Purpose: This article describes the development, implementation, and impact of a student-created pharmacy internship program with aspects of service-learning, professional development, and ambulatory care pharmacy practice. Program Description: As the pharmacy profession continues to evolve, pharmacy internships present valuable opportunities for student pharmacists to explore career pathways and develop personal and professional skills. While internships in clinical and industry settings support interns’ professional development, service-based internships provide additional benefits to student pharmacists by promoting cultural awareness, community engagement, and commitment to serving underserved patients. Student leaders from the Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy created a service-learning, ambulatory care-focused pharmacy internship for fellow student pharmacists. Two rising third-year students were selected to participate in the internship in the summer of 2018. Over the two-month program, the interns participated in various program components including direct patient care activities, faculty-led workshops and topic discussions, and quality improvement projects. In addition to supporting the interns’ academic and professional growth, this program also furthered the mission of SHAC to promote positive health outcomes for underserved populations. Summary: The SHAC Ambulatory Care in Underserved Populations Internship represents an innovative initiative by pharmacy student leaders to develop a service-focused internship for fellow student pharmacists. Participation in the internship provides unique opportunities not often available in conventional pharmacy curricula, including engagement with underserved patient populations and exploration of strategies to mitigate health disparities. Crafted by students for fellow students, this internship provides opportunities for personal and professional growth for both student developers and interns to carry into their future pharmacy careers.   Article Type: Student Project

Background: Research is warranted to define the role of affordable pharmacy programs in optimizing healthcare utilization for uninsured patients. Methods: This was a pre-post study including uninsured patients from an internal medicine residency clinic who enrolled in free or low-cost pharmacy programs with clinical pharmacist support. Results: In the period following program enrollment (N=116), there was a mean decrease of 0.23 acute care encounters (hospitalizations and emergency department [ED] visits) per patient (p=0.0210, 95% CI 0.04-0.43). The mean decrease for hospitalizations was also statistically significant (0.17, p=0.0052, 95% CI 0.05-0.28), but the mean decrease for ED visits was not (0.06, p=0.3771, 95% CI -0.08-0.21). Using the national average hospitalization cost of $10,700, the decrease in hospitalizations represents an estimated savings of $246,100. Conclusions: Enrollment in affordable pharmacy programs was found to be associated with decreased acute care encounters.

Background: Preventative health services are often underutilized by under-resourced populations. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of a student-run preventative health consultation (PHC) service at free walk-in clinics. Methods: This prospective cohort study recruited adult participants from student-run free walk-in clinics at a Spanish-language church and a homeless shelter. During the PHCs, recommendations from the United States Preventative Services Task Force and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention immunization schedule were discussed with participants. The top three recommendations for each participant were prioritized using shared decision-making. Participants completed a post-PHC survey and were contacted within three months about recommendation completion status. Recommendations were grouped into categories and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 29 people enrolled in the study, 48% (n=14) were Spanish-speaking, and 45% (n=13) were homeless/displaced. There were 87 recommendations made and categorized as health behaviors (29.9%, n=26), vaccinations (18.4%, n=16), chronic disease screenings (18.4%, n=16), communicable disease screenings (17.2%, n=15), cancer screenings (11.5%, n=10), and other (4.6%, n=4). The most common completed recommendations were changes in health behaviors (46.2%, n=12) and chronic disease screenings (37.5%, n=6). Of the participants who completed the post-PHC survey, 96% (n=27) agreed or strongly agreed they learned new information about their health from the PHC, and 100% (n=29) reported being glad to have engaged in the PHC and that the PHC service should continue at the monthly clinics. Conclusions: Health behaviors, vaccinations, and chronic disease screenings were the most frequently prioritized preventative health needs. Student-run PHC services may offer a way to increase underserved patient knowledge and engagement with preventative healthcare.