Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2011 - 7

students

Photos from Graduation 2011 provided by P-4 James Delk.

Graduation,	work,	relaxation,	special	projects,	conferences	and	a	break	from	studies	mark	summer	months	for	some	 pharmacy	students.	For	others,	like	the	fourth-year	PharmD	students,	there	was	no	rest	for	the	weary	as	they		 continued	on	with	rotations.	But	the	end	is	in	sight	and	graduation	is	becoming	reality.
Graduation
On	May	27,	the	School	of	Pharmacy	conferred	170	doctorate	degrees		 during	its	graduation	ceremony,	making	it	one	of	the	largest	graduating	 classes	in	the	school’s	100-year	history.		Graduates	include	164	students	 who	received	doctor	of	pharmacy	degrees	(37	non-traditional	doctor	of	 pharmacy	students	and	127	from	the	traditional	program),	and	six	doctor		 of	philosophy	degrees.	In	addition	to	9NEWS	and	channel	7	highlighting	 pharmacy	graduates	Jason	Dollerschell	and	Nicole	Moore,	a	special	edition	 of	Pharmacy Perspectives	was	produced	just	for	the	occasion.	Check	 out	the	stories	about	the	graduates	by	visiting	the	school’s	website	at		 www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy	or	view	photos	from	that	special	day	at	 www.flickr.com/photos/CUPharmacy.

The Biggest Loser … and Gainer
For	65-year-old	Rex	Vaughn,	meeting	pharmacy	student	Julie	Bohm	in	2008	 was	the	impetus	he	needed	to	change	his	life.	 Wearing	size	48	blue	jeans,	weighing	250	lbs	and	diagnosed	with	diabetes	 and	myriad	other	conditions,	Rex	was	“at	a	dead	end.”	Today,	he	is	a	healthy	 180	lbs,	has	controlled	his	diabetes	and	eliminated	the	need	for	many		 medications	and	“feels	great!”	 Rex	credits	the	School	of	 Pharmacy	and	Jackisch	Drug	 Diabetes	Program	for	changing	 his	life.	 “I	was	on	my	way	to	an	early	 grave,”	when	his	physician	 referred	him	to	Jackisch	Drug	 diabetes	program.	There	he	met	 fourth-year	pharmacy	student	Julie	Bohm	who	quickly	 Fourth-year pharmacy student Alex Rodriguez obtains a blood pressure reading determined	that	a	change	was	 in	order.	After	listening	to	Rex,	 on patient Rex Vaughn. she	called	his	physician	and	requested	he	write	him	a	prescription	for	an	exercise	program	to	lose	weight.	 Julie	said,	“Rex,	there	is	an	exercise	prescription	at	your	doctor’s	office.	If	 you	would	pick	it	up,	it	will	be	there	waiting.	I	encourage	you	to	do	it.” “That	call	was	the	impetus	I	needed,”	says	Rex.	Right	then	and	there	he		 decided	it	was	time	to	make	himself	“a	special	project”	like	the	special		 projects	he	was	assigned	at	work.		From	that	point	on	he	followed	a		 recommended	diet,	started	an	exercise	program	and	learned	more	about	 diabetes	and	how	to	properly	control	his	blood	sugar.	 Dropping	70	lbs	and	transforming	himself	had	other	positive	outcomes	 including	lowering	his	blood	pressure	and	cholesterol,	as	well	as	reducing	 pain	and	sleep	issues	–	all	influencing	his	doctor	to	discontinue	some	of	his	 medications.	“Being	referred	to	Jackisch	Drug	diabetes	program	was	one	of	 the	best	things	that	happened	to	me.	Without	Jackisch,	the	School	of		 Pharmacy	and	Julie	I	don’t	know	if	I’d	be	here	today.”
P-4 Alex Rodgriguez contributed to this article.
Summer 2011

Students Receive AACP Community Engaged Service Award
Several	students	headed	to	San	Antonio,	TX	in	early	July	for	the	2011		 AACP	Annual	Meeting	and	Seminars	and	received	one	of	four	2010-2011	 AACP	Student	Community	Engaged	Service	Awards.	The	delegation	 included	fourth-year	pharmacy	students	Monica	Evans,	Kristen	Morrow,	 Heather	Woodward,	and	advisor	Dr.	Gina	Moore	who	assisted	them	with	 their	submission.	They	won	the	award	for	their	work	educating	and		 providing	access	to	care	for	underserved	communities	through	a	program		 titled	STUHI	(Serving	the	Underserved	Health	Initiative).	STUHI,	a		 collaborative	initiative	of	SNPhA	and	APhA-ASP	in	conjunction	with	faculty	 member	Dr.	Connie	Valdez,	was	established	to	 diminish	health	disparities	within	pharmacy	 practice	by	educating	and	providing	access	to	 care	for	underserved	communities	through	 health	fairs.	The	health	fairs	provide	highly	 practical	learning	experiences	to	students	as	 they	gain	valuable	point-of-care	service	skills	 and	first-hand	intimate	patient	contact.	The	 health	fairs	also	engaged	students	from	Denver	 School	of	Science	and	Technology,	who	we	hope	 to	encourage	to	become	the	next	generation	of	 pharmacists	and	health	care	providers.
Monica Evans speaks during AACP meeting

7
http://www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy http://www.flickr.com/photos/CUPharmacy
Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2011
