On Wednesday, April 9, students from St. Louis College of Pharmacy will offer free health screenings to all visitors to the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Garden is one of more than a dozen locations across St. Louis where students will offer their services to the community.
"The College is not holding classes on Wednesday, so more than 800 students will be able to go out in the community and demonstrate the impact pharmacists have on the health of St. Louis," says Kilinyaa Cothran, RPh., director of professional student affairs at St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
Students will be performing diabetes, blood pressure and bone density screenings. They will also discuss the safe use of medications, asthma, and how patients can utilize pharmacists to help achieve their health care goals. Admission to the Garden is free for St. Louis city and county residents on Wednesday until noon.
In addition to the Garden, students will be at the Saint Louis Science Center and more than a dozen community pharmacies across the region. St. Louis College of Pharmacy was named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its devotion to community service including health screenings events. This year is the College's sesquicentennial, marking 150 years since it was founded in 1864.
"As part of the yearlong celebration of the College's birthday, we wanted this to be the biggest day of service in the College's history," Cothran says.
Also on Wednesday, several hundred students will travel to Jefferson City to meet with lawmakers about issues affecting pharmacy and health care. Follow the online discussion throughout the day on Twitter using the hashtag #LegDay2014.