Taking AphM to the community

Abstract

You’ve organized in-store celebrations for American Pharmacists Month (APhM) in the past and you’ve recognized your pharmacy technicians. You’ve hosted brown- bag medication reviews and immunization clinics. 2012 may be the year to take the next step and expand your celebration out into your community.In addition to hosting an APhM celebration event and marketing your services within your pharmacy, you might work on obtaining a mayoral or gubernatorial proclamation declaring October APhM for your city or state, using a public service announcement to talk about pharmacy services, writing a letter to the editor or an op-ed piece about APhM and pharmacist services, and submitting APhM articles to your local newspaper.Student pharmacists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy’s APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) Chapter found some innovative ways to bring their APhM celebration out into their community. Pharmacy Todayrecently talked to Kyle McCormick, the chapter’s President-elect, about the preparation and planning that went into the events at his school.The Pittsburgh chapter participated in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk. They also created APhM ads that were displayed on 10 Pittsburgh city buses. They even held a health fair and choreographed and staged a “PhLASH” mob that promoted pharmacists’ skills and services (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=l3rXewtwO6I).The APhA-ASP Chapter at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (LECOM) School of Pharmacy in Bra- denton, FL, secured an APhM proclamation for their city from Bradenton Mayor Wayne H. Poston. Michael Polin, Communications and Marketing Director for LECOM, told Today that obtaining the proclamation was surprisingly easy. “They ]ust called the mayor’s office and wrote out what they wanted it to say.” You’ve organized in-store celebrations for American Pharmacists Month (APhM) in the past and you’ve recognized your pharmacy technicians. You’ve hosted brown- bag medication reviews and immunization clinics. 2012 may be the year to take the next step and expand your celebration out into your community. In addition to hosting an APhM celebration event and marketing your services within your pharmacy, you might work on obtaining a mayoral or gubernatorial proclamation declaring October APhM for your city or state, using a public service announcement to talk about pharmacy services, writing a letter to the editor or an op-ed piece about APhM and pharmacist services, and submitting APhM articles to your local newspaper. Student pharmacists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy’s APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) Chapter found some innovative ways to bring their APhM celebration out into their community. Pharmacy Todayrecently talked to Kyle McCormick, the chapter’s President-elect, about the preparation and planning that went into the events at his school. The Pittsburgh chapter participated in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk. They also created APhM ads that were displayed on 10 Pittsburgh city buses. They even held a health fair and choreographed and staged a “PhLASH” mob that promoted pharmacists’ skills and services (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=l3rXewtwO6I). The APhA-ASP Chapter at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (LECOM) School of Pharmacy in Bra- denton, FL, secured an APhM proclamation for their city from Bradenton Mayor Wayne H. Poston. Michael Polin, Communications and Marketing Director for LECOM, told Today that obtaining the proclamation was surprisingly easy. “They ]ust called the mayor’s office and wrote out what they wanted it to say.”