UH-Hilo Pharmacy Students Honored at National Conference

UH Hilo pharmacy students, from left, Preston Young, Karen Christian, Matt Chen, Tiffany Alberg and Joyce Tapuro. UH photo.

Student pharmacists from the University of Hawai’i at Hilo’s Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy were recognized earlier this month as the “Most Improved Chapter” at the American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting and Exposition in Maryland.

When the DKICP opened at UH-Hilo in 2007, APhA-ASP was among the first student organizations. Since, members have participated in community wellness programs and health fairs.

Matt Chen, the 2015-2016 APhA-ASPA president-elect, says the group has even successfully organized a student-run initiative to help pass a Hawai’i state law that allows first-year pharmacy students to receive their intern licenses.

“Student pharmacists with intern licenses can give immunizations and perform other healthcare support for members of the public,” Chen said. “This development is important because it expands healthcare for our Big Island community, enriches the PharmD program for current students, and makes DKICP more attractive to prospective students.”

In addition, the chapter has implemented three new patient care projects designed to improve healthcare throughout Hawaiʻi—Operation Immunization, Operation Diabetes and Generation Rx.

“This award says a lot, especially since we are a newer school and we are being compared to schools that have had APhA–ASP chapters for decades,” said Elizabeth Ackerman, faculty co-adviser for the group last year and an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. “It means that our chapter has made some significant improvements and that the awards committee members were impressed. It’s wonderful.”