Jennifer Whartenby, Senior Managing Editor

McKaya Schmit guided patients through a natural disaster.

Mckaya Schmit, a 2013 PharmD candidate at North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences, learned firsthand during pharmacy school how different the controlled classroom setting can be from real-world patient care situations.

When her hometown experienced a massive flood in the summer of 2011, Schmit discovered that pharmacy practice can be an exercise in problem solving and quick thinking. Working as a pharmacy intern at the time, Schmit helped move the inventory of one local pharmacy location to another. The staff went from filling 300 prescriptions per day to 600 per day overnight.

“We were able to serve the community by keeping our doors open and providing emergency fills for those affected by the flood,” Schmit said. “It was a very busy time in the pharmacy and required us to quickly reorganize our normal routine to help keep up with the needs of our patients. It was definitely a learning opportunity and, hopefully, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Thankfully, February’s RESPy winner has had many other rich learning experiences that were not nearly as stressful. Because of her interest in public health, Schmit has participated in a variety of community-based initiatives to promote wellness. She founded the “Health Hearts for Valentine’s Day” event to provide blood pressure screenings and cardiac health information to the local community, and participated in “The Great Health Care Adventure,” a program designed to teach healthy habits and provide medication safety tips to third graders.

Schmit also spearheaded a medication therapy management (MTM) program at a rural pharmacy practice, an experience that she told

 has changed the direction of her career.

 Why did you decide to become a pharmacist?

 Growing up, I had always been interested in and excelled in math and science, and knew that I wanted a career involving both. I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to handle blood and guts, and decided that being a physician would not be the right choice, so I went with pharmacy. It wasn’t until after my freshman year of college when I was able to work as an intern at White Drug Pharmacy that I knew that I had made the right decision. I loved watching the pharmacist counsel patients on their prescriptions, answer physician questions, and help patients with OTC medications. I couldn’t wait for the day that I would be a pharmacist and have the opportunity to share my knowledge with patients, peers, and students.

 What has been your most rewarding extracurricular activity?

 My most rewarding extracurricular activity was being president of Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International. When I became president my P3 year, a large majority of the group graduated, leaving us with a very small group. We made it our goal to grow the group in both number and service activities. By the end of the year, we tripled our members and initiated many new programs. Some of our largest programs included preparation for a medical mission trip to Guatemala and designing OTC booklets for pregnant mothers and children. These projects were both so rewarding, because we were able to serve not only in our own community but also in another country. I was so proud of the accomplishments that this group was able to achieve in just 1 year.

 Tell us about your experience setting up MTM in a small town pharmacy.

During my first rotation at Trumm Drug in Glenwood, Minnesota, I was given the wonderful opportunity to work with pharmacists there to initiate medic ation therapy management (MTM) services for their patients. I was able to meet with the first set of MTM patients and also provide home visits. Meeting with these patients has been my favorite part of rotations. It was so rewarding to be able to work hand in hand with patients to improve their health care. This experience also taught me how to document and charge for the services provided. Being a part of this project is what led me to pursue an ambulatory care residency to help promote this new avenue of primary pharmacy care.

North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences includes the departments of pharmaceutical science and pharmacy practice, which was established in 1902. In addition to a traditional PharmD, the school offers dual degrees leading to a PharmD/MBA and PharmD/PhD, as well as a new joint PharmD/MPH degree.

Articles

Putting Classroom Learning to the Test

When Brinda Dave graduates with her PharmD from The University of Findlay (UF) later this year, she will enter the workforce with medication expertise as well as an understanding that each patient comes to the pharmacy counter with unique needs.

In addition to maintaining standing on the dean’s list since the fall of 2007, Dave has volunteered her time at health fairs, worked in the local school system to deter medication abuse among middle schoolers, and raised money for charities that support the underserved. Her experiences inside and outside of the classroom certainly demonstrate her dedication to pharmacy.

The balance between scientific expertise and patient empathy that pharmacists strike every day became even more clear for Dave during a study abroad experience in the United Arab Emirates in May 2012. In her time at Obaidullah General Hospital, for example, Dave observed that culture can have a major impact on the appropriate treatment of patients.

“I saw that men and women come for dialysis on alternating days in order to preserve modesty, as Islam preaches,” she said. “Because of this experience, I understand that accommodating patients in a similar manner will allow me to gain their compliance and better treat them.”

During her trip, Dave also spent time observing and working with pharmacists at the largest drug manufacturing company in the Middle East, Julphar Pharmaceuticals. That portion of her experience reminded her of the role that pharmacists can play in every step of the medication process, from developing and manufacturing new treatments to dispensing and ensuring best outcomes. Armed with an understanding of the many roles that pharmacists can play, including scientist, teacher, counselor, and even cultural ambassador, Brinda Dave will be ready to meet the challenges of her chosen field—and the needs of her patients.

Q: Why did you decide to become a pharmacist? 

 I experienced a mental transformation about my career choice during pharmacy school. Like most parents, mine wished for something better for me; my family suggested that I choose pharmacy for its ease of lifestyle. As I was exposed to the field’s various facets, I continued to pursue pharmacy because it was a means to develop myself as a person, pharmacist, and a contributing member of society.

I blossomed when I interacted with others and solved problems to benefit others. It has become my goal to share my knowledge about promoting a healthy lifestyle with others. By studying a science that provides opportunities to reach out to the community, I will be able to use my skill set to improve others’ quality of life.

Q: What has been your most rewarding extracurricular activity?

 I am most proud of being the founding chair of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association’s Project Youth Educational Services Committee. Through this committee, I created a talk to give to local middle schools and high schools about “pharming parties” and the dangers of prescription medication abuse. My goal when I assembled the team was to increase awareness about such abuse and challenge my audience to aid in stopping it. I created a web page on my college’s website with resources, anonymous anecdote submissions, my contact information, videos, and other information pertaining to prescription drug abuse. I also helped initiate an interview of someone who was addicted to prescription drugs that aired on UF’s TV channel.

Q: What drew you to help teach compounding as an assistant in the Pharmacy Practice Skills Laboratory? 

 Compounding is a very delicate art because slight miscalculations may severely alter patients’ health. I had done Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience hours in a compounding pharmacy, and was attracted to the creativity that pharmacists can offer to patients through compounding. I decided the best way to excel in the field was to help teach it.

I wanted to be creative in the impression I left on students about compounding. After students had made their preparations, they were to counsel a teaching assistant, who was acting as a patient. Each week, I acted as a realistically challenging patient for students; I acted as a rude and frustrated patient, a patient who could not speak English, and even an illiterate patient. These are actual scenarios that all pharmacists will encounter in their career, and the students should be prepared to handle such patients.

Located in Findlay, Ohio, The University of Findlay College of Pharmacy emphasizes collaborative practice with related health care disciplines, critical thinking, evidencebased medicine, research, and service to the community. In addition to a traditional PharmD, the school offers dual PharmD/MBA and PharmD/Master of Science in Health Informatics degrees.

Becoming a Compassionate Scientist

Hsiao-Ting Wang learned compassion from hospice work. 

Hsiao-Ting Wang’s unique public service experiences outside of the classroom have led this student pharmacist to develop some of the qualities that characterize a true leader in the field: patience, compassion, and self-reflection.

A 2014 PharmD candidate at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Wang stood out to the 

/Walmart RESPy judges in part because of her work with hospice patients in San Diego and a project she recently completed with underserved elderly patients in Baltimore.

As formative as it is proving to be in her career, Wang says that her involvement with hospice was accidental. A friend who volunteered at San Diego Hospice suggested it as an option when Wang was looking for volunteer opportunities. After completing training and becoming certified as a volunteer, Wang actively volunteered for a year before she began pharmacy school. In her interview with 

, Wang spoke at length about the impact that experience has had on her approach to pharmacy and patient care (see below).

Along with 2 fellow student pharmacists, Wang recently completed a prestigious Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, during which they created and implemented a program with patients in a nursing home in downtown Baltimore. Called “Own Your Happy: Aging with Vigor,” the project’s goal was to reach out to an elderly population that did not have access to resources and quality health care.

Wang and her colleagues hosted a series of health classes and lectures geared toward improving the lifestyle of the elders by addressing the specific health concerns and issues that most affect them. The topics they addressed included skin and foot care with diabetes, personalized medication records, medication safety, osteoarthritis, immunizations, and living with chronic diseases. The classes were interactive, incorporating active learning, talks, and demonstrations.

Despite some communication and cultural barriers, Wang says, “The experience was remarkable, and every interaction with the elderly present at the sessions touched the group in an indelible way.”

From her practical approach to patient education to the compassionate way that she delivers care, Wang exemplifies the way that pharmacists are increasingly providing holistic, expert care that no other health care professional can deliver.

Q: Can you describe your most rewarding extracurricular activity? 

 San Diego Hospice has had the greatest impact on me both personally and professionally.

Joe was my first elderly patient; he made me aware of the potential of my influence on the lives of people in my care. His deteriorating condition with dementia taxed him daily, and with each of my visits I learned to appreciate his struggle to live normally. When simple acts such as feeding him took over an hour, I found patience in me that I never knew existed.

The biggest reward for my service came from Joe’s smiles. Sadness cannot be cured by medicine, but pain can be eased by its compassionate application. Comfort and dignity can be maintained with tactical and judicious use of medications.

My hospice experience strengthened my belief that pharmacists working in direct patient care can improve the physical condition of patients; more importantly, they can contribute to their emotional and psychological well-being.

Q: What role do pharmacists play in end-of-life care?

 The first thing I learned during volunteer training was to understand that death is not a failure, but a natural course of a healthy, full life. I further learned that the goal of care for terminally ill patients is symptom management and relief of suffering physically, mentally, and spiritually. Through achieving these goals, we can preserve patients’ rights to comfort and dignity during their last stage of life.

Hospice and palliative care employs an interdisciplinary approach to deliver end-of-life care. Each professional provides expertise to manage patients from a “whole person” point of view rather than a single disease state. The pharmacist’s role at end-of-life boils down to provision of pharmaceuticals, optimizing medication regimens, and administration/formulary management. It is relatively difficult to practice evidence-based medicine at the end of life, largely because studies on terminally ill patients are not the spotlight of health care.

Palliative care pharmacists are then charged with flexibility and creativity to develop alternative treatment options tailored to this patient population. The complex nature of dosage titration also requires endless education to nursing staff and family members of ensure better delivery of pharmaceutical care.

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy was established in 1841, making it the fourth oldest school of pharmacy in the United States. The school comprises 3 departments: pharmacy practice and science, pharmaceutical sciences, and pharmaceutical health services research.

Hsiao-Ting Wang learned compassion from hospice work.

Fostering a Holistic Approach

/Walmart RESPy winner, a good pharmacy practice is built on a foundation of compassion.

“Without compassion, a pharmacist’s knowledge means nothing,” Clark says. “In practice, compassion will create trusting relationships with patients, and in the end, patient care and satisfaction are the bottom line.”

Clark, a 2014 PharmD candidate from the University of Montana College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences, is taking advantage of every opportunity to develop this philosophy during her tenure as a student pharmacist.

In honor of American Pharmacists Month, for example, Clark coordinated her school’s most comprehensive health fair to date to benefit the Missoula, Montana, community. Lasting 6 hours, the health fair comprised 9 different screening and information tables, including some nontraditional offerings. In addition to smoking cessation information, flu vaccination, and hypertension screening, Clark and her colleagues offered bone marrow registry sign-up and ran a table that helped children distinguish between medicine and candy.

Raising awareness about medications in the home and prescription drug abuse has been a focus for Clark in her role as coordinator of Generation Rx. An initiative supported by the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), Generation Rx encourages collaboration between health care professionals and the public to address the growing problem of prescription drug abuse.

In addition to her work with APhA-ASP, Clark also serves as a member of Rho Chi Scholastic Honor Society and as regent of Kappa Psi, a professional pharmacy fraternity. She has also participated in fund-raising for the American Heart Association, JDRF, and in support of breast cancer awareness.

Despite the many hours she gives to volunteer work, Clark excels academically, and has earned a 4.0 grade point average in her professional coursework. Pharmacy is fortunate to have students such as Clark as its future, for her dedication to academics, activities, and patients exemplifies a combination of talent and commitment that bodes well for the profession.

Q: Why did you decide to become a pharmacist?

 In high school working with the elderly, I became fascinated with medications and their chemical interactions with the body. I was intrigued how specific medications have different effects on diverse demographics.

I also watched a pharmacist intervene on a patient’s “sleeping issue,” in which a simple change in her routine cured her sleep enigma. His intervention intrigued me, and spurred a curiosity to dig deeper to learn about drugs and their effects on the human body.

 The most rewarding extracurricular activity I have participated in was the health fair I cofounded and codirected in recognition of American Pharmacists Month. Although a challenging endeavor, showing the community the numerous services pharmacists can provide was worth it. Providing bone density screenings, medication therapy management, vaccinations, blood pressure checks, and many other services all in 1 location was an astonishing demonstration of how pharmacy is evolving to provide patient care. I am excited to watch this project progress and am proud to have helped develop such a positive event for our community.

Q: What is the most important issue in the field of pharmacy today?

It seems that today the hot topic in pharmacy is reimbursement. Through the growth of our profession, the benefit our medication knowledge has in the multidisciplinary team has been proved. Coumadin clinics or medication therapy management interventions are a few of the services pharmacists provide that strengthen patient care and should be addressed in regard to reimbursement to recognize the value pharmacists have.

Who has inspired you to become a better pharmacist?

 One of the most motivational pharmacists I have worked with is Ken Chatriand. He has taught me that humor and enthusiasm creates a positive connection with patients and coworkers. He challenges me every time I step in his pharmacy and has made me go out of my comfort zone to make me a better pharmacist.

Student group advisors Donna and Howard Beall have helped guide me through pharmacy school by always supporting every event our student organizations coordinate. They have shown me what dedication and compassion truly are.

The Skaggs School of Pharmacy was established in 1907 at Montana State College and was transferred to the University of Montana College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences in 1913. The pharmacy program consists of 2 departments, Pharmacy Practice and Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and offers a 6-year program leading to the PharmD degree.

Guided by Compassion

Julie Brown proves she has a bright future ahead. 

A 2015 PharmD candidate at the Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBAU), Julie Brown embodies the idea of pharmacy as a calling. Although relatively new to pharmacy, October’s 

/Walmart RESPy Award winner already demonstrates an admirable commitment to the service of patients and the profession.

Brown recently participated in a medical mission trip to Guatemala, which she describes as the best experience of her life. The trip involved traveling to remote locations, where a medical team provided a variety of services, from hypertension and diabetes screening to counseling and evangelism. Brown and her colleagues were also able to provide appropriate nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapy, thanks in part to the 8 suitcases of medications they had collected for the trip.

“Contrary to what you would think, their overall health was better than what we see in the United States,” Brown said. “There was so little obesity, hypertension, or diabetes, and the longevity of some of the village elders was a true testimony to that.”

Brown sees service projects such as the mission trip and participating in local health fairs as a way to benefit patients who vitally need care, but also as a way to enhance her skills as a pharmacist.

“I do not want to lay idle and assume that I will be the best pharmacist once I earn my degree,” Brown said. “This time in school is meant for growth into a professional who encompasses all aspects of a patient-care advocacy.”

Advocacy is certainly another strong part of Brown’s guiding principles. Along with approximately 20 other PBAU students, Brown participated in Legislative Days in Tallahassee, an event at which she had the opportunity to speak with legislators and work to advocate for immunization services.

“I was able to meet with legislators and tell them exactly what pharmacy interns are capable of, what our curriculum entails, and correct the false perceptions of our roles,” Brown noted.

Guided by her faith, Brown has started on a path to a practice that is focused on service. 

 asked Brown about her interest in advocacy and her mission experience, as well as her opinion on the future of the profession.

  I believe that God has given me a knowledge and passion for science, and a role as a pharmacist is how I can use those abilities to serve others. Pharmacists are very accessible health care professionals, and for many patients, serve as a main source of health information and encouragement. I am happy to be entering a profession where I can directly help people better themselves.

Q: Why do you feel it is important for students to be advocates for pharmacy?

It is not just important, it is imperative, that pharmacy students fight for their future profession. In an age of transition in health care, we need to ensure that we can use our extensive clinical knowledge to help patients. We need to inform legislators about why we are so irreplaceable.

Q: Was there a moment on your medical mission to Guatemala that stood out?

 I was most impacted by the village children—they were so eager and excited to spend time with you, and appreciated being taught how to take care of themselves. My favorite moment is somewhat selfish; it was not one where I was listening to or counseling a patient, but one where the village children sang for me. They knew songs of worship, and their voices rang with such purity and happiness that you could not help but feel humbled. That moment made me feel such love for those people, and further affirmed that I wanted to devote my life to serving others.

What is the most important issue facing pharmacists today?

I feel that pharmacists now are increasingly having to defend their profession. “Why do you need pharmacists when you have technicians and automated dispensing systems to count pills?” We need pharmacists because they are a key component of the health care team, ensuring patient care through counseling, intervention, and MTM systems—these are roles no machine can fill.

Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy offers PharmD, PharmD/MBA, and BS in medicinal chemistry programs. For more information, visit 

Creating a Service-Focused Practice

Carlie Traylor has a passion for patient health and wellness.

/Walmart RESPy Award winner, takes her upcoming role on the frontlines of community health care very seriously. A PharmD candidate who will graduate from the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Pharmacy in 2014, Traylor is well aware that her chosen profession is the first, and sometimes only, health care resource for many patients.

“The thing I love the most about pharmacy is the accessibility,” Traylor says. “When I was little and we were sick, my mom didn’t call the doctor, she called the pharmacist.”

Maintaining this accessibility and building trust with patients are 2 themes that have guided Traylor throughout her work at UGA College of Pharmacy. At a camp for overweight children, for example, Traylor combined her loves of nutrition and patient education to help the campers learn to make healthier choices. She has also worked extensively with underserved populations by volunteering with low-income children, providing pharmaceutical services on a Native American reservation as an undergrad, and setting up a multidisciplinary clinic for migrant workers in south Georgia.

Traylor also deserves recognition for her tireless efforts in promoting diabetes awareness and providing valuable education services. As co-chair of Operation Diabetes, she coordinates projects that provide glucose testing and diabetes education at numerous health fairs. She also increased awareness of the multifaceted role of the pharmacist by teaching an exercise class for elderly patients with diabetes in her hometown.

Traylor credits her UGA College of Pharmacy professors and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Alan Wolfgang for providing her with the opportunity to explore her passions and formulate her understanding of what best practices in pharmacy should be. In speaking with Traylor, it is clear that family, community, and pharmacy have all been important influences in her past and will continue to play key roles in her future.

When I was younger, my dad went back to school back to school after dropping out. So at about age 9, we sat down and talked about what I would do with my life. I really liked helping people, so we figured I would probably go into a health care profession. In high school, I was really interested nursing, but I was really not good with blood. I had a teacher who said that pharmacy might be a good fit for me. I also have 3 cousins who are pharmacists, including one who finished pharmacy school at UGA in 2009. He cornered me one Thanksgiving and told me all about pharmacy.

 How do you picture your future practice?

If I could work in my dream job, it would be in a small town hospital. I would love to have a community center where I could have access to lab results when working with patients during the day and then give patient education classes in the evenings. Barney’s Pharmacy in Augusta, Georgia, uses a wonderful wellness center model where they are giving classes all the time. Honestly, the idea of patient education is what gets me though my tests and classes. When I finish school, I know I am going to do something I love.

What has been your most rewarding extracurricular activity?

Being involved in the community was something I knew I wanted to do going into pharmacy school. My aunt and grandfather have diabetes, and so it’s something close to me and something that I wanted to learn more about. I got involved in Operation Diabetes my first year of pharmacy school, and I am still involved as co-chair in my third year.

What do you think is the most important issue in pharmacy today?

 Pharmacy is growing. You can see that it’s evolving, and I think that being involved in that change is a big issue for both PharmD students and practicing pharmacists. I think we can do more than just lick, stick, and pour. We are more than that, and I think that’s the biggest part, the growth of the clinical role of the pharmacist.

The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, based in Athens, Georgia, was founded in 1903. The school offers a 6-year PharmD program that combines classroom, laboratory, and experiential training. Graduate studies at the college are offered in the areas of pharmacotherapeutic research, clinical work, and administration.