National Youth Leadership Forum Visits School of Pharmacy

High school students learn about pharmacy school and the profession and get lab experience

By Becky Ceraul
June 30, 2010

For many high school students, summer vacation is about sleeping late, hanging out with friends, and taking a break from the rigorous schedule of the school year. But a group of 30 high school students opted to spend a portion of their break learning about the pharmacy profession during an afternoon visit to the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy on June 24.

As participants in the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) on Medicine, 30 of the “best and the brightest” high school students from across the United States came to the School of Pharmacy as part of a 10-day program based in Washington, DC. During the three hour visit, they heard from Jill Morgan, PharmD, associate dean of student affairs and an associate professor of pharmacy practice and science, who gave a primer on the pharmacy profession. JuliAna Brammer, MBA, the School’s coordinator of recruitment and special events, provided an overview on the School, its curriculum, and admission requirements. Patrick Dougherty, PharmD, a clinical toxicology fellow at the Maryland Poison Center, discussed the Center’s work and the interesting calls they receive. Wanda Williams, MS, an instructor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, led the students in a compounding exercise in the lab.

“Today’s program was designed to create awareness of pharmacy as a career so students interested in science, math, and patient care will consider this rewarding profession,” said Brammer. “We frequently have prospective students visit us at the School to learn more, and we actively recruit in high schools and colleges to promote our School and the pharmacy profession.”

NYLF was founded in 1992, and helps prepare extraordinary young people for their academic future and professional careers. Its mission is to bring various professions to life, empowering outstanding young people with confidence to make well-informed career choices. NYLF programs are held in eight cities throughout the United States. The 10-day forums are offered in a variety of topics and career fields including health careers such as pharmacy.

High-achieving high school students are nominated to attend NYLF programs by educators, organization advisors, alumni, participating institutions, or through classroom surveys. Students may also be admitted through an application process provided they meet the academic requirements. NYLF scholars all demonstrate strong academic abilities, leadership, and an interest in the career field being studied.

“I hope the students gained insight into what pharmacists do on a daily basis, how we connect with patients, and the direct role we have in patient care,” said Morgan. “And it is always beneficial to work with high school students early on so that we can advise them on the preparation they will need in order to apply to our program.”

Ian Hogg, a rising junior from Lynchburg, Va, particularly enjoyed the compounding experiment, during which the students made a moisturizing cream. “I’d really like to go to pharmacy school when I get older,” he said. “I like the idea of helping people.”