The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy’s Student Society of Health-Systems Pharmacy (SSHP) chapter has received the first Outstanding Professional Development Project Award. The award-winning project was Augmenting Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) Through the Addition of Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative (PPMI).
The project was designed to educate students on various aspects of PPMI during their APPE preparatory course. During their fourth year, students participate in PPMI activities during their hospital APPE rotations and then independently and accurately identify how best practices of PPMI are being addressed at each practice site.
“The American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists PPMI is extremely valuable to pharmacy professionals,” said Dr. Lisa Lubsch, clinical assistant professor and co-adviser of this project with clinical associate professor Dr. Jingyang Fan. “Essentially, the PPMI initiative helps pharmacies evaluate and reorganize their current processes in order to maximize the pharmacists time in patient care. I am thrilled our students were recognized for their efforts in increasing knowledge about PPMI.”
A team of past students, Drs. Kelcey (Correll) Semple, Lindsay (McNeely) Schmees and Kristen Nowdomski, began this project several years ago while in their third year of pharmacy school. They created an informational handout discussing the PPMI.
Bill Wuller, director of experiential education, embraced this tool in the course that prepares students for their fourth year of APPE. The previous SSHP president, Zak Vinson, presented the project last December at the Student Society Showcase in addition to writing about the project in the annual recognition paperwork for the ASHP.
SSHP’s current president, Kimberlee Kabbes, will be presenting the project in December 2014 at the Showcase. Sara Mohiuddin, the organization’s ASHP liaison, plans to survey preceptors on the educational and practical impact of the PPMI project for an independent study.
“The goal is that both pharmacy students and preceptors gain a better understanding of PPMI and the future direction of pharmacy,” said Lubsch. “This may eventually cause change in those health-systems to improve patient care.”
Photo: Dr. Lisa Lubsch, clinical assistant professor in the SIUE School of Pharmacy.