Pharmacy Students Counsel Children on Health

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) pharmacy students visited nearly 9000 children this spring to teach them about health topics, such as nutrition, exercise, poison prevention, and germs.

This was the ninth year SIUE students were involved in teaching Madison and St. Clair county children in grades pre-K through third, according to the pharmacy school.

In a SIUE press release, Kate Newman, clinical assistant professor at the school of pharmacy, said this was an opportunity for the 80 pharmacy students to practice their communication skills.

“They practice taking a complex topic and distilling it down to the most important items, then delivering that message at an appropriate level,” Newman said. “It’s similar to the role of a pharmacist when counseling patients about complicated disease states and medication regimens.”

In addition to the 30-minute presentations from the pharmacy students, about1200 books were distributed to children in the area’s Head Start programs.

“We strive to leave a lasting impression on area grade school children about the importance of staying healthy,” Newman said. “This program serves as an opportunity for our students to grow and learn, while instilling the importance of giving back to the community.”