Welcome to the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy blog!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Why I am so glad I chose PCSP!


My name is Lindsey, and I am a P2 at PCSP.  Even though it is not the easiest thing I have ever done, PCSP is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.  It is a great school with good morals, innovative ideas, professors, and a family atmosphere.  We have great access to the professors here as opposed to other schools where you have to watch them through a television or computer.  The professors try to get to know each of us and welcome the students to their office anytime to help the students.  They create an open environment where we can all become a family.  Even within the students, we have created a family.  We play intramural sports, go to dinners, support each other, and make the most out of our time here in pharmacy school.

In the amount of time I have been here, I have learned so much about the career of pharmacy and where it will take me.  I never realized all of the different paths and options available to me.  PCSP really helps the students out with this.  I have already begun to learn about the different fields of pharmacy during rotations.  Doing rotations during the semester may seem like a lot, but it is worth it.  We are able to see what we are learning in class be applied to the real world of pharmacy.  I can go to Measuring Therapeutic Parameters or Pharmacokinetics one day and then the next I am in the hospital seeing what we just learned put in action. It all works together so well.

I am still able to work at my retail pharmacy job on the weekends and have time to relax and spend time with family and friends.  I volunteer with the animal shelters, school, and other organizations throughout the year.  Pharmacy school is a ton of studying and learning, but it also so much more than that.  PCSP is not only preparing me to be a better pharmacist, but a better person all around.  I am so glad I chose PCSP and have never regretted it.  I have done so much in a year and a half, I cannot wait to see what else is coming!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Educational Conference


Hi everyone!  My name is Rachel, and I am a P2 here at PCSP.  

At the beginning of October, I had the opportunity to attend the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Educational Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.  AMCP is a pharmacy organization that focuses on providing the best possible care to patients through drug monitoring programs and reducing patient cost.  AMCP is a new organization to PCSP, and we had 2 faculty members and 6 students attend this meeting!  We were able to attend a session the first day, where we focused on presentation skills.  This session was very informative and helped me focus on areas that I can improve.  We also attended sessions on Medicare Fraud, special topics in oncology, and pharmacogenomics.  We even had special attendance from Billy Bradley, former congressional representative and NBA star, and the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals mascots!  

The most important session that I attended was the Residency Showcase.  I mingled with professionals from all over the country to discuss career options in the realm of managed care, as well as discuss residency options after graduation.  If you decide to attend pharmacy school, I encourage you attend these professional meetings.  These meetings help you network with people from all over the country, increase awareness within the profession, and give you an opportunity to interact with your classmates and professors outside of the classroom.  I had a wonderful time in Cincinnati and look forward to attending my next meeting!

Monday, December 3, 2012

SCSHP (South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists)



Hi!  I’m Courtney, and I’m currently a P3 here at PCSP.  As a PCSP student, we are required to attend at least one local, state, or national pharmacy professional meeting or continuing education program each year.  Therefore, I wanted to share with you about the South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SCSHP) Fall Meeting many of our students attended in Columbia, SC last month.

The student track for the SCSHP Fall Meeting started off by allowing students to get information from a variety of drug companies as well as network with health-system pharmacists and other SC pharmacy students.  Next, students were given the opportunity to learn about tips when applying for residency programs and were educated on different pharmacy topics that are important in today’s society.  After that, some PCSP students competed against other SC pharmacy students in a Clinical Skills Competition, where students were given a clinical scenario and developed a care plan based on their knowledge and the use of drug information resources.

The meeting ended with a residency showcase, where students were able to meet with residency program directors and get information from the different programs.  The following hospitals participated in the showcase: Charles George VA Medical Center, GA Health Sciences/UGA College of Pharmacy, Greenville Hospital System, McLeod Regional Medical Center, Palmetto Health Richland, SC College of Pharmacy, Spartanburg Regional, St Joseph’s/Candler Hospital, UT Medical Center, and WJB Dorn VA Medical Center.

I hope you will consider joining our PCSP family and come enjoy the many benefits that meetings like the SCSHP Fall Meeting have to offer to our students.  I wish you the best of luck in your future pharmacy career. =)