Students engage in leadership elective Patel and Taylor’s article focused on leadership being a key ingredient to owning an independent pharmacy. They say that in order to get the most out of a successful pharmacy practice, students will have to rely heavily on their leadership and management skills. By using these resources, students will have the confidence to meet the challenges that come with being an independent pharmacist. Dr. Wilkinson is proud that her students have written papers that are of high quality and relevant for publication. She says that the class is not just about being a supervisor, but making a positive impact in any work setting. “For many years there has been a shortage of pharmacists. People chose high-paying positions without much administrative responsibility,” she says. “Now that the environment is more competitive, it’s important that new pharmacy graduates show a maturity and willingness to take on challenging roles.”
Second-year students Stacey Caponi, left, and Barbara Osei-Sraha coauthored a report on the importance of mentoring in pharmacy.
student pharmacists travel to state capitals relationship that patients have with their community pharmacists. The LECOM Erie contingent that traveled to Harrisburg was made up of second-year students Arpit Mehta, Denise Traficante, Rebecca Bollinger, Erika Gould, Arthur Malahimov, Kelsey Laks, Megan Groshner, Brooke Spino and Amanda Sommer; and first-year student Matt MadurThird-year pharmacy students Kunal Kanani and Kaski. Hershey Bell, mlesh Christian speak to legislators in Tallahassee, M.D., M.S., dean Fla. about keeping their cholesterol in check. of the LECOM School of Pharmacy, and Assistant Professor Bojana Stevich, Pharm.D., M.S., also attended the event. PPA Legislative Day gave students an opportunity to meet with elected officials about issues important to students and the pharmacy
profession. LECOM students set up a booth that explained the amount of training a student must go through before becoming a pharmacist. “Many legislators didn’t realize we get doctorate degrees,” said LECOM student Rebecca Bollinger. “They didn’t know pharmacists can do residencies just like physicians can do.” LECOM students attended face-to-face meetings with Erie-area lawmakers and legislators from their hometowns. “We were able to meet with them one-on-one,” Madurski said. “We had their undivided attention, and they seemed to be genuinely interested in what we were saying.” Students shared news about the LECOM School of Pharmacy with lawmakers and told them how the School has become a model for pharmacy education and professional education. They also encouraged lawmakers to pass legislation that they believe will benefit student pharmacists and the pharmacy profession. The student pharmacists are pushing for three key changes in law. First, they want to prohibit insurance companies from requiring mandatory mail-order medications. Some companies force patients to fill prescriptions by mail instead of giving them the choice to visit a community pharmacy. Secondly, student pharmacists support a bill that would set uniform standard procedures for pharmacy audits. Thirdly, student pharmacists are pushing for the right to administer vaccinations under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. As it stands now, only practicing pharmacists in Pennsylvania can give immunizations. Thirty-four states allow student interns to provide immunizations. Students also want lawmakers to remove the age restriction, which does not currently allow pharmacists to give vaccines to anyone under the age of 18.
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