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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
NSU College of Pharmacy Students Provide Patient Care at Guatemalan Orphanage
For the second year in a row, NSU College of Pharmacy students partnered with Jose’s Hands, a non-profit charitable organization that provides medical mission outreach opportunities for medical professionals serving orphaned, abandoned, and malnourished children of Guatemala. The five-day interprofessional opportunity provided care to more than 1,100 people in the area of Sumpango Sacatepéquez, Guatemala and over $100,000 in medicine and vitamins were prescribed free of charge. Students were afforded the ability to use their pharmacological and patient counselling knowledge and expertise to help the community and work with healthcare professionals and volunteers.
Seven Pharm.D. students participated in this year’s program: Anh Tuyet Bui (’19), Arayoan Vergara Mojica (’18), Christian Nazario Padilla (’19), Dung “Ryan” Vuong (’19), Hetal Patel (’18), Shanique James (’18), and Brittany Bly (’19). Patel, said the experience “was splendidly amazing and life changing” and that it “has given me a strong direction for my progress”. The pharmacy team was able to counsel patients, recommend medications, and provide information and guidance to the medical and dental teams on drug therapies, in additionally they helped with projects around the compound.
Alex Miranda, founder and executive director at Jose’s Hands, noted how much smoother the entire mission was with the participation of the pharmacy students “it’s truly a match made in Heaven”.
College of Pharmacy faculty and staff also contributed to the outreach by donating soap, lotions, and children’s vitamins.
NSU COP continues to offer students additional outreach opportunities both locally and internationally. Our partnership with Jose’s Hands will continue this July in the Dominican Republic Medical Outreach opportunity which will allow students to provide medical care to an underserved community of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.