JOHNSON CITY — East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy students recently made an impact serving at four different independent community pharmacies across the region conducting blood pressure readings, immunizations and patient education.

Participating as part of the ACT (Academia-CPESN Transformation) Pharmacy Collaborative National Day of Service, 15 ETSU pharmacy students provided outreach at Atchley Drug Center, Colonial Heights Pharmacy & Gifts, Olde Towne Pharmacy and West Towne Pharmacy.

The ACT Pharmacy Collaborative is an operational learning and collaborative partnership between schools of pharmacy and established clinically integrated networks of community-based pharmacies that seek to transform community pharmacy practice together from a product-based care model to a community-based pharmacy care delivery model. Across the country, 34 pharmacy schools and 223 students participated in the service day at 78 community pharmacy locations.

“It was enlightening to see all the various ways that community pharmacists can support their communities through the enhanced services that they offer,” said pharmacy student Jonathan Thomas Brewster (’22), from Piney Flats, Tennessee.

“This event promoted what pharmacists are capable of while providing student pharmacists with some hands-on exposure to well-developed independent community pharmacies,” said student Nick Jarvis (’22), of Benham, Kentucky. “More importantly, we were able to provide patients with some important health care services in the midst of all of it. This was a humbling experience to step back from studying and make an impact on the field of pharmacy as well as the quality of life for our patients here in East Tennessee.”

Learn more about Gatton College of Pharmacy at www.etsu.edu/pharmacy.