U-M Pharmacy Students Recognized for Leadership; Research
Stella Tang, P4, and Nada Rida, P3, took home top honors at the Southeastern Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SMSHP) Annual Awards Banquet on November 8. Stella won the SMSHP Exemplary Student Award, and Nada earned the SMSHP Student Research Award. Both students are honored to have been recognized for their accomplishments, and grateful for the support from the SMSHP.
The Exemplary Student Award recognizes Stella’s contributions to health-system pharmacy practice, including her efforts as a pharmacy intern at Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak and as a leader in several student organizations. “Stella truly stands out as an exemplary student, and I feel privileged I have had the opportunity to serve as a mentor and collaborator,” says Jolene Bostwick, PharmD, Associate Chair and Clinical Associate Professor of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the U-M College of Pharmacy. Dr. Bostwick nominated Stella for the award. “Her level of involvement, motivation, and initiative truly set her apart from other pharmacy students. I have no doubt she will be a future pharmacy leader.”
The Student Research Award encourages creative research in health-system pharmacy practice, and acknowledges Nada for her research related to a ketogenic diet pharmacy consult as a Senior Intern at Mott Children's Hospital Inpatient Pharmacy. Nada’s project involved reviewing the hospital’s Ketogenic Diet (KD) program, related safety event trends, and proposing interventions to improve Ketogenic Diet patient safety. She collaborated with pharmacy leaders and stakeholders to assess pharmacy KD processes and potential interventions that could reduce medication selection errors that contribute unnecessary or inconsistent carbohydrates to patients on the diet. Nada coordinated pharmacy staff educational in-services and is working with area leaders to begin to develop a pharmacy KD consultation program that will be proposed in the coming months.
SMSHP is the regional association representing pharmacists and related personnel associated with organized health-care settings. Their mission is to represent its members, provide leadership, provide membership services, foster safe and rational drug use in society, and serve as a catalyst for practice innovation enabling members to better serve the public interest and the profession.