ETSU student group earns national award for impacting policy, legislation

JOHNSON CITY A student organization within the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University has won a national award for its efforts in impacting policy and legislation.  

During a conference last month, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists chapter from ETSU accepted the National Policy and Legislative Award, which is given to only one chapter in the country for its active participation as agents of change within the legislature.

Students took a large role in promoting the ultimately successful collaborative practice legislation in Tennessee that was signed by Gov. Bill Haslam in 2014, said Loren Kirk, a third-year student pharmacist at ETSU. 

The Collaborative Pharmacy Practice legislation establishes the role of pharmacists as providers of care and encourages ongoing collaboration between pharmacists and other essential healthcare providers as part of team-based healthcare.  

This collaboration will allow for increased access to quality patient care services, Kirk explained. Examples of these services included medication management, counseling and monitoring of treatment.

  In addition, we continue to have student pharmacists regularly make visits to their representatives and senators in Congress, Kirk added.