Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists - Events
Monthly Meetings
Monthly SSHP meetings offer interested students excellent opportunities to not only interact with their peers over lunch (which SSHP usually supplies), but also to learn more about the field of pharmacy, all while participating in an extracurricular activity. During these meetings, upcoming events and voting issues are discussed. In addition, SSHP meetings often serve as a forum for invited professionals to speak about their experiences in the field of pharmacy. This provides attendees with alternative viewpoints on the field, as well as an opportunity to network with professionals outside of The University of Arizona. SSHP lunch meetings will ususally be the second Wednesday of each month.
AIDS Walk
Each year in October, SSHP and the College of Pharmacy participate in the AIDS Walk. Students from the college raise money for the walk, and all proceeds benefit the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation.
Hypertension/BMI Screenings
During the year SSHP performs monthly hypertension/BMI screenings at Fry's Pharmacy, and a number of events including the Women's Health Expo, NCPA Ostomy Fair, Pharmacy Week and Legislative Day. We use these screenings to enable students to learn how to check blood pressure and BMIs to help patients learn about their status. Moreover, we use these events to bring awareness to a disease state that is more commonly known as "The Silent Killer." By educating patients about this disorder and reviewing their current medication, we enable patients in the Tucson community to control this disease.
Poison Prevention Week
Each year in March, students from SSHP reach out to the community and visited local elementary school, Sahuarita Primary School, to teach children about poison prevention. Our past president, Zach Finney, was able to visit 9 classes of 1st graders in 2007, which totaled over 200 children!
Who Wants to Be a Pharmacist?
Each year in April, SSHP hosts the annual "Who Wants to Be a Pharmacist?" event to benefit the Children's Heart Foundation. Contestants include four students from each class who compete in the "fast finger" round. One student from each class goes on to compete for prizes.
Patient Experience
This event, put on by SSHP and other student organizations at the College of Pharmacy, allows students to see what life is like as a patient instead of a provider. Students are allowed to sample various medications, look through "Coke-bottle" lenses, have their hands taped to mimic an arthritic patient and many other activities that give students more insight as to why patients do not comply with their medication regimen.
The Children’s Heart Foundation
SSHP serves to support clinical knowledge in the community. However, we also work with the community to aid in research and clinical application of pharmaceutical skills to those in need. Each year SSHP holds a raffle during Valentine's Day to help support the children's foundation on National Heart Awareness Day, February 14. We also hold an annual Children's Heart Foundation Charity Golf event after finals to raise money for the organization. This is all made possible by the hard work and guidance of Todd Camenisch, PhD.
NCPA/SSHP Pharmacy Internship Colloquium
The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy students have the advantage of having their summers off during their first two years of school. As many of our students take off for vacations and a little relaxation, some participate in internships in retail, clinical, industrial, managed care and research based pharmacy positions. Each year we hold a forum in which the students who have previously participated in internships come to talk to current students in an open discussion talking about their experiences. We have also created a Web site which lists student responses to the internships and has a list of current pharmacy internships for students.
National Pharmacy Month
Each fall, the students at the College of Pharmacy set up a tent on the mall at main campus to teach other students at UA about the practice of pharmacy. SSHP sets up a Skin Cancer Awareness booth that includes information and samples regarding sun protection.
Clinical Skills Competition: Week of October 8
Students are paired together to test their pharmacy knowledge and problem-solving skills against other pharmacy students. The winners at the College of Pharmacy go on to compete with other pharmacy students at the national ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting.
Residency Showcase
Each October, SSHP hosts a residency showcase at the College of Pharmacy. It provides a great opportunity for students who are interested in doing a residency to interact with residents and preceptors from different hospitals and community pharmacies around Arizona and the nation.