University of Washington

ONE DEGREE, MANY OPTIONS MEETING THE NEEDS OF FOR THE FUTURE OUR NATION'S SENIORS W P hile he was a PharmD student, Zsolt Hepp placed nationally in two academic competitions. In 2009, he was on a student team that took grand prize in the National Community Pharmacists Association Pruitt-Schutte Business Plan Competition. In 2010, Hepp and his team placed second in the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's Annual Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Competition. As he prepared for these contests, Hepp gained a greater understanding of the complexity of the pharmacy profession and the health care system. His P&T research in particular piqued his interest. P&T focuses on formulary management — the process of approving drugs for safety and cost effectiveness and making recommendations for use and preparation. Hepp saw how much this information shapes health policy, and he decided to become involved in influencing patient outcomes at this level. After graduating in June 2012, he took on two roles — as a pharmacist at Walgreens and an Allergan Fellow in our School's Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research & Policy Program (PORPP). At Walgreens, Hepp is managing patients' needs on an individual level. As a PORPP fellow, he is evaluating health-related outcomes for medications on a larger scale. At present, he is examining resource-use patterns in migraine patients using prophylactic medications. When he enrolled at the UW, Hepp didn't know he'd become interested in so many different aspects of patient care. But that's what the School of Pharmacy is about — creating diverse opportunities and letting students like Hepp find their passion and thrive. For Zsolt Hepp, his PharmD degree helped him discover a newfound interest in evaluating health-related outcomes for medications. harmD candidate Laura Hart, '14, spent three years volunteering at a long-term care center pharmacy prior to pharmacy school. While there, she saw firsthand the important role pharmacists play in improving the health of older adults. As someone close to her own grandparents, she loved working with this population of people. Today, the third-generation UW pharmacy student contributes widely to the School's efforts to advocate for older populations. She is president of the UW student chapter of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) — a geriatric pharmacy organization. Her work with ASCP has included organizing and participating in medication reviews, fall-prevention programs and osteoporosis-prevention workshops. Hart is pursuing the Plein Certificate in Geriatric Pharmacy, and she is a Plein Fellow in Geriatrics. As a fellow, she recently started a research project with UW Pharmacy Cares, the School's consulting pharmacy program. She and faculty members Karan Dawson and Susan Lakey are working with two Era Living Retirement Community sites to look at medication-related problems and to assess resident, family and staff perceptions of consulting pharmacy services. Hart is one of many UW PharmD students who are highly involved in outreach, research and leadership activities. What's more, her fellow students are engaged in projects supporting many populations and public health issues. In the pharmacy field, after all, there are countless ways to make a difference. For Hart, this means a future career serving the complex health needs of a generation close to her heart. Laura Hart, seen here at an osteoporosis-screening event, looks forward to a career helping improve the health of older generations. [ 2013 Excellence Report 5 ]

• Cover