Pharmacy Perspectives - Winter/Spring 2017 - 4

Perspectives:

What Does Pharmacy Look
Like from a High School
Student's Perspective?
BY JOSHUA LUCERO

s a senior from Rangeview High School I never thought I would
be fortunate enough to have the opportunity to intern at the
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy. I worked
with Kim Wisneski from the Pickens Technical College's
Executive Internship Program to intern at the school. However,
if it wasn't for Dana Brandorff and the faculty I shadowed,
there would be no way that I would have been able to participate in such a great internship.

Rangeview High School senior Joshua Lucero interning at CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy.

High School Students
Interested in Health Care
Professions Become
Acquainted with Pharmacy

pproximately 750 high school
and post-secondary students
from around the state of Colorado
recently participated in a state
conference organized by the Health
Occupations Students of America
(HOSA). Among the 15 exhibitors representing
health science related organizations was the
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy
and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Nearly 140 students

CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Originally, I was supposed to work at a Walgreens
pharmacy, but due to complications regarding their
paperwork it didn't happen. As a result, I consider
myself to be very fortunate to intern at the school
of pharmacy, and I am learning possibly more than
I ever would have at a Walgreens pharmacy.
My basic knowledge of pharmacy before
this internship was miniscule. In all sincerity, I
thought that all a pharmacist did for a living was
count pills for a patient. However, I knew there
must be more to this profession than what I did
know at the time. My experiences have included
shadowing faculty at various clinics and settings,
learning how to sterile compound, and working in
the research labs. My first experience shadowing
was with Sunny Linnebur, PharmD, at the Seniors
Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital. In
the time I spent there I learned that a pharmacist
has a far more important role in a patient's health
than I previously thought. As a clinical pharmacist,
you must make sure the patient is getting the right
amount of medicine they need, at the right dosage,
at the right time with consideration to all the other
medications they may be receiving. In light of this
lesson, I am thoroughly interested in a pharmacist's
capability in the health professions.
After the Seniors Clinic experience, I shadowed
James Griffon in Dmitri Simberg's, PhD, lab where
I saw what it was like to be a researcher in the pharmaceutical field as well. Initially, I came into the
lab expecting...well lab work. However, what I was
ignorant to was what they are studying in the lab.
At the beginning of my experience I watched James
switch cancer cells that were growing in a container
into new ones with new media to keep them alive
and multiplying. They then use the cancer cells in
mice to see the effects of various treatments that
they can come up with. Next, I saw him dissect
mice so that they can use their organs to determine
where the leukemia they injected into the mice
went and how a certain type of treatment can be

dropped by the CU Pharmacy booth where they
tested their math and compounding skills.
CU Pharmacy featured prominently in various
activities, including symposiums, practice skills
competitions, and a health poster contest. Two
students received awards for the practice skills
competitions in non-sterile compounding and prescription accuracy. Jillian Laplante from Mountain
Vista High School won the gold medal for her
accomplishments. Francisco Estrada from Morgan

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmacy Perspectives - Winter/Spring 2017