JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 6, 2012 — Students from 51社区鈥檚 School of Pharmacy hosted health screenings for fans attending a recent Jackson Generals game.
The School of Pharmacy, which was recently awarded full accreditation status for its Doctor of Pharmacy program, is a member of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists.
As a member of this organization, students compete with other pharmacy schools鈥� chapters for recognition of their chapter accomplishments. Chapters compete for one of 17 awards that actively promote the mission of APhA-ASP.
Pharmacy students were present at the Aug. 16 game inside the entrance gates to the Jackson Generals field. Throughout the game, students distributed information on smoking cessation and pamphlets on prescription drug abuse and provided blood pressure screenings.
This event focused on two of the five APhA-ASP initiatives and was one of the near 50 events hosted and sponsored by students of the School of Pharmacy throughout the year.
The APhA-ASP has five initiatives: heart health, immunizations, self-care, prescription drug abuse awareness and diabetes.
As a result of the health screening event, 37 of the game attendees had their blood pressure checked and almost 400 pamphlets on prescription drug abuse and smoking cessation were distributed.
鈥淲hile the students are competitive about the chapter being recognized for its accomplishments in the community, Union鈥檚 School of Pharmacy focuses more on emphasizing good patient care,鈥� said Bethany Murphy, assistant professor of pharmacy practice.
The school鈥檚 first year of membership in the APhA-ASP was in 2008, and the chapter has won fourth place nationally in 2011 for its prescription drug abuse initiative, Generation Rx.