Pharmacy Service Experiences
Here, there, and everywhere—that's where you'll find students from the Wegmans School of Pharmacy as they engage with communities across the region and around the globe.
Students on a Mission
Imagine yourself in the heart of a distant land, part of a team bringing health-saving medication and counseling to thousands of patients. Envision becoming immersed in a culture other than your own while putting your training to the test.
Medical mission service trips have become a hallmark experience for Fisher pharmacy students. The annual mission trip to El Salvador offers the chance to work in health clinics set up in urban, rural, and coastal communities throughout the country.
A bit closer to home is the School's trip to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northern Montana. Students receive an education in Native American medical and social traditions while participating in clinics, festivals, and other activities on the reservation.
Some trips include a clinical rotation, which affords students the opportunity to experience pharmacy in underserved areas abroad. Throughout the academic year, students participate in mission rotations in India, Honduras, and El Salvador.
The Wegmans School of Pharmacy also offers summer service trips. Destinations include Nicaragua and Kenya, in addition to El Salvador and Montana.
Day of Service
Each April, students, faculty, and staff from the School of Pharmacy trade in their white coats for work clothes, laptops for tools, and studies for chores during the School’s annual Day of Service.
Participants join forces with a number of area organizations to assist with cleaning, painting, and landscaping, as well as tasks ranging from serving meals and stocking food pantry shelves to hosting a spirited game of bingo at a senior center.
Past service locations include:
- American Cancer Society - Hope Lodge
- EquiCenter
- FoodLink
- Freshwise Farms
- Heritage Christian Stables
- Hillside Children's Center
- Nazareth Academy
- Ronald McDonald House
- Seneca Park Zoo
On Campus and in the Classroom
A commitment to service is evident within the School of Pharmacy from day one. First-year pharmacy students make time for service projects as part and parcel of their orientation experience. Several local organizations have been the beneficiaries of this mini-Day of Service, including medical hospitality houses, senior living and nursing homes, and a pediatric day-respite center.
In the classroom, approximately 30 percent of the School’s curriculum is devoted to experiential learning, mainly in the form of clinical rotations. Additionally, students have the opportunity to add community-engaged learning classes to their course load as electives. Introduction to Cancer: Biology and Treatment requires students to work on a project with a community agency addressing the care of cancer patients and their loved ones. The service component of Introduction to Medical Missions has students participating in short-term medical mission trips internationally and throughout the greater Rochester region.
School of Pharmacy student organizations also spend part of each semester participating in local outreach efforts, including blood pressure screenings and health and wellness clinics.