Student Trip to D.C. for Advocacy

Last year I was given the opportunity to serve as the president of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) at PCSP. With the great responsibility that accompanies any leadership role, there are numerous opportunities to have fun and enjoy what you are doing. 

Each year APhA hosts a summer leadership institute in Washington D.C. and students are selected based on their leadership role within their local organization. I was fortunate enough to be one of those attendees along with two other students from PCSP (Fairlynn and Jeannie). There was one student from USC who went, and she stayed with us throughout the trip. 

D.C. is an amazing city, but what made this trip special was the simple fact that I, along with my colleagues, were going to the nation’s capitol to advocate for our future profession. APhA offers Capitol Hill visits where you go and advocate important legislation that affects the profession of pharmacy. I was eager to get involved and jumped at the chance to participate in a visit. 

In the weeks leading up to the institute, I contacted the office of Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) to reserve a meeting time in order to advocate for two pieces of legislation. I was ecstatic once the meeting time had been arranged because this was a big step in my professional career. APhA offered conference calls and learning sessions before our Capitol Hill visit to help prepare us for what we could expect to transpire. Unfortunately, Senator Graham was busy that day and unable to meet with us, but one of his top aides met with the four of us to discuss two pieces of legislation: Loan Forgiveness and a MTM bill. I was pretty nervous heading into the meeting, but once we started talking my passion for the profession took over, and it resulted in a productive meeting. Our job as pharmacy students was to educate his aide on the issues important to us so that she can then relay the information to Senator Graham. The most rewarding thing from this experience was that when I contacted his office weeks after the institute, Senator Graham had been briefed on the information we presented and was considering support for the legislation. 

One day several months after the institute I signed onto Facebook, and it was with great surprise and elation that I saw on the APhA page that the Loan Forgiveness bill had passed. It is great to know that students advocating for the profession can make an impact! 

Written by: Matthew, P3 student

Camp Porcupine

Each summer Self Regional sponsors a summer day-camp for children with diabetes.  This summer, seven students and one faculty member from PCSP volunteered to help out with the camp.  We were able to work with Rebecca Wise (the camp director), Self Regional nurses, Piedmont Tech nursing students, and an activities coordinator from Self Regional.  The camp welcomes children ages 6-18 with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.  This summer there were a total of 23 campers.  Majority of the children have Type 1 diabetes and require insulin injections.  Two of the campers had Type 2 diabetes allowing them to control their blood glucose with either insulin or oral medications depending on the severity.  Regardless of their personal diabetes story, at Camp Porcupine, they are able to interact with other children dealing with the same condition while also being educated on managing this condition.

Each day we met up at Self Regional to load up on the bus with other volunteers and the campers.  Camp is held at Hickory Knob State Resort Park in McCormick, South Carolina.  On the first two days of camp, the campers participated in carb-counting activities and outside games like kick-ball until lunch.  Right before lunch, we helped each camper check their blood glucose level to make sure it was within normal range.  After finishing lunch, the nurses recorded each camper’s carb intake and calculated how much insulin was needed to be injected based on their carb intake.  The children were then allowed to play inside games like pool or Candy Land while their food digested.  Once the life guard arrived and each camper applied sunscreen, they were able to go swimming.  We rechecked their blood glucose levels after an hour of swimming to make sure there were not any low levels.  After swimming, the children changed into dry clothes and gathered all of their belongings from the cabin before boarding the bus back to Greenwood.

The last day of camp was a short but special day.  The campers participated in trivia and inside games until noon.  At lunch time, the campers’ family members showed up along with several guest speakers.  One speaker brought his dog, which he trained to alert people of high and low blood glucose levels.  Another speaker informed us about research that Self Regional is currently doing for the family members of diabetic patients.  They also offered blood testing for interested family members in hopes of identifying which of them could also be in danger of having diabetes.  After the speakers finished and Ms. Rebecca thanked the volunteers, all of the campers and volunteers posed for a picture in our camp T-shirts.

Camp Porcupine is something that the campers look forward to all year long.  Every day these children have to deal with a condition that their friends have only heard about. So while at camp, they are able to interact with other children dealing with the same condition.  There was only one new camper this summer, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a few weeks prior to camp.  He really enjoyed interacting with other kids dealing with diabetes.  They were able to answer questions for him and assure him that he could still participate in sports and other activities he enjoyed.  All of the children live such happy, normal lives despite living with this scary condition.  They are true inspirations, and we were all able to learn so much from them.

 Written By: McCall, P3 Student

Finding Time for FUN!

I’m not going to lie to you, pharmacy school is hard.  Not all the time, not even every day, but at its core, pharmacy school is definitely hard.   The coursework is more difficult, the pace is faster, and the stress level is higher.  At this point, you may be wondering why I’m saying this to you.  I don’t do it to scare you, and I don’t want it to discourage you; however, I want to make you aware.   At some level you probably already know that going to pharmacy school is going to be hard, but you really have no idea what’s in store for you until you’re there. 

Everyone’s experience in pharmacy school is different.  For some, it will be the hardest thing they will do, and for others, it will be a little more difficult than their undergraduate experience.  Some will have more of a life outside of school while other’s whole life for 4 years will be only pharmacy school.  What your experience will be like is up to you.  My current class schedule has me taking almost a test a week, but that doesn’t mean that all I do is study (even though it sometimes feels like that).  I’m involved in several organizations, and I find time to do fun things through them and with my friends.  For me it’s important to not always be dwelling on school work.  Clinton is in a great location for driving to other locations like Greenville, Spartanburg, and Columbia which are full of fun things to get into.  You can start working on making time for fun now so that when you get to pharmacy school you’ll know how important it is to you.  To me making time for fun can sometimes be just as important as studying (don’t tell my professors)!  Oh by the way, my name is Cortney, and I’m a P3.

FUN things to do:  The Zoo (both Columbia and Greenville have one), Greenville Drive Games, Downtown Greenville/Columbia, Shopping, Antiquing, Musgrove Mill State Park (this is in Clinton!), Falls Park, Movies (Laurens has a cute little theater downtown), Concerts, BMW Plant (on Fridays you can schedule a tour to see how they make their cars!), Clinton Parades (trust me on this one), BLUE HOSE sports events, and so much more!

The Real Meaning of Community

My name is Patrick, and I am currently a P2 here at PCSP.  One of the major things that I have discovered here in Clinton, SC is just what a small town community feels like.  This town is very proud of Presbyterian College, and the School of Pharmacy is no exception.  Many of the local businesses and restaurants offer us discounts just for being a student at the school.  I know that personally I had my reserves about living in a small town, as I had only ever lived the suburbs or the city, but honestly, I have found Clinton to be both a welcoming and positive town to go to school in.  As I’ve become closer to the community and my classmates, I’ve found a number of things to do around town in our free time.  Whether it’s simply going to one of the restaurants around town for a bite to eat, or getting a group of people together to play some intramural sports, there’s always a way to fit a little fun into your schedule.  The school offers access to the main campus student center, which includes a gym complete with weight room, treadmills, stationary bikes, as well as a full court to play basketball.  There are also several intramural fields which are open to play sports, from football to Frisbee.  

Many of our organizations put on events as well.  There was recently a joint effort put forth by all of the pharmaceutical organization towards the beginning of the semester that aimed to both increase interest in the organizations here at the pharmacy school as well as provide a venue for all of the classes to meet and mingle.  It was a fun and relaxed environment where pizza and drinks were catered, and students could relax and get to know one another.  Many events like this occur throughout the year, which really attributes to the comradery between our classmates and the City of Clinton. 

Although the population and size of the town may not be what I am used to, I find that the close knit feeling of a small town has been helpful both to my social and professional goals.  I’m originally from Ohio, so moving this far from home was honestly very intimidating.  I was both relieved and impressed with how easy it is to get comfortable here.  There is most definitely a family feeling that springs from the faculty, staff, and students that sprouts within the walls of PCSP, and it extends into the community of Clinton.  I have enjoyed my time here so far, and look forward to the time to come.

Get Involved - Time Management Skills are a Must!

Hey y’all! I’m Amber, and I’m originally from Swannanoa NC.  I have my BS in Anthropology from Western Carolina University, and I’m a P1 here at PCSP!  At this point I’m about a month into my first year here at PCSP and things are going great!  The start of the school year was a little rough; as it is every year, but now that we are into the swing of things, everything is getting easier.  

I did a lot in my undergraduate career at WCU.  I was in a ton of different organizations such as: Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Pi Gamma Mu, Order of Omega, Pre-Professional Health Club, Dance Marathon Core Committee, and even a few others.  While all of these made my undergrad career more fun, they have also helped me in ways I would have never expected.  

One of the main things I learned out of being a member in all these was the fact that time management is the key to being successful, and that plays a huge role in the lives of every pharmacy school student, not just me.  You have to be able to prioritize and determine what needs to be done when and exactly how it needs to be done.  Another thing they taught me was organization.  With all the different classes and labs we have, organization is a must - I’m lost without my day planner.

 Another big thing that all of these organizations helped me with was my passion for serving others. Here at PC, our motto is “While we live, we serve”, and I am so blessed that I have been given the opportunity to not only attend pharmacy school but also to serve my community while doing so.  All of these different organizations and activities I participated in as an undergrad taught me things about myself and about how to become the person and pharmacist I want to be.

Orientation Week Leading to the White Coat Ceremony

It’s finally here, the start of pharmacy school.  That long anticipated wait after achieving acceptance into the school of one’s dreams.  As I walk into the doors of the school, dressed in business casual attire, I notice the familiarity of a few of the other students at the registration booth.  We all gather in the lecture hall and while waiting for the first session to start are able to begin to make new friendships that will last a lifetime through simple conversation.  Dr. Fox walks in and welcomes us and then allows Dean Stull to introduce the faculty and welcome us to school.  Once the welcomes are over, we begin the orientation sessions that are geared towards helping us through pharmacy school early on. 

The sessions that we took part in throughout the five day orientation week were on topics such as learning what type of person you are and how others may perceive you through the MBTI, learning the ins and outs of the Honor Code which will be signed on the day of the White Coat Ceremony, introductions to student organizations, how to properly dress, how to be professional, etc. 

During the course of the week, we were able to not only sit in these sessions in the lecture hall but also be able to work on activities as a group in both our study groups and in our advising groups.  These activities gave us the opportunity to work with our peers in order to make decisions and reflect on what others may view in a given situation. 

On Monday, we were given a list for a scavenger hunt on the main campus.  This scavenger hunt was completed through taking pictures with our group members and was intended to familiarize everyone with the locations of different aspects that may be useful for us during school.  We also received our laptops and our clickers on Monday and were given instruction on how to properly use them. 

On Wednesday, after our sessions were over, we took a trip to Spartanburg to tour Smith Drug and QS1.  The tours of both of these facilities were amazing and everyone was highly impressed at how all of this comes together on the other end of a computer for many independent pharmacies.  After the tours were over, we were able to sit with some of the employees from these companies and fellow students and talk over a catered dinner. 

On Friday, we spent the majority of the evening at the community service sites that we signed up for earlier in the week.  Some people went to help move furniture for a prospective kindergarten program in town, some went to deliver food door to door, others went to help at the Bailey Manor, a group went to help at the Trinity Equestrian Center, and there were several other sites as well all with the intended purpose of serving our community. 

All of these events, sessions, and activities led up to the White Coat Ceremony which happened on the following Saturday once completing orientation.    - Written by Michael, P1 student

Organizations, Membership Drive, Student Volunteer Services Fair...

Hi! My name is Jennifer, and I am a P3 here at Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy. We have only been back at school a few weeks, but we have already gotten off to a busy start! We had our annual membership drive two weeks ago and everyone is getting excited about organization membership and upcoming events. It is hard to choose which organizations to join! There are so many awesome opportunities to get involved and advocate for the profession.

 

Below is a picture of our booth at the membership drive.

Later that week, we had the student volunteer services fair, which connects students with community service projects. There is something for everyone, and my classmates and I are excited to get involved again this year. The service opportunities I have participated in thus far have enriched my life and helped me develop as a professional and person. I am looking forward to what this year has in store!

 

Tips on Applying

Hello, everyone!  My name is Caleb, and I'm a P1 student at PCSP.  Before coming to PCSP, I did my undergraduate work at Campbell University in NC, where I was a biology major.  I'm excited to serve PCSP this year as a pharmacy student ambassador, and I wanted to chat a bit about the application process and give you some tips which will hopefully help you when you get to the point of applying to pharmacy schools. 

    One of the most important things that you can do to be successful in an application cycle is to apply early!  Admission is competitive, and PCSP employs rolling admissions, which means that students are continuously accepted until the class is full.  By applying early in the application cycle, there are more seats open, so the odds are much better that you will be admitted if you apply early than if you wait to apply towards the end of the application cycle, when most, if not all, of the seats for the next class have been filled.

            I also wanted to chat for a bit about early decision admission, which is what I did last year.  Applying to a school of pharmacy as an early decision applicant has many advantages.  One of the biggest advantages is that you are able to get a decision from the school considerably sooner than if you apply for regular admission because most schools don’t begin to interview regular admission candidates until they have interviewed all of the early decision applicants.  As a former applicant, I can’t even begin to tell you how much of a relief it was to find out I was accepted in September; this allowed me to place my focus on my classes and also gave me a little extra free time since my spare time wasn’t occupied with applications, so I was able to have a little fun during my last year of college as well.
            But if you apply early decision, you must be aware that it is a binding agreement; if you are accepted, you must accept the offer.  I knew that PCSP is where I wanted to attend pharmacy school. The location is wonderful, and I was really impressed with the curriculum and technology being utilized to enhance classroom learning.  I also liked the idea that I would have access to all of my professors since none of the classes are distance learning, like many other schools of pharmacy are using today.  Furthermore, I liked the fact that I would be able to participate in the introductory rotations throughout the school year, which would allow me to search for an internship during my summer months off. 
            So if you are sure that PCSP is the school for you, I encourage you to apply early decision! 

PCSP Students Join VCOM on Medical Mission Trip to El Salvador

July 8-16, 2012 will be a week etched in my memory.   

One of my closest colleagues, Jennifer Carter and I were able to join VCOM (Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine) on a medical mission journey in El Salvador.  We were invited to go to offer pharmacy services, consulting, and general assistance, but it turned into much more.   This particular medical trip centered around children and their families.  While dispensing drugs and counseling patients was our primary responsibility during this trip our responsibilities quickly expanded.  It was very apparent the orphanages and villages we visited were in need of medical attention, but this was not all these folks needed.  Love and affection was something intangible we could offer and easily provide that did not require a prescription. 

One day in particular resonates in my mind, the visit to the children’s HIV home and special needs home.  It was heart wrenching to see children abandoned simply due to a genetic condition or infected by such a horrible disease.   The smiles on the children’s faces and the unconditional love they offered to all of us made me realize that life is much more than materialistic things.  Children possess such resilience which is infectious in the most positive way and is totally indescribable.  A touch or a hug from one of the children was just as much therapy for me as it was for them.  The language barrier was non-existent, love and affection is truly universal.

While on this trip, I learned a lot not only from the patients, but the other health professionals involved.  The local physicians and medical students were truly passionate about helping their people.  I was amazed at the love, attention, and compassion the physicians provided to the patients.  I was lucky enough to assist in counseling patients with a pharmacist from El Salvador.  He taught me to listen with patience and take time to learn the culture as this could play a very important role when properly treating a patient.  This type of experience doesn’t come by very often and I thank God every day I had the opportunity to join in on this medical trip with VCOM.

I will forever be touched by the relationships I made with other health professionals and the patients I had the opportunity to help heal.   A medical mission trip is a must for those with big hearts, unconditional love, and the desire to make a positive impact on the world.       

Written by Kimberly, P3 student