Pharmacy student organization at Rutgers works to address health needs in local communities

Rutgers pharmacy students have been working with minority populations to promote the importance of health and provide education in areas such as healthy habits and disease state management through the Rutgers chapter of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (RU SNPhA).

Nandini Patel, a fifth-year student in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and president of RU SNPhA, said the organization aims to “serve the underserved.”

“Our chapter also organizes various fundraising events to donate to local charities and those in need,” she said. “Overall, we are a group of passionate pharmacy students dedicated to uplifting both our local, national and global communities.”

Khushbu Patel, a fourth-year student in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, RU SNPhA national liaison and head of the Power to End Stroke committee, said that their chapter encourages professional development by providing pharmacy students with opportunities to grow their leadership skills through holding events that will educate the community. 

Both students said that, in addition to working with minority populations, the organization advocates for the profession of pharmacy as well as increases minority representation in health care through outreach events and health fairs.

Victoria Woo, a fourth-year student at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, RU SNPhA webmaster and head chair of the Legislation and Professionalism committee, said the education aspect of the chapter focuses on teaching students and the nearby community about national health care issues, better health practices and prominent diseases.

“Through our different committees, we plan, organize, coordinate and execute programs geared toward the improvement for the health, educational and social environment for the community while always focusing on service,” she said.

The organization is made up of 11 committees, each of which focuses on a unique objective, Nandini Patel said. The organization’s disease-focused committees are Operation Immunization, Power to End Stroke, Mental Health, Operation Diabetes, Project Keepsake and Remember the Ribbon, which focus on educating the community on specific diseases and spreading awareness regarding prevention and screenings. 

Other committees include Patient Outreach, Cultural and Interprofessional Outreach, High School Outreach, Legislative and Professionalism and the National Hispanic Association, which all focus on their own individual efforts ranging from organizing free health fairs to educating the community about different cultures and diversity in health care, Khushbu Patel said.

Lydia Rebello, a third-year student at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, RU SNPhA historian and head chair of the Mental Health Committee, discussed the organization’s involvement in The Frontline Project, which was created in fall 2020 as a way for pharmacy students to show their appreciation for frontline workers during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

In December, RU SNPhA raised more than $200 for catering a meal for emergency department workers at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, she said. 

“We were very humbled to receive praise from the hospital’s catering coordinator,” Rebello said. “Because of this, in Spring 2021, we decided to revisit our Frontline Project: For part (two), we successfully raised $200 to sponsor a pizza party at Elijah’s Promise in New Brunswick, in the hopes of alleviating some of the stress that its hard-working chefs endure.”

In addition to The Frontline Project, over the summer of 2020, RU SNPhA organized the Care Package Initiative in which the organization donated more than 100 care packages containing essentials to nearby homeless shelters in order to reduce some of the hardships brought on by the pandemic, Nandini Patel said. 

During the fall semester, RU SNPhA held their annual Celebration of Lights event to celebrate diversity in which they hosted various Rutgers performing groups and organizations and raised more than $1,000 to donate to Princeton/Rutgers Mutual Aid, she said. Recently, she and the Patient Outreach committee participated in a virtual telebrigade through which they helped deliver health care to those in an impoverished community overseas.

Throughout the semester, the organization has worked to engage students and community members through education on various disease states, disease prevention and lifestyle management, COVID-19 and vaccines, Nandini Patel said.

The group has also used social media to provide self-care tips, promote cultural awareness and raise money for various local, national and global causes, and they plan to continue these initiatives and address the changing needs of the community. 

“Each event, initiative, meeting and project begins with members setting the intention of truly wanting to help out the community,” she said.

Khushbu Mistry, a fourth-year student at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, RU SNPhA president-elect and head chair of the Patient Outreach committee, said that in the future, the group hopes to pool their combined experiences from virtual and in-person programs to build even stronger connections with patients.

“Without doubt, the pandemic has disproportionately affected minority groups and we hope to continue working alongside patients to bridge gaps in their access to health care,” she said. “Specifically, our goal is to combine our knowledge of pharmacy with our passion to help others in order to address social health barriers and develop sustainable health solutions.”