Handbags for Hope

As a student member of the healthcare profession, it is important to not only be involved within your school, but to be involved in the community.  September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.  Raising awareness to those who have little knowledge about this illness is essential.  Every year the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation host an event in Greenville, SC called Handbags for Hope.  At this event handbags are auctioned off during both a silent and live auction, and all the proceeds collected go towards raising awareness, as well as, assistance for women fighting the battle against ovarian cancer.  Many of the handbags are autographed by people such as Florida Georgia Line, Darius Rucker, Georgia’s football coach Mark Richt, famous actors/actresses, etc.  At the event, survivors shared their journey through this battle and their gratitude for the support they were shown.  This year was my first year attending Handbags for Hope but I can guarantee it will not be my last.  I had such a great time with friends/colleagues mingling with others in the community who are just as eager to spread awareness about such a devastating disease as I am.  Even though the event has passed, you still have the opportunity to reach out to others.  Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is represented by the color teal.  I challenge you today to wear your teal proudly and talk with at least one person about Ovarian Cancer.  Spread the Awareness!!

Lindsey

P3 - Class of 2016  

Choosing Another Fork

I have not always wanted to be a pharmacist. I originally chose a fork that took me into nutrition. It was a good choice. I enjoyed the classes. I learned a lot of interesting things. And I got to play with food and then teach people about it. So I started a summer internship in a hospital and thought, this will be great! As I am talking with a patient about his new cardiac diet after having a heart attack, his family brings in lunch for him, a fast food bag full of food. He says it’s because his new food…well it just wasn't as good. I had other situations occur similar to this one. I went back and started to rethink my plan of how I wanted to help people stay healthy and get better. So off I went in search of another fork to go down. That was when I found the fork to the world of pharmacy. I was told patients no longer want to work so hard to get healthy. They want a pill that will help do the work for them. So, I started working in a pharmacy. Not only do they just dispense medicine, but these pharmacists dispense knowledge and advice to patients. And get this…the patients actually listened to them! They are helping patients improve their lifestyles, which is what I wanted to do all along. Well, I am now in my third year of pharmacy school and realizing that while it took me longer to get here, it was one of the best choices I have ever made. There are many others here with different degrees, teaching degrees, finance degrees, etc. So just because your original fork may not have been pharmacy, remember that you can always choose another fork that leads you here. Trust me when I say, you will be so glad you did. 

- Lindsay Helms

Why be involved at PCSP?

         I am Ginnie, a current P3 at PCSP. I can remember even from my interview, upperclassmen continuously suggested to me to become and stay involved. It wasn’t till classes began and the whirlwind of the semester began that I understood why it was so important to be involved and make a difference at PCSP. Since PCSP is a new school, as students, we are lucky enough to be building the foundation (especially in regards to student organizations) that our school will continue to build from. Each class will incessantly be diverse at PC and each one will contain a variety of people who decide to be active in the school and flex their leadership skills. In my opinion, the more you put in (not only the academia of pharmacy school, but also the student organizational side) the more you will take away from PCSP, along with your PharmD, once we graduate.

            One example on how to be involved is through student organizations. Each student organization on campus is involved with various process and decision making. In addition, each student organization has philanthropy that they raise money for and offer volunteer opportunities for throughout the year. Often times these involve service projects or health screenings within the community. Being involved in student organizations enables us to develop our leadership skills as well as make a difference throughout the community and represent PCSP during the process. Although it doesn’t seem like it, we are all representing the initial years of these organizations at PCSP and although they often have national chapters, we are building these various organizations from the ground up.

            Another example of how to be involved at PCSP is to attend functions and events that are continuously going on around us. These functions are carefully planned with intentions to raise awareness, raise money, promote health, or to educate the community. Each students’ support and assistance with these events aids in the success and overall gain for the public, the PC family, as well as the future of PCSP. It’s unbelievable what the addition of a few extra people can do during such events.

I can honestly say that even in my few years at PCSP, I have seen a huge change in a range of different processes and decisions made simply through the involvement of students in the decisions. It’s comforting and rewarding at the same time to be part of a “community” at PCSP where faculty and students can work together to make decisions, be recognized, and jointly make a reputation for PCSP that will stand long after we are practicing pharmacy in various places throughout the nation. Become involved in student relations at PCSP and inevitably you will walk away with much more than you considered you would.

            

Experience at PCSP

 

            Hi, my name is Krystal Shelton and I am a P2 student.  I began PCSP after obtaining 2 undergraduates degrees and was very nervous about “beginning” school again.  I can say that orientation week was a huge help for putting my mind at ease and guiding me in the direction for utilizing resources available to me.  During orientation week, I had the opportunity to interact with my fellow classmates and professors and began building trusting relationships. 

            Here at PCSP, I can truly say that the professors are HERE for YOU! They are willing to help you anyway that they can, even if it means staying after hours or meeting prior to normal business hours.  Yes, there is diligent work that must be done, but my father has always told me, “Honey, anything in life worth having, you MUST work for it!”  With that being said, REMEMBER why you have been chosen to embrace the amazing pharmacy profession, but also take time to enjoy life as well. Good luck and hope to see you soon!                

Camp Porcupine: Adventures in Working With Diabetic Children

Hi everyone,

My name is Brittany and I am a rising third year pharmacy student at PCSP. This summer I was given the opportunity to volunteer at a children’s diabetic summer camp held at the YMCA in Greenwood, SC. It was scheduled for a week for about 7 hours a day; however I was only able to attend one day. Each day the campers completed different activities. The medical staff consisted of pharmacists, student pharmacists, nurses and also student nurses. I really enjoyed how were able to collaborate with each other to help the children manage their diabetes.

We were split up into two different teams. Each team consisted of a combination of the medical staff and a variety of the campers (age, sex, type of diabetes). There were charts for each child to have a record of what went on throughout the day when their blood glucose was checked.  The first activity we did consisted of games. One team painted with arts and crafts and the other played bingo. Bingo consisted of diabetic terminology to enhance their knowledge about the disease state. I must add they did extremely well at this game! During each physical activity, we had to monitor each child to make sure they didn't become hypoglycemic (low blood glucose). Signs we looked for included lightheaded-ness, dizziness and perspiration. If a child seemed to be hypoglycemic, we would take them to the side and check their blood glucose. It is was low, we would give them something to help increase it such as a glucose powder pack or a snack. We would also monitor their hydration. Before and after lunch, they had to check their blood glucose. Most of the children wanted to check their own. They were champs! Prior to eating, they had to count their carbs. Each child got a slip of paper with the different meal options. Once they added up the amount of carbs they wanted to eat, they verified it with one of the health care professionals. Based on their blood glucose reading and how many carbs they were going to eat, we would determine if they needed an injection before or after they ate if they were insulin dependent. The campers would calculate the dose of insulin that was needed and verify it with the medical staff prior to injection.  If they were unsure of the dose, we would help them calculate it. After lunch, the children engaged in other physical activities.

                This week long camp provided the children opportunities to engage in fun activities and also allowed them to enhance their knowledge about how to manage their condition. The campers were able to make new friends with others who also had diabetes. I gained a lot out of this experience. From learning about this disease state hands on to working with other health care professionals, I hope to be able to volunteer at this camp again next year. 

Culture of Success

When I began my quest to become a pharmacist in high school, I looked for a program that was not only going to accept me but make me the best pharmacist I can be. Shortly after I began my P1 year at Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy, I notice something different that I haven’t experience anywhere else. This difference was the culture of success. All of my classmates and faculty behaved in a professional manner that it began to rub off on me. Also, the mindset of service to the community began to become instilled into my personality. I caught myself doing more non-pharmacy community service than required, and feeling a sense of fulfillment once I volunteered. Outside of the classroom I was beginning to gain some of the attributes that cannot be read in a book or taught on a PowerPoint presentation that all current and future pharmacists needed. My classmates and faculty elected for me to take part in activities such as sitting on Q&A panel for PC undergraduates, student panel to interview Admissions Director, and many activities I couldn't see myself participating in until I came to PCSP.

                To the prospective students, know that there is a bright future waiting for you here at PCSP where you can grow academically and professionally. There are various guidelines which help foster a professional environment. The faculty and staff will prepare you for the real world interactions with the culture of success   

-Jimmy Pruitt

Community Service Counts at PCSP

Community service is a great way to get involved with the community. By getting involved you are reminded of your civil responsibility to the community you serve by uniting people from different backgrounds for a single cause. By volunteering I am providing a way for the community to save valuable resources and allowing me to build camaraderie and teamwork with those I serve with.

This year I branched out in my community service credit by volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Greenville, South Carolina. This was one of the service opportunities that were made available to me through my membership with the Student Society of Health Systems Pharmacists (SSHP). Last year I earned my non-pharmacy related community service hours in my home town in Kentucky over thanksgiving break. This year I wanted to do something associated with the school to interact more with my fellow students and the community that I have become a part of while getting my professional degree.

At the RMH I was able to work with classmates and students from other years.  We worked in the private rooms that RMH provides for families to stay in while their child receives treatments. We removed all of the old closet dividers and replace them with a new simpler curtain. The employees at the RMH were so appreciative of what we were doing for them and we were able to interact with some of the families who were staying at the house. It is volunteering within your community that I feel is essential for a pharmacist to build a relationship with their patients, whom you may be servicing or serving with. Volunteering as a professional allows the community to interact with you outside of the workplace and to see you caring for the public.

I encourage you to volunteer in your communities, so that you may experience the joys of making a difference. While volunteering I have learned that I enjoy giving back to the community, others enjoy working with other responsible members of the community to make a difference and that society in general flourishes when able bodied members of that society work together for the betterment of the community as a whole.