A day at UBC can be spent a million different ways. You can take a stroll through Nitobe, brave the stairs and sunbathe at Wreck Beach, or browse through the extensive galleries at the Museum of Anthropology.
The Story of Medicines exhibit is one of UBC’s newest attractions. It is one of the most exciting features of the new Pharmaceutical Sciences Building, highlighting pharmacy’s essential contribution to human health. The elegance and educational value of the project has recently earned international recognition – the Story of Medicines exhibit was a Silver winner in the 2014 Summit Creative Award competition, under the category of Education Institution Interactive Media.
Here are a few of the highlights of the Story of Medicines exhibit.
The Origins and Evolutions of Pharmacy – This section was developed with the assistance of alumnus and pharmacy historian Steve Dove, and traces the history of pharmacy from ancient times to the modern world. It houses artifacts from the collections of the Faculty.
The Role of Pharmacy – This section exhibits the many career paths in Pharmaceutical sciences, such as community pharmacists, government, industry, and academia.
Six Drugs that Changed the World – There are six drugs that had a major impact in human history: anesthetics, antibiotics, birth control pills, vaccines, analgesics, and insulin. This display takes you through the creation and societal impact of these six drugs.
Journey of a Drug through the Body – This is my favourite exhibit in the Story of Medicines, as it demonstrates pharmacokinetics, or how medications are metabolized throughout the body. It includes customizable options for body type, type of drug, and method of administration. After specifying your options, you are taken through the step-by-step process of drug metabolism.
Interactive Alumni Yearbook – Look through decades of UBC pharmacy alumni, including the CP3, Bsc (Pharm), MSc, PHD, and PharmD grads. Compare hairstyles, class composition, and see what some of the grads are up to today.
The Story of Medicines is located on the main and mezzanine levels of the Pharmaceutical Sciences building. It is open to the public from 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday.
Follow