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College of Pharmacy Reaps Benefits of Summer Camps |
| By
Kimyette Finley |
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Jul 23, 2003 |
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| Gregory Walker, a high school student from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, left, and Dr. Fred Williams, UT assistant professor of pharmacology, worked on a DNA exercise during the College of Pharmacy Camp. |
For the past three years, dozens of high school students have spent a week at UT’s College of Pharmacy Camp. As a result, quite a few have chosen to pursue careers as pharmacists or pharmaceutical scientists by studying at the University.
In 2001, the College of Pharmacy and Enrollment Services initiated the UT/Walgreens Pharmacy Camp with 32 participants. “Nearly half of those kids are in this college; nearly 80 percent of them got scholarships,” said Dr. Johnnie Early, dean of the College of Pharmacy. According to figures from the college, 26 participants from the 2001 camp applied to UT’s College of Pharmacy. Of those, 16 enrolled, with 13 receiving scholarships. Ethnic diversity also was realized, as three of the enrolled students were African American or Latino.
This year, three one-week camps are being sponsored with financial support from Walgreens, Discount Drug Mart and CVS; the last one runs through July 24. Each camp includes about 30 high school seniors who were chosen based on academic merit, leadership skills and school involvement. Participants are from Ohio, Michigan, Texas and Florida. Students conduct hands-on experiments, including making peanut butter lozenges for pets, and they shadow pharmacy professionals, work with UT faculty and pharmacy students, help with lab projects, and tour Pfizer Global Research and Development in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gregory Walker of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, read about the camp in his school’s newsletter. “I’m fascinated with science. This camp has shown me that I want to pursue pharmacy. I like the field and what it has to offer.”
Brittney Kirk and her honors chemistry class in Westlake, Ohio, received a visit from a UT staff member who informed them about the pharmacy camp. “I figured why not check it out,” said Kirk, who is interested in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sales. “The facilities are nice, and the professors are clear about the materials and instruction,” she said.
Early said pharmacy is a solid field, and there is a nationwide shortage of pharmacists. With the pharmacy camps, “We’re getting students into our environment for a short time, and it’s very good exposure. We want to get the best and the brightest to come our way. We’re trying to influence them either for pharmacy or against it,” he said.
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