University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy student pharmacists and their faculty mentor present during the "Meet the Researchers" session at APhA2019.
By Adriane N. Irwin, PharmD, MS, Stephanie A. Gernant, PharmD, MS, and Joshua Niznik, PharmD
The APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition is always a showcase of student accomplishments. From patient care to advocacy initiatives, student pharmacists have an unbelievable impact on communities and the profession. This past March, more than 200 projects were presented by student pharmacists through APhA’s Contributed Papers Program, and several were chosen for recognition due to outstanding merit during APhA2019 in Seattle.
Contributions in research and innovative practice
The APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA–APPM) is dedicated to assisting members in enhancing the profession of pharmacy, improving medication use, and advancing patient care. Each year, the Academy recognizes two student projects for contributions in research and innovative practice.
The 2019 APhA–APPM Contributed Research Paper Award in Student Contributed Research was awarded to students from the University of Oklahoma (OU) College of Pharmacy—Desirie Keith, Yu Suk Song, Melinda Lamberson, Brett Whittacre, Jared Johnson, GT Dolan, and Miranda Nave—for their poster “Evaluation of a Compact Automated System for Filling Syringes in a Nuclear Pharmacy.” The team analyzed 797 operational parameters that a nuclear pharmacy would need to perform in order to add a drawing device to the dispensing procedures and then outlined a quality control process. “Think of it,” said Wendy Galbraith, PharmD, BCNP, FAPhA, the team’s OU faculty mentor, “like a Pyxis for sterile radioactive materials.”
The 2019 APhA–APPM Contributed Research Paper Award for Best Student Innovative Practice Report was awarded to Colleen Miller and Dana Webb, from the Northeastern Ohio Medical University, for “SOARing to New Heights: Campus-Based Interprofessional Student-Run Free Clinic Improves Lives.” The two students assessed prescription error rates before and after several workflow changes in a student-run free clinic. As stated by Miller, “Dana and I are very proud of this award as we have been highly involved in the SOAR clinic since our first year. It feels great to share our research with pharmacists and student pharmacists from across the country and demonstrate the importance of working with other health professions to improve lives in your community.”
Excellence in the sciences
The APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA–APRS) aims to stimulate the discovery, dissemination, and application of research to improve patient health. The Academy is comprised of researchers in three disciplines: Basic Sciences, Clinical Sciences, and the Economic, Social, and Administrative Sciences (ESAS).
The Basic and Clinical Science sections recognize students through scientific podium opportunities. This year, Rebekah Mahoney, from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, was selected as a student presenter for her research “Machine Learning to Discover Novel Drug–Drug Interactions Associated with Statin Associated Muscle Symptoms.” When asked how she became interested in this topic, Rebekah said, “Statin-associated muscle symptoms frequently relate to drug interactions. These come up a lot in the community pharmacy setting and is my area of interest. Machine learning was a bonus. Machine learning is essentially ‘traditional statistics on steroids,’ so it was exciting to learn about and eventually use to analyze our high dimensional data set.” Reflecting on the process, she added, “The most rewarding aspect is applying what I’ve learned in my role as an intern and soon-to-be pharmacist.”
Through the APhA–APRS Postgraduate Initiative, the ESAS section seeks to promote scientific research and establish collaborative relationships amongst members pursuing additional research training through fellowships, residencies, and graduate programs. The section recognizes the most outstanding paper by a trainee through the Best Postgraduate Paper Podium Award. This year’s recipient was Taylor Watterson, PharmD, BCPS, a second-year Doctor of Philosophy student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy, for her research “Testing a Pharmacist Occupational Fatigue Survey.” When asked about her passion for this topic, Taylor said, “Working in a community pharmacy throughout my undergraduate and pharmacy schooling, and now as a pharmacist, I saw the impact of long shifts and challenging work environments on the well-being of the pharmacy team. I wanted to be able to tell their story and promote a conversation of change with my work. There is a significant link in other health professions between fatigue and risk of patient error. I hope to normalize the culture around pharmacist fatigue and highlight the importance of pharmacist well-being to improve patient safety.”
Keep contributing
APhA2019 was a special meeting, as APhA–ASP celebrated 50 years of student involvement in APhA. This provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the past accomplishments of student pharmacists while also looking toward the future. From original research to innovative practice reports, students continue to contribute to the knowledge that will shape the future of pharmacy.
APhA congratulates all award winners and encourages all students to engage in and present scholarly activity.