October is recognized as National Pharmacist Month by the American Pharmacist Association (APhA), which focuses on educating patients, motivating staff, and engaging and inspiring the community to Know Your PHARMACIST, Know Your MEDICINE.  The South Carolina Pharmacy Association brought SCPHA board members, as well as students from each school in South Carolina together in Columbia, SC recently for a proclamation signing by the State’s governor. PCSP students Paula Bamis, Tuyen Bui, and Emily Yoho attended the proclamation for National Pharmacist Month signing by South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley.

“As a future pharmacist, I feel it is imperative to represent pharmacists and their vast fields in a positive demeanor and illustrate the important role they fulfill in healthcare”, said second-year student, Paula Bamis. Bamis went further, stating “in order to advocate for the recognition of pharmacists as healthcare professionals, it is important that we be present at events such as the signing of the American Pharmacists Month Proclamation by Govern Nikki Haley.  I attended the event due to my beliefs that through networking and active involvement with our local and state government, we can make a difference in how the profession of pharmacy is perceived.”

National Pharmacist Month (NPhM) is a time to recognize pharmacists for the vital contributions they make to health care in the United States through improved medication use and advanced patient care. It serves to promote pharmacists as the medication experts and an integral part of the health care team. NPhM aims to educate the public, policymakers, and other health care professionals about the role pharmacists play in the reduction of overall health care costs and the safe and effective management of medications

“I chose to become a pharmacist so I could be directly involved with caring for patients and work on healthcare teams to decide the best treatment for patients”, said third-year student Emily Yoho.