October 9, 2015
Every year the American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP)
creates a national theme to encourage and advocate for the profession of pharmacy,
and the ULM School of Pharmacy has joined the movement. This year’s theme is “Live
Your Why.”
As part of this campaign and in honor of October being American Pharmacists Month,
the ULM chapter of APhA-ASP partnered with Xavier University to launch a statewide
campaign on October 1.
Together, ULM and Xavier are sharing facts about the medical needs of Louisiana and
how Louisiana pharmacists are making a difference.
Dr. Anthony Walker, faculty adviser for American Pharmacist Association-Academy of
Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), ULM Chapter, said since ULM and Xavier have the only
two pharmacy school programs in Louisiana, by collaborating with each other, “we show
a more unified front on our pharmacists awareness campaign.”
“Student pharmacists from each school represent the majority of our state's parishes,”
Dr. Walker said. "What better way to spread the word about how pharmacists can make
a difference in their patient's health than for a student to take the message back
home with them?"
ULM’s School of Pharmacy plans to use its Facebook page to share articles, facts,
and student pharmacist “whys” all month with the hashtags #LouisianaIsOurWhy and #GeauxAPhA,
according to Hannah Holbrook, vice president of Patient Care, APhA-ASP ULM Chapter.
“We hope to involve all of the alumni who are Louisiana Pharmacists as well,” Holbrook
said. “The hashtags were made with the idea of incorporating all of the future Louisiana
Pharmacists into this campaign.”
Dr. Walker said ULM’s student organizations are committed to offering various forms
of service throughout our local and surrounding communities.
“Whether we are providing health-related assistance or offering helping hands during
our city's cleanup events, our communities deserve it,” Dr. Walker said. “Since our
parish, as well as many other Louisiana parishes, fall under ‘medically underserved
areas,’ it gives our faculty and students excellent opportunities to become involved
in our patients' care and make a difference.”
American Pharmacists Month (APhM) is celebrated annually during October and serves
to promote pharmacists as medication experts, an integral member of the health care
team, and directly involved in patient care. APhM aims to educate the public, policy
makers and other health care professionals about the role pharmacists play in the
reduction of overall health care costs and the safe and effective management of medications.
Pharmacists have a significant role in assessing patients’ medication management and
referring them to physicians.
