Pharmacy Students Saddle Up for Health Awareness at Frontier Fiesta

UH College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. students as well as undergraduate pre-pharmacy students saddled up to promote health and wellness among their fellow students and the entire UH community on March 23 during the annual UH Frontier Fiesta.    

Thirteen UHCOP students took part in educating festival-goers on medication safety and abuse, including playing the "Is it Candy or Medicine?" identification game that teaches children how to avoid accidental poisoning; the health risks of tobacco use and resources for quitting; misconceptions and myths of immunizations; and screenings and awareness for heartburn. Students were able to provide counseling and screening to nearly 200 children and about half as many adults over a four-hour period.

Rachel Harvey, 2012-13 president of the UH chapter of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists, said the event was opportunity to interact with segments of the UH community in a different setting.

"We felt that we could reach an audience that doesn't necessarily frequent community health fairs and may not know what student pharmacists are able to offer," Harvey said. "We were one of the few educational booths, so I think it was a nice for (UH faculty members and others) to see their children learning and having fun at the same time. Several people commented that they had not seen this group here (at FF) before, so it was great to see that we were increasing our visibility."

The participating students also got the opportunity to meet and chat with UH System Chancellor & UH President Renu Khator as she toured "Fiesta City." 

"How cool was that?" Harvey said. "It was great to see her out supporting the students."

First-year Pharm.D. student Adin Khan admitted he initially didn't recognize Khator in her Cougar Red Western wear.

"Meeting Dr. Khator was amazing," Khan said. "It was nice to know the chancellor has seen what Pharmacy and APhA-ASP has to offer."