
Jasmine Elliot (Class of 2016), conference chair, said she wanted to become involved in the planning because professional development opportunities refresh students’ passion for their chosen profession, and fosters a collaborative environment for “our current program as well as our future careers.”
“Collaborating with each other enables us to share ideas regarding the future of pharmacy practice in Atlantic Canada,” she said. “Through APAC, we establish a network of eager students who share a common purpose – to advance the practice of pharmacy. Dal and MUN grads may work together throughout our careers, whether it’s in a community or hospital pharmacy, in a pharmacy organization, collaborating on research or more.”
This year’s conference theme emphasizes the reality that pharmacists can play a vital role in improving patients’ health outcomes while decreasing overall healthcare costs – proving that students are in tune with current issues and are well on their way to establishing a brighter future for their profession and healthcare.