Medication Safety, the Pharmacist’s Role and Potential New Prospects

By Emily Cross, Pharm.D., Jennifer Idzior, Pharm.D., and Jacqueline Kisscorni, Pharm.D., Ferris State University College of Pharmacy, 2012 graduates

On March 26, 2012, as a part of our advanced community rotation, we visited Mrs. Bush’s anatomy and physiology class at Forest Hills Northern in Grand Rapids. We presented on the important role pharmacists play in medication management and safety. The class, which consisted of juniors and seniors, was learning about the renal system, which allowed us the opportunity to discuss the crucial role of kidney function in safe administration of medications. We reviewed creatinine, creatinine clearance and presented patient cases to engage the students in active learning. They practiced typical calculations a pharmacist would conduct to ensure a patient is receiving a medication safely and at the proper dose.

Considering our audience of upperclassmen, nearing the next step of their education, we seized the opportunity to educate the students on pharmacy and promote the profession as an excellent career choice. We discussed the multitude of career opportunities available to a pharmacy graduate as well as the variety of benefits of the profession. In addition, the students engaged in topics, such as what it takes to get into pharmacy school and the overall student pharmacist experience.

Our presentation “From Notes to White Coats” utilized the zooming presentation software Prezi to stay current with the advancing technology high school students are already engaged in themselves. Our goal was to emphasize the value of the pharmacist via our medication safety discussion and promote the pharmacy profession as an ever-evolving field in hopes of piquing the interest of at least one potential future pharmacist.