The UMKC School of Pharmacy landed a number of top awards and came close to pulling off back-to-back titles for the nation’s top American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) chapter at the APhA national convention. The annual meeting was held March 22-25 in Seattle.
The UMKC chapter of the APhA-ASP was selected as a first runner-up for National Chapter Achievement Award winners for the 2017-18 reporting period. The chapter won last year’s national award for outstanding activities and superior chapter programs.
UMKC took 43 students to the national convention that included annual meetings for Rho Chi (international pharmaceutical science honor society) and Phi Lambda Sigma (college honor society for pharmacy students). They returned with four chapter awards and a number of individual honors.
Jordyn Williams, a third-year pharmacy student at the Columbia campus, captured first place in the APhA-ASP National Patient Counseling Competition. Her national championship in the competition was a first for a UMKC pharmacy student. Emily Oliver, third-year, Columbia campus, was honored for her chapter leadership with one of four national APhA-ASP Leadership Awards.
In addition to the top individual national honors, the School of Pharmacy received the nation’s top chapter award for its work with the Generation Rx program. The effort is an educational program to increase public awareness of prescription medication abuse. Chapters engage in efforts to encourage the prevention of abusing prescription medications.
The chapter placed second in the nation for its efforts with the Operation Diabetes program. The initiative helps identify individuals within the community with previously undiagnosed diabetes and those at risk of the disease. It placed third in the nation with its Over-the-Counter Medicine Safety program to educate 5th and 6th grade students and their families about the safe use and storage of over-the-counter medicines. Also, the Alpha Omega chapter of Rho Chi was honored as a finalist for the 2017-2018 Most Improved Chapter Award.
Other individual achievements included
- Zachary Hitchcock, second-year, Springfield campus, ran for national APhA-ASP Speaker of the House
- Elizabeth Breeden, third-year, Kansas City campus, served as the Delegate for the UMKC APhA-ASP chapter
- Sierra Woods, fourth-year, Columbia campus, served as APhA-ASP Region 6 Representative on the Nominations Committee
- Lauren Bell, third-year, Kansas City, and Jordyn Williams served as Rho Chi Delegate and Alternate Delegate
- Devanne McCoy, third-year, Columbia, served as Phi Lambda Sigma Delegate
Dr. Andy Smith was re-elected as the National Rho Chi Secretary and Dr. Amanda Stahnke will continue to serve in her role as the Regional Councilor for Region IV.Students and faculty were also active with research posters and presentations during the meetings. Dr. Sarah Cox presented on “APhA-ASP Career Options: Health System Pharmacy Administration Residencies.” Dr. Cameron Lindsey presented “APhA-ASP and Co-Curriculars.”
Student Poster Presentations:
Abby Lueckenotte – “Collaborating from the Community to the Clinic: Evaluation of Pharmacist to Pharmacist Communication to Optimize the Medication Use of Mutual Patient.”
Emily Oliver and Devanne McCoy – “Assessing the Impact of a Longitudinal IPPE Rotation Focused on Anticoagulation Related Readmission Rates.”
Jordan Thoman – “Hospital Communication Errors During Medication Reconciliation Prior to Discharge.”
Jordan Thoman, Emily Oliver, and Aaron Hunsaker – “UMKC APhA-ASP Founded in 1945.”
Jordyn Williams – “Utilization of Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) Tools and Health Registry Metrics to Guide Implementation of Consistent Delivery of CMM in Primary Care Clinics at an Academic Medical Center.”