OFFICIAL DECLARATIONS COMMEMORATE AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH
Written By: Charlie Summerlin, Second-Year Student Pharmacist; Jennifer Miller, First-Year Student Pharmacist; and Kira Aldrich, First-Year Student Pharmacist
Members of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) at the School of Pharmacy have been hard at work this month on several initiatives to celebrate American Pharmacists Month – a national campaign observed every October to celebrate and educate the public, legislators, and other health care professionals about the crucial and dynamic role of pharmacists. We believe that the more patients interact with their pharmacists, the better educated they will be about their medications, which both improves their overall health and decreases total health care spending. To help commemorate this special month for our profession, student pharmacists at the School of Pharmacy are making themselves accessible to the public through a wide range of activities, including public awareness campaigns, flu clinics, and health screenings.
Celebrating an Official Commemoration
This October, American Pharmacists Month had a strong kick off at the School, with both Governor Larry Hogan and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake officially declaring October as American Pharmacists Month in the state of Maryland and city of Baltimore, respectively. Second-year student pharmacist Charlie Summerlin sent letters and draft proclamations to both individuals explaining how pharmacists are medication experts directly involved in patient care, as well as integral members of the health care team. The letters explained that, with more than 6,000 pharmacists currently employed in the state of Maryland, pharmacists make an extremely valuable contribution to the community.
The statements included within the signed declarations attest to this valuable contribution and will be used throughout the year to promote the profession of pharmacy. In her declaration, Mayor Rawlings-Blake stated that “the City of Baltimore joins with the American Pharmacists Association and the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in formally acknowledging the valuable services of pharmacists and their ability to provide safe, affordable, and beneficial pharmaceutical care services and products to all citizens.”
With signed declarations from both the governor and mayor, it is our hope that others across the city and state will also recognize the value of pharmacists so that patients and other health care providers better leverage the valuable services that the members of our profession provide.
Spreading the Word in the Community
In addition to securing proclamations from the governor and mayor, the members of APhA-ASP are celebrating American Pharmacists Month in a number of ways. We designed one-of-a-kind coffee sleeves that displayed facts about pharmacists and their role in the community, which we distributed to local coffee shops to help raise awareness of the many services pharmacists can provide. To further spread the word about pharmacists’ roles and services, members of APhA-ASP also plan to host a postcard design competition. For the postcards, students will be asked to illustrate and describe a pharmacist’s role. The winner’s card will be shared in the community.
Lastly, APhA-ASP has partnered with the School’s student chapter of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) to celebrate “Pharmacy Week” at Johns Hopkins. We will host eight different outreach events to provide health screenings and patient education information at five Johns Hopkins outpatient pharmacies. Our ultimate goals are to raise awareness of the important roles that pharmacists play and to promote the profession of pharmacy.
For more information about American Pharmacists Month and other ways that members of the School’s APhA-ASP chapter are promoting the profession of pharmacy, please visit https://www.facebook.com/UMSOPAPhAASP/.