热点大瓜

During spring break, our PharmD students and faculty participated in a short-term global health experience as part of our Global Health Initiatives program, which prepares students to address global health challenges in international communities.

Our 2025 short-term global health experiences were partially funded by a successful crowdfunding campaign, which raised nearly $2,500 from friends, family, and alumni to help cover student travel expenses and purchase medical supplies. This generous support enabled our PharmD students to embark on life-changing international experiences, broadening their global perspectives and reinforcing their confidence in pursuing careers in pharmacy.

From March 15-23, Tyler Leote, PharmD '27, Dimah Alani, PharmD '27, Sumin Kim, PharmD '27, Nathan Briselden, PharmD '26 and Gina Prescott, PharmD, director of SPPS Global and Community Outreach, traveled to Jamaica to provide patient care and pharmacy services to underserved communities.

The team partnered with the School of Pharmacy at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, to gain a deeper understanding of the Jamaican health care system through pharmacy practice in community, inpatient, outpatient and compounding settings. They also participated in a health fair at a local elementary school, providing pharmacy services to nearly 50 community members of all ages, including medication dispensing and counseling, blood glucose testing and blood pressure checks—all provided at no cost to the community.

In addition to providing essential pharmacy services, SPPS engaged in cultural immersion activities including sampling local cuisine such as jerk chicken, Jamaican patties, and curry goat, and visiting Devon House, the home of Jamaica's first black millionaire, George Stiebel. 

Reflecting on the experience, Leote shared, "My trip to Jamaica gave me a broader view of health care from a global perspective. I was given the chance to see how health care systems operate in other parts of the world, and how much we have to learn from each other. I was deeply impacted by the sense of community and the dedication to care for patients, despite resource and technological limitations."