OptumRx,
the American
Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the American
Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) today announced the
winners of the inaugural Pharmacy is Right for Me high school
Innovation Challenge.
The contest provided an opportunity for students in grades 9-12 to
practice their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills
while developing inspired solutions for issues currently facing the
pharmacy field.
Fourteen teams comprising more than 60 students entered the pilot
Innovation Challenge, which tasked students in select cities across the
country to come up with ideas that could lead to better health outcomes
for Americans. The grand prize winners – three seniors from Seaman High
School in Topeka, Kan. – were recognized for their approach to
addressing the issue of non-adherence to medications through a rebate
plan monitored by equipping medications with a micro-sensor and camera.
The idea builds upon existing medical technologies that are currently in
experimental stages. The students will receive an all-expenses-paid trip
to Washington, D.C., that includes a special reception at APhA
headquarters with professional pharmacists and STEM leaders.
Throughout the United States, pharmacists are playing an increasingly
important role in working alongside other health care providers to help
people better manage their health conditions. At the same time, the
pharmacy field is experiencing a host of critical challenges, including
medication non-adherence, inadequate access to pharmaceutical services
in rural America, and many more.
“We created the Pharmacy is Right for Me Innovation Challenge to
give high-school students a true glimpse into the broad opportunities
that pharmacy and other STEM fields can offer. We also want to tap the
imaginative potential of these young students,” said John Jones, R.Ph.,
J.D., Senior Vice President, Professional Practice and Pharmacy Policy,
OptumRx and Pharmacy is Right for Me Advisory Board Chair. “Our
goal is to reach students – particularly young people from underserved
and underrepresented communities – early in their education to engage
the next generation of STEM and pharmacy leaders.”
“Seaman High School is pleased to participate in the inaugural 'Pharmacy
is Right for Me' Innovation Challenge,” said Ron Vinduska, Principal of
Seaman High School in Topeka. “High school is an important time for
students to explore skilled, creative fields such as pharmacy, gain
valuable career knowledge, and connect with professionals as they
prepare for future careers.”
The second- and third-place teams are from Dunbar High School in Ft.
Myers, Fla., and another team of seniors from Seaman High School,
respectively. These teams’ submissions demonstrated a strong balance of
ingenuity and practical application. Each student in the top three
finalist teams will receive an iPad Mini.
Entries were reviewed and scored by an expert judging panel on the basis
of creativity, technical practicality and overall presentation. Judges
included Caroline Atwood, Pharm.D, Clinical Account Executive, OptumRx;
Steve Bartlett, M.S., science educator and National Science Foundation
(NSF) Einstein Fellow; and entrepreneur Colin Touhey, CEO, Pvilion.
“The judges were very impressed by the inventive solutions developed by
the student teams in response to real-world issues facing today’s
pharmacists,” said Bartlett. “We were especially impressed by the top
three teams, which identified thoughtful approaches to addressing
STEM-related challenges.”
Pharmacy is Right for Me – Introducing Today’s Students to Careers in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Statistics show that there is a great need for increasing STEM education
throughout the United States. It is projected that more than 1.2 million
STEM-related jobs will be unfilled in the U.S. by 2018. In the
first-ever “State of STEM” address delivered in February, John P.
Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, stressed
the critical importance of higher levels of STEM education for students.
Launched in October 2011, Pharmacy is Right for Me is a national
educational campaign designed to provide middle and high school
students, their families and educators with information and resources
about the exciting and diverse career opportunities available in
pharmacy and STEM fields.
Pharmacy is Right for Me is a collaborative effort by OptumRx, a
leading pharmacy benefits management organization and an Optum company;
APhA, the national society representing pharmacists in all settings; and
the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. The campaign and
website content are guided by an Advisory Board of pharmacy leaders and
experts from academia and the health care industry.
OptumRx provided the funding for the development and ongoing
implementation of the program as part of its STEM and social
responsibility commitment, which includes participation in Change the
Equation (CTEq), a nonprofit CEO-led initiative. OptumRx is one of
110 CTEq member companies committed to transforming STEM learning in the
United States.
For more information about Pharmacy is Right for Me or the
Innovation Challenge, contact info@pharmacyforme.org,
or visit the program website http://www.pharmacyforme.org,
or Twitter
and Facebook
pages for the most recent program news and updates.
About the American Pharmacists Association
The American
Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical
Association, is a 501 (c)(6) organization, representing more than 62,000
practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists,
pharmacy technicians and others interested in advancing the profession.
APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and
advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association
of pharmacists in the United States. For more information, please visit www.pharmacist.com.
About the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Founded
in 1900, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy is the
national organization representing the interests of pharmacy education.
AACP comprises 129 accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy,
including more than 6,500 faculties, approximately 60,000 students
enrolled in professional programs and 5,100 individuals pursuing
graduate study. To learn more about AACP, visit www.aacp.org
About OptumRx
OptumRx is part of Optum, a leading
information and technology-enabled health services company dedicated to
making the health system work better for everyone. OptumRx is an
innovative pharmacy benefit management organization managing the
prescription drug benefits of commercial, Medicare and other
governmental health plans, as well as those of employers and unions
through a national network of 64,000 community pharmacies and
state-of-the-art mail service pharmacies in California and Kansas, both
of which have earned the prestigious Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice
Sites™ (VIPPS®) accreditation by the National Association of Boards of
Pharmacy®. Visit www.optum.com
or more information.
About Optum
Optum is a leading information and
technology-enabled health services business dedicated to making the
health system work better for everyone. Optum is comprised of three
companies – OptumHealth, OptumInsight and OptumRx – representing more
than 30,000 employees worldwide who collaborate to deliver intelligent
solutions that modernize the health system, improve overall population
health and support Sustainable Health Communities. Optum serves the
broad health care marketplace, including care providers, plan sponsors,
government agencies, life sciences companies and consumers.
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