During Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM) in March, students, faculty and staff can visit a booth and attend a series of sessions and seminars aimed to educate people about opioids, contraceptives and stimulants.
“People can pick and choose which topics interest them,” said Melina Huang, a third-year pharmacy student and a marketing coordinator for the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society.
During the first week of PAM, students in the UBC faculty of pharmaceutical sciences will display their talents at the showcase. Events during the second week of PAM will centre on opioids and alcohol abuse with a specific focus given to pain and addiction. During the third week, presentations will cover stimulants — like the go-to student favourite, caffeine — with a particular focus on addiction. Lastly, PAM will conclude with presentations on women’s health, specifically on contraceptives and emergency contraceptives.
Huang said that since birth control is the most prescribed medication on campus, the women need to know how drugs, such as antibiotics for example, interact with contraceptives. Huang said that pharmacists can “better serve the public” as well as encourage the public to utilize this health care resource. Increased public awareness of what pharmacists will benefit pharmacists and the public.
Historically, PAM used to last a week and consisted mainly of a talent showcase. Upon the expansion of pharmacist awareness to a month, the events focused on raising public awareness of what pharmacists can do for patient care. Through the use of booths at the Old SUB, pharmacy students worked to engage the UBC community about the pharmacy profession. Building upon the efforts of previous years, this year’s PAM will introduce a series of weekly topics aimed to encourage the UBC community to engage.
PAM is presented by the UBC Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns in collaboration with the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society.
More information can be found here.