Pharmacy SUMMER/FALL 2016 PERSPECTIVES THE CLASS OF 2016 DREAMERS Join Us at Midyear AND DOERS The American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear In addition to creating their own destiny, Clinical Meeting and Exhibition will our grads have unique and interesting be held Dec. 5 - 7 at Mandalay Bay experiences that help make our school great. Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. From naturalized citizens and first-generation college graduates to identical twins – their If you'll be there, join our school stories are inspiring. Read more about our at our annual reception on Monday, graduates beginning on page 7. Dec. 5 from 5.30 p.m. - 7.30 p.m, Mariner Room AB, Mandalay Bay Resort. Moving on UP U.S. News & World Report recently ranked CU’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy #22 out of all US pharmacy schools – moving us up two spots from the previous ranking. In This Issue 2-3 Student Life 4 Pursuit of a better anti-cancer agent 6 Potential game changer in epilepsy 7-16 Special Graduation Section 17 Pharm Bill: SB 16-135 20 Post graduation and residency – one alum’s story 22-23 An historic partnership: CU & Skaggs Havan Truong and Jennifer Kwon share a laugh and a smile immediately following the 2016 commencement ceremony. SUMMER/FALL SCHOOL NEWS STUDENT LIFE rom volunteering during the Art of and Wesley Porter, who was featured on Aging Expo in early August to run- @RagnarRelay, the Ragnar Relay Series Twitter page. ning the Colorado Ragnar Relay and cycling in the Tour de Cure at the end AN OVERNIGHT, SCENIC RACE of September, our students stay active eaching 10,000 ft. at its highest point, the and involved all year round. F Colorado Ragnar Relay takes runners through On a Saturday in early August, eight third-year R four Colorado ski towns via bike paths, single-track pharmacy students and one second-year student trails and backwoods roads. Teams compete staffed a booth during the inaugural Art of Aging overnight with only one runner on the road at a Expo, and applied their recently acquired knowl- time. Each team member runs three times during edge in the classroom on unsuspecting attendees. the race, running roughly 3-13 miles per time. Under the watchful gaze of Professor Peter Rice, “Over the two days, the teams split into two PharmD, and Clinical Instructor Randy Knutsen, BS, vans and would ‘leapfrog’ from one runner the students conducted bone density screening exchange to the next, making it an exciting road and blood pressure checks, while distributing s we welcome a new class of trip of sorts,” said Yang. medication tracking cards to event participants. first-year students into our program In September, CU Pharmacy students Casey Expo attendees were more than willing to assist and usher the class of 2016 into the Barrett, Phuong Nguyen and Kelvin Pham from APhA- A students in getting hands-on experience. workforce, it’s time to reflect on our achieve- ASP teamed up with students in SNPhA to participate “The Art of Aging Expo was a wonderful ments and the many activities and people in this year’s Tour de Cure, an annual cycling race dedi- opportunity for students to practice their skills who comprise this great school. cated to creating support for the American Diabetes and interact with the community. Several students In this edition of Pharmacy Perspectives, Association and finding a cure for diabetes. were excited by the interesting people they met,” learn about recent graduates – what they’ve “Diabetes is a quickly growing concern, said P-3 Crystal Garcia, Colorado Student Society already accomplished and where they are especially in the United States. More and more of Health System Pharmacists (CSSHP) community going – and how these dreamers and doers people are being diagnosed every day,” said outreach coordinator co-chair. Students obtained are going to set the world of pharmacy on Barrett APhA-ASP operation diabetes co-chair. “As credit prior to the beginning of the school year, fire; celebrate our school’s achievements healthcare professionals, it is inevitable that we will which officially began Aug. 22 for the majority of including, moving up in the U.S. News & World encounter patients with diabetes.” students, and the week of Aug. 15 for the P-1s. Report rankings (from #24 to #22); discover The Tour de Cure takes riders through Salisbury the groundbreaking research our faculty are Park in Parker, Colo., and allows participants to conducting that is having a direct impact choose their run/walk or biking distance. on patient care for HIV patients; uncover the “The Tour de Cure is a great way to not only raise palliative care master’s program and why a funds for the American Diabetes Association, but to pharmacist from North Carolina is the only participate and promote physical activity, a crucial pharmacist in the inaugural class; and find out component of diabetes management,” said Barrett. how you can keep connected virtually with These are just a few examples of the many the school, alumni and students. activities that our students are involved in over the Don’t forget to check out our blog site course of a few months. “There’s really no shortage that is full of commentaries by students, of volunteer opportunities for students. It just faculty and alumni at www.cupharmacyper- depends on what interests you,” said Yang. spectives.org and remember you can always take Pharmacy Perspectives with you and read it on the go via our mobile app. Search For Garcia, organizing volunteers was a bit of a Reaching 10,000 ft. at its highest the term Pharmacy Perspectives on iTunes, challenge since her fellow classmates were still on or CU Skaggs on Google Play or Amazon. summer break. But, she was up to the task, and had point, the Colorado Ragnar Relay a great turnout from students and preceptors. takes runners through four Colorado Sincerely, A few days after the Expo, P-3 Eric Yang and nine other CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy students ski towns via bike paths, single-track completed the Colorado Ragnar Relay, a two- trails and backwoods roads. Teams day, two-man, 200-mile relay race from Copper Ralph J. Altiere, PhD Mountain to Aspen. compete overnight with only one Dean, University of Colorado Participating students included Tong Huang, runner on the road at a time. Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Tiffany Chan, Michael Benedict, Joyce Choe, Hoa Pharmaceutical Sciences Nguyen, Joseph Oropeza, Dy Quach, Lee Amaya SUMMER/FALL and skills obtained through continuing education. • Promote the dynamic role of pharmacy by leading interprofes- sional collaboration to advance patient care. • Serve our community selflessly with compassion and dedication. OATH OF PROFESSIONAL • Embody the utmost level of PHARMACY STUDENT Excitement in the integrity and demonstrate the We, the PharmD Students of the highest ethical standards. Class of 2020, pledge to: Air for Class of 2020 • Lead our profession with empathy, • Establish a foundation of respect dignity and patience while devot- rientation week for the Class of 2020 culminated in the great marshmallow and trust with peers and patients ing time to personal growth and challenge, the White Coat ceremony and annual barbecue. With 162 P-1 by demonstrating professionalism lifelong learning. students, this year’s class was the largest in the school’s history. In addition in our community. to being presented to their family and friends as pharmacy candidates, As a member of the class of 2020, I the students were led by fellow P-1 Ryan Sutherlan in reciting the Oath of • Demonstrate confidence and ex- pledge to uphold the ideals and abide OProfessional Pharmacy Student, which they created during orientation week. pertise by utilizing the knowledge by the principles of this document. of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical “Amongst the handful of students seeking a career in pediatric Sciences alumna who was completing schools I was applying to, CU was pharmacy, and her role as an intern a PGY1 residency at Poudre Valley on a campus with two teaching at the No. 5 nationally ranked Hospital (PVH). hospitals – Children’s and UCH,” Children’s Hospital Colorado, Visage “Monica came and talked about said Visage. “When I spoke with has learned a lot. Most recently, she her residency at PVH and the Monica about pharmacy school, has completed a clinical rotation at different types of rotations you can one thing that stuck out in my Children’s Hospital in oncology and have in hospital pharmacy,” said head was that she said when she bone marrow transplant. Visage. “That’s where I heard about gets students on rotations, CU “I can see from start to finish how her pediatric rotation and that you students stand out and excel above the pharmacist plays a huge role in could specialize in pediatrics. I had the rest. She said everybody can get managing the medication regimen always wanted a career that could a pharmacy education – you can from chemotherapy to a lot of the help benefit children, but I also go to pharmacy school and get the supportive care medications,” said wanted to work in healthcare and same education, but the way that Visage. “These kids often have up pursue the pharmacy route. That’s CU prepares students profession- to 50 medications on their profile, when I realized pediatric pharmacy ally sets this school apart.” so seeing the complexity of care and was exactly what I wanted to do.” Recently, Visage was awarded the seeing the pharmacist’s role in that is A PASSION FOR After three years of under- Pediatric Pharmacy Association’s pretty amazing.” graduate work in chemistry at John Dice Memorial Student It’s a role, she says, that takes a PEDIATRIC CSU, Visage was accepted into Scholarship, given to students who special kind of person.