Uncategorized

Jimmy Fallon, Walter White and Clinical Pharmacy – A Recap of Pharmacists Awareness Month 2014

Jimmy Fallon and Walter White walk into a hospital to speak with a clinical pharmacist…

If you thought that the above was the only way these three subjects could be related, think again. We agree – it sounds like the start of a terrible joke. In reality, however, all three are connected by Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM) 2014.

The end of March brings Pharmacist Awareness Month to a close for the year.  At UBC Pharm Sci, the University’s Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns Chapter (CAPSI UBC) and the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society (PhUS) participated in raising awareness about the role of pharmacists in patient care.

UBC PAM’s Facebook page has been active since the start of the month and was well populated with facts and information about pharmacy. For example, did you know that the B.C.  Government will cover expenses on smoking cessation medication in order to help individuals to quit?

UBC Pharm Sci students and faculty also participated in Student Booths at the SUB. The Student Booths aimed to connect the larger UBC community with pharmacists and pharmacy students in order to learn more about the profession in a fun and engaging way. Performances at the SUB included Dr. Mary Ensom playing the electric violin, students playing the acoustic and electric guitar, and an impressive, artistic rendition of the Breaking Bad anti-hero completed in less than 8 minutes.

Still, March, and thus PAM, is not yet over. There is still time to attend the final event hosted by CAPSI UBC and PhUS on March 26: Avenues in Clinical Pharmacy, a conversation on career paths for pharmacists in a hospital setting. Previous events included visits to local high schools and a discussion on how pharmacists can market themselves most effectively.

All of these outstanding efforts were part of PAM celebrations across Canada. Fleming College in Ontario demonstrated how pharmacy technicians can help people with Alzheimer’s disease using colour coded-based reminders on pills and Memorial University students planned a Public Pill Drop. BC’s own Mill Bay Pharmasave shared in the fun by uploading their #creative and #informative take on Jimmy Fallon’s #Hashtag video!

What were your favourite PAM initiatives? What events would you like to see take place next year? Share with us in the comments!

-Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

Standard
Uncategorized

Get excited, get involved – CAPSI UBC and PhUS are hosting Pharmacist Awareness Month events

March is a great month. Whether you’re preparing to cheer for your favorite college basketball team during March Madness or are simply ecstatic to start the only month that is also a verb (we were surprised about this too!), March has something for everyone. March is also the Canadian Pharmacists Association Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM), an annual campaign to raise awareness about the crucial role of pharmacists in patient care.

To promote PAM, CAPSI UBC, the University’s Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns chapter; along with PhUS, the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society, have prepared a variety of events to take place throughout March:

CAPSI UBC and PhUS have prepared a host of events for you to learn about the pharmacy practice

March 3 to 7: SUB Demonstrations

This week pharmacy students are hosting a booth in the SUB to promote the profession of pharmacy among their peers. Poster presentations will be showcased on topics including asthma, COPD, diabetes, the importance of re-hydration and skin-care. On Monday and Friday, students will also demonstrate some of the tasks pharmacists undertake in their practice.

March 3 and March 6: High School Outreach

UBC Pharm Sci students will visit local high schools to inform a younger audience of some of the exciting opportunities the profession of pharmacy offers, as well as the application process to the BSc program. Pharm Sci volunteers will also highlight the importance of having a variety of healthcare professionals available within a community.

On March 3, UBC Pharm Sci visited Churchill Secondary and will visit John Oliver Secondary on March 6th.

March 13, 6-8 pm: Annual Pharmacy Information Evening (PIE)

The evening of March 13 represents a chance for prospective pharmacy students to learn more about the admissions process and student life. These insights are courtesy of students already enrolled in the program together with Barbara Gobis, who will also introduce the new Pharmacists Clinic.

March 18, 5-6:30 pm: Marketing Yourself Speaker Series

On March 18, CAPSI and PhUS will address the topic of “How to Best Market Yourself in Pharmacy” by hosting a speaker series in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Building’s Main Lecture Hall.

March 26, 5-7 pm: Hospital Pharmacy Speaker Series

CAPSI and PhUS have invited representatives from the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists to join in a conversation about the active role hospital pharmacists play in patient care. Representatives will also advise on the potential paths students can pursue within a hospital setting.

Which of the above events will you participate in? Which activities are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments section!

– Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing Assistant 

Standard