Making Our Mark On Capitol Hill by: Matthew Jed Milne, Pharm.D. and Diane S. Swa

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From the NCPA Student Affairs Site



“Utah’s First Annual Pharmacy Day on Capitol Hill was amazing, and it sent a strong message to the entire state of Utah,” says Reid L. Barker, Executive Director of Utah Pharmacists Association (UPhA). The idea was thought up by students from the University of Southern Nevada (USN) - South Jordan NCPA Chapter and the University of Utah’s Student Pharmacist Alliance, as a way to collaborate on a common cause and develop positive relations between the two schools in the Salt Lake City Valley.

With the help of Reid L. Barker and other members on the board of UPhA, we were able to make the event come to life and expose students and pharmacists from both universities to the legislative process, while at the same time informing the public and state representatives of the ever important roles of our profession.

The event started out with State Representative Evan Vickers, RPh, graciously giving a behind-the-scenes tour of the capitol followed by a formal introduction of “Pharmacy Day on Capitol Hill” to the members of the house, which evoked a round of applause. “That was pretty neat, I won’t forget that round of applause,” said Adam Wolfe, a P2 student at the University of Utah.

Representative Vickers then donated his time to express the importance of getting involved in the legislative process, which opened the eyes of many students involved. After the introduction it was time to go to work. When the official event was underway we had booths set up in the East Capitol foyer where students and pharmacists engaged in hundreds of blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, bone density, and asthma awareness tests. “I never anticipated having such a large turnout,” said Paul Frazier, President of the NCPA Chapter at the USN - South Jordan Campus.

After a few hours of offering our services to some capital workers and the general public, we moved our tables into the more formal rotunda of the capital for a catered reception with the state legislators. We continued the health awareness tests, and our efforts were recognized even more. “It opened many opportunities to talk with legislators and they could sense our true purpose of demonstrating the range of services that pharmacists offer,” pharmacist Barker said. “It was not only great helping the legislator’s and general public with their health concerns, but they helped me understand more about the current issues on Capitol Hill,” said Cindy Merrell, a USN P3 student.

The First Annual Utah Pharmacy Day on Capitol Hill was a huge success and an enormous stepping stone in promoting the important role that pharmacists play in health care education and administration. It also laid the groundwork for future positive collaborative relations between the two pharmacy schools in the Salt Lake City, UT Valley. “We showed everyone who stopped by a friendly smile, a warm welcome, and a willingness to assist in understanding more about their personal health,” Barker says. “Also, for what could be considered the first collaborative event of both schools, it was one of the most positive events I have seen all session.”

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H29vMKU-x...versity+of+Southern+Nevada+South+Jordan+4.pngThe new NCPA Chapter at the University of Southern Nevada South Jordan Campus plans to have an even greater participation next year. It was a positive experience for all student members involved and allowed them to put their didactic training to use in a real life situation. The Chapter members who participated were very excited and encouraged by the possibilities of extending these health awareness screenings to the community to an even larger extent and making them aware of the important roles that a pharmacist can play in preventive health care.
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