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Washington State University
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences CPPS on the Frontlines

Pandemic becomes once-in-a-lifetime lesson for pharmacy student

Though it has been a difficult year of remote learning, fourth-year pharmacy student Trevor Schultz did not miss a beat. Passionate about working with rural and underserved communities, Schultz teamed up with class of 2009 alumni Tyler Fischback at Confluence Health in Wenatchee to support COVID-19 mass immunization efforts in a largely rural and agricultural area serving the Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan counties in Washington state.

“I’m really passionate about giving back and serving the community. This pandemic needs to be taken seriously. It’s inspiring me because it’s a beacon of hope to end this thing. I want to educate the public about this … » More …

New York Times cites WSU on growing demand for pharmacists and technicians

Vice Dean of External Relations Linda Garrelts MacLean started seeing a growing demand for pharmacy students in April 2020, just two months after the COVID-19 pandemic officially kicked off in the US. First came the requests by public health officials for students to help at COVID-19 testing sites. Soon, the need for student pharmacists and their skills in being able to communicate with patients and knowledge in administering vaccines became a bright spot in a very challenging year of virtual learning.

“We are receiving requests from pharmacies and providers, big and small, for our students. They know our students have the skills they need to … » More …

WSU pharmacy students in Pullman assisting with arrival testing

By RJ Wolcott, WSU News
Originally published in the WSU Insider January 19, 2021

WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences students put their training into practice assisting with arrival testing in Pullman ahead of the start of the Spring 2021 semester.

More than a dozen pharmacy students helped Pullman students who live off campus with their COVID-19 nasal swab tests, providing instruction on how to administer the test and ensuring samples are handled and stored properly. Nearly all fraternities and sororities reserved times for their members to visit the Adams Mall, located in the Greek Row area of College Hill, for COVID-19 testing … » More …

Student pharmacists on COVID-19 testing in Pullman

When Misty Lefler and Shayne Fontes got the urgent call from Associate Dean of Professional Education Jennifer Robinson that volunteers were needed for COVID-19 testing at WSU’s main campus in Pullman, the third-year pharmacy students scrambled to organize their peers over one weekend. Only one week into the fall semester, and Pullman was already experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases despite going to virtual learning for the semester. “I get really excited saying ‘I get to help out with this and I get to help our community,’” said Lefler. “As health care providers all we want to do is educate, immunize, and help provide those services.” » More ...

Flu season is here: Time to get vaccinated

In no other year has a flu shot been more important. Immunization experts at the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences warn that the addition of another respiratory illness such as the flu on top of COVID-19 could overburden health care systems, strain local testing capacity and increase the risk of complications from either disease. » More ...

Pharmacy researcher’s quest to help homeless during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the integral connection between homelessness and health. To guard against an outbreak among the homeless population, several Spokane shelters have put limits on the number of people admitted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Ultimately, many of those experiencing homelessness in Spokane have had to find alternative places for shelter.

“A lot of individuals carry their life around with them—two to three shopping carts full of their stuff, multiple backpacks, and move from one place to another. Police crackdown on camping and these individuals can’t go to shelters because of COVID—and can’t camp because there are no camping zones, so … » More …

Embedded: Student pharmacist on the frontlines of COVID-19 testing in Yakima

When a spike in COVID-19 cases made Yakima county a West Coast hot spot for the disease, Yakima Doctor of Pharmacy students quickly stepped up to help with mitigation efforts. Working alongside the Yakima Health District and the US National Guard, WSU student pharmacists volunteered to help direct people in improvised testing centers. The college sat down with third-year pharmacy student Brian Wu to hear about the experience. » More ...

Managing diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic

The deleterious impact that the COVID-19 virus has on people living with diabetes is now well known. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), people living with diabetes are at higher risk of severe illness due to COVID-19.  When the American Diabetes Association (ADA), a non-profit that seeks to educate the public about diabetes, had to quickly pull together a panel of experts to study the impact the virus has on people living with diabetes, they called on WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences professor, Joshua Neumiller, who has dedicated his professional life to researching diabetes.

“It is clear that diabetes…increases the … » More …