This winter, Roosevelt University pharmacy students won the unanimous support of their peers with a policy proposal at the APhA-ASP regional meeting. The national organization gives a voice and professional development opportunities to student pharmacists.
Through the APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists chapter, Roosevelt students got involved in creating policy. The Roosevelt group's proposed policy would penalize pharmacy benefit managers for late deliveries of mail-order medications.
“I enjoyed collaborating with fellow students to understand the importance of advocacy and policymaking,” said third-year Maryam Alebraheem. Meet the Roosevelt APhA-ASP chapter on Facebook.
“It’s rewarding to contribute my gifts and passion for policy development to our APhA-ASP student chapter,” said Ehinose Uduehi, policy vice president and second-year pharmacy student. “As a future leader in pharmacy, my APhA-ASP chapter has given me a voice to positively impact patient care.”
Pharmacy benefit managers are third-party companies that manage insurance claims, price negotiations and drug distribution for health insurers. If they don't deliver medications on time, it could have a dangerous impact on patient safety. Some drugs, like antibiotics and chemotherapy treatments, lose effectiveness at certain temperatures.
To date, there aren’t strict regulations on mail-order deliveries, but the Roosevelt chapter hopes to change that. The policy passed 20-0, passing it up to the national committee.
“This proposal is important to us because safety is our main priority for the patients we serve,” said Uduehi. “Pharmacists and student pharmacists alike must diligently fight for the well-being of our patients.”
Through the project, students expressed their passion for diverse ideas and envision a more equitable future of pharmacy. The APhA-ASP chapter is one of the biggest of the ten student organizations for Roosevelt pharmacy students. As policy vice-president elect, Alina Choudhari will lead the group's policy arm next year.
“My favorite part is coming up with fun events to get the chapter engaged in policy, as well as collaborating on this policy proposal,” said first-year Alina Choudhari.
THE PHARMACY PROGRAM
The Roosevelt University Doctor of Pharmacy program is a patient-centered learning experience. Small class sizes prepare students to work as practitioners, clinicians or researchers.
The Roosevelt campus in Schaumburg, Ill. is near major research hospitals, community pharmacies, and Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies, allowing students to complete rotations in world-class pharmacies.
