Our students are involved in multiple community events - see several stories below or read more in the college's newsletter - the BEAVERx.
Middle School Girls Learn About Pharmacy Careers
Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Screening
Collaborating with OMSI's Body Worlds Exhibit
Middle
School Girls Learn About Pharmacy Careers
P2 Linda Phan assists a SMILE participant with her science project. Photo: Edward Bryan
On Saturday, Nov. 3, many Benton County middle school girls took part in a half-day, hands-on workshop titled “Discover the Scientist Within” that was intended to spark the girls’ interest in a science-related career. Their day included a chance to visit to the College of Pharmacy.
Activities for the day began with a welcome by Sujaya Rao, associate professor in Crop and Soil Science and Sylvia Harvey, a science teacher from West Albany High School in Albany. Keynote speaker Deborah Pence, associate professor in Mechanical Engineering, inspired the girls by talking about her research. Cori Hall, who was at that time the programs coordinator for the SMILE (Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences) program, led them in an electrical engineering board game.
The girls chose one of three tours that took them to two of six locations on campus. Those who chose to visit the College of Pharmacy learned about career opportunities in pharmacy and enjoyed learning how to make lip balm in an activity coordinated by Ann Zweber, senior instructor in general practice. The girls also filled prescriptions for M&Ms, delighting in completing their glucose therapy.
The day’s activities gave pharmacy students an opportunity to make connections with middle school girls about science, help with hands-on activities related to a pharmacy career, and share their own stories about being a woman in science. P1 Elva VanDevender, P1 Megan Goodale, P1 Meghan Allen, P2 Linda Phan, P2 Colleen Ruff, P2 Karen Stephenson, and P4 Kimmie Russell provided mentoring and guidance to the girls to make the program a success.
“Discover the Scientist Within” was planned and executed by OSU and community volunteers, and was free to participants. “The event was a grassroots effort from a number of individuals from both on- and off-campus who care about shaping the future of our science and technology workforce,” said Hall. “We wanted to focus on supporting the girls in our local community by giving them an opportunity to come to OSU and engage in fun, exciting, hands-on science—and to help them see themselves as future scientists and engineers.”
The workshop was co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the SMILE program. The SMILE Program is a partnership between OSU and 14 Oregon school districts with the goal of providing science and math enrichment for under-represented and other educationally under-served students in grades 4 through 12. This free workshop is expected to continue in future years. For more information, contact Rao at 737-9038.
See the story in the Spring 2008 BEAVERx.
Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Screening
To earn credit for Phar760: Transitional Clerkship, students must complete a patient care project. In January, P3s Ron Suguitan, Annie Ratliff, Samantha Woodhouse, and Claire Evangelista collaborated with Safeway to offer a cholesterol and blood pressure screening event in Beaverton.
“Safeway was a wonderful support and co-sponsor in providing the needed supplies,” said Suguitan. Safeway donated total cholesterol with glucose cassettes, cholesterol check machines, band-aids, and other items needed to provide the service.
Customers interested in having free total cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure check could make an appointment so they would know when to fast. Walk-ins were welcome, but were required to pay a $10.00 charge.
Nearly 20 patients were screened for total cholesterol, glucose, and blood
pressure. The appointments were set at 30-minutes intervals, which allowed time for students to evaluate and counsel patients and accommodate walk-ins. Each student rotated responsibilities so that all would have a share in doing the various activities.
“Customers were amazed at the level of training of the third-year OSU/OHSU pharmacy students, and the knowledge and education that they are receiving,” said Suguitan. “I learned a great deal from coordinating this event. Most of all, I experienced great support, patience, and understanding from supporters of Safeway, OSU/OHSU School of Pharmacy, and my colleagues.”
Suguitan said all involved, including the Safeway representatives, were pleased with 
the success of the event.
“We felt that this event benefited the community to start their new year off with focusing on their cholesterol levels, glucose, and blood pressure,” he said. “Most of all, the people of the community will appreciate the services that pharmacists can provide, and as students it will add to our experience and education as future pharmacists.”
See this story in the Spring 2008 BEAVERx.
Collaborating with OMSI's Body Worlds Exhibit
Thousands of visitors to Gunther von Hagen’s Body Worlds exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry came away with specific information about their own bodies, thanks to interactive exhibits sponsored by the College of Pharmacy.
The Body Worlds exhibit, which visited Oregon for four months last summer and fall, is the world’s first anatomical exhibition of preserved human bodies, made possible by a process called plastination. Its goal is to educate the public about the human body, its functions, diseases, and physical changes.
The exhibit was co-sponsored by OHSU, and the College of Pharmacy offered additional exhibits June 28 through July 5 and Sept. 27 through Oct. 6 in collaboration with OHSU’s Center for Weight Regulation.
Participation in the college’s exhibits was high among attendees to Body Worlds.
“It exceeded our initial expectations,” said Judi Low, former faculty research assistant.
“According to Dr. William Cameron, who coordinated OHSU’s effort there, we had the most participation of any of the other interactive exhibits during our screening weeks.”
Originally, the college was scheduled to present during the two weeks in summer only, but the exhibit was so popular OHSU asked the college to continue presenting during the closing weekend of the Body Worlds exhibit.
OSU faculty and students took blood samples to provide participants with rapidresults lipid panels and blood sugar analyses. They also took participants’ blood pressure and offered a cardiac risk assessment related to lifestyle and family history. Using a “swish and spit” technique, they collected DNA samples that will be used to determine the effect of genetics on cardiac risk. In addition, The Center for Weight Regulation provided a diet and biometric assessment, including waist circumference, percentage of body fat,body mass index, and computerized dietary assessment.
Students helped with the testing and Pharmacy Practice faculty counseled participants on their results. Several people were referred to healthcare providers, based on the results of their screening.
“We did screenings on a number of people who wouldn’t have had them otherwise because they had no health insurance,” said Low.
The Body Worlds exhibit helped to raise participants’ awareness about how their bodies function, and it also provided a wonderful opportunity to make them more conscious about their health.
“They were pretty motivated by the time they got here–very interested in their health,” said Low. “It was a good sampling of people who were more interested in their health than people off the street normally would be. They were very interested in the results and their consultations.”
In addition to providing a public service, the collected data from the approximately 1700 participants will be used for a research project conducted by Matt Ito, Craig Williams, and Joel Marrs. The project involves lipid, blood sugar, and blood pressure management.
Participants were also given an opportunity to be part of additional cardiovascular research projects, and the college is in the process of following up with those who wanted to be involved. Anonymity for all participants is strictly observed.
Several other displays provided exhibit viewers with information about the College of Pharmacy, including displays about drug development by Theresa Filtz; automated medicine dispensing, drug review and education, and formulary management by Terri Bianco; and infectious disease transmission and vaccine promotion by Dave Bearden, Jessina McGregor, Dale Kraemer, and George Allen. Many take-away brochures were also offered to those who were interested.
Ninety-three volunteers helped out with the exhibits during the two weeks, including 25 faculty and staff members, 60 Pharm.D. students, and eight other volunteers (including family of faculty members and other OHSU volunteers). Students were available to answer questions about the interactive exhibits, the practice of pharmacy, and the college in general.
“The public was extremely appreciative,” said Matt Ito, pharmacy professor and department chair.
See this story in the Spring 2008 BEAVERx.
