Pharmacists-to-be go to camp

The University of Findlay's Davis Street Building is full of aspiring pharmacists this week. Forty-two high school juniors and seniors were welcomed to campus on Wednesday for the university's 16th annual pharmacy camp. During the three-day, two-night camp, students will learn a wide variety of aspects relating to pharmacy, including participating in hands-on sessions in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacy calculations, pharmacokinetics, hospital pharmacy, therapeutics, compounding, research and gaming and pharmacy. Dr. Debra Parker, dean of the College of Pharmacy at UF, says the camp was created by faculty to provide students the opportunity for some career exploration during the summertime. "We try to do as many things that are hands-on as possible, because this is a camp experience and we want to make sure that they're not just sitting in class listening to people talk all the time," Parker said. "It's less pulling from what your first-year classes would be as a pharmacist and more trying to expose them to a wide variety of things a pharmacist would get involved with." Seniors have the chance to interview for the university's pharmacy program on the last day of camp. Addison Smith, a senior at Chillicothe High School, said she is "nervous" for the interview. "Going to be my first one," she said. Smith is the only student from her school at the camp. She found out about the camp from her school counselor recommending her to attend because of her interest in the medical field. "I come from a family who've all been in the medical field, but none of them (have) been in pharmacy, so that's something I've just been interested in," Smith said. Parker said students from all over the nation attend the camp, with some traveling from as far as Texas last year. "This year we have students from Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Indiana," Parker said. "When students are looking for a camp like this and they search online, we're at least one of those ones that pop up. It's an attractive option for them." About one-fourth of incoming pharmacy students at UF are former campers each year, Parker said. "They have such a good experience. They have fun, they meet other students. They feel like they're familiar with this university," she said. "I think it is a major influence when we've had up to a third or so of our incoming freshman class some years as former campers." Scholarships are offered to campers who choose to pursue their pharmacy education at UF. There also is a scholarship for current pharmacy students who work as camp counselors. "We have a good time, but we have some really strong outcomes so people can feel very good about sending their kids here," Parker said. A new set of students will attend the second week of pharmacy camp from June 26-28.