Pharmacy Professionalism Toolkit for Students and Faculty Provided by the APhA-ASP/AACP Committee on Student Professionalism

STUDENT RECRUITMENT
Educating the Public on the Pharmacist’s Role in Health Care

Description of activity
There are a number of different ways student pharmacists and faculty can promote the role of pharmacists in health care, including use of the media, health fairs, career days, presentations, printed materials, videos, web sites, organized events, etc. Schools are encouraged to promote these public education activities to prospective student pharmacists.

Rationale
The public’s perception of the pharmacist needs to reflect current roles in patient care. Efforts should be made to emphasize the pharmacist’s role in improving health outcomes as well as the professional tenets central to pharmaceutical care.

Schools should include language on professionalism in recruitment brochures, web pages, and application materials. It is important that applicants are aware of the school’s expectations, in both academic performance and professional behaviors.

Areas of professionalism addressed
Pride in the profession, service orientation, raising the general public’s awareness on the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a practicing pharmacist.

Examples of programs and resources

• AACP website
• American Pharmacists Month activities
• Auburn University
• Canadian Pharmacists Association: Pharmacy Week site
• St. John’s University- “Good Morning America”
• Long Island University “Today Show”
• University of Washington - “Northwest Afternoon”
• University of Washington - Admission, Graduation and Academic Standards Document

Pre-Pharmacy Organizations
Outreach Programs-Career Fairs
Outreach Programs—Mentoring and Shadowing
Educating the Public on the Pharmacist’s Role in Health Care
Professionalism Prerequisite
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