Pharmacy Students Continue to Expand Their Horizons With Involvement On and Off Campus

Even with the disruptions to college life that the COVID- pandemic has been causing since early , students and faculty have continued to stay involved— on and off campus—and remain on top of the latest trends in the field of pharmacy.

Beyond traditional employment paths, there are many fulfilling alternatives that pharmacy students can pursue. Different roles are coming to the forefront for graduates and joining organizations that focus on these options may be greatly beneficial.

In this issue of Pharmacy Careers®, we not only highlight the new paths students are increasingly exploring, but also those students and professors who are making a difference in society.

For instance, at the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, students have begun educating others on the importance of sexual health. In an article on their efforts, Brook Kotlarz, Kaitlan Belocura, and Kennedy Erickson describe what they have done, including conducting Zoom seminars and surveys and distributing free contraceptives to incoming freshmen.

Pharmacists are also increasingly involved in smoking cessation counseling, and one of our features discusses how Cedarville University’s Andrew Straw, PharmD, and of his students offered training at the school to teach pharmacists how to help smokers overcome nicotine addiction.

Awareness of mental health issues has perhaps never been higher than during the pandemic, particularly among health care professionals. Another of our features, by Zahra Mehrabi at Nova Southeastern University, examines the growth of student involvement in promoting mental health and the benefits of addressing the stigma surrounding it so that young people can seek the help they need.

Our spring Influencers column profiles a number of pharmacy students who have achieved popularity on YouTube. They talk about how they use the platform to inform those who may be looking for extra guidance and to supplement their academic experiences. Personal branding via YouTube can also help students connect with other health care professionals.

Finally, students are looking to expand their professional skills to supplement their clinical knowledge. Ashley Woodyard; Valerie Wasem; and professor Shane Desselle, PhD, RPh, FAPHA, of Touro University California College of Pharmacy, review the most important competencies students should have to succeed as members of collaborative teams.

We hope you enjoy reading these and other stories and gain insight into how the next generation of pharmacists is poised to handle the challenges of a changing society and health care landscape.

Thank you for reading.