Reaching Out in RGV

NACDS Foundation Grant Aids Rio Grande Valley Pharm.D. Satellite Program's Education, Wellness Projects

May 31 — Thanks to a $15,000 Diversity Scholarship Award grant from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation, the University of Houston College of Pharmacy (UHCOP) is enhancing its pharmacy student recruitment and community education outreach efforts among the underrepresented and underserved populations of the Rio Grande Valley.

Headed by the college’s Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Pharm.D. Satellite Program established in 2017, the college’s outreach efforts include hosting pharmacy camps to expose high school and college-level students to the rewarding career opportunities within professional pharmacy and mentor participants through their academic experience as well as providing wellness screenings and health education to RGV residents from pharmacy practitioners and students.

Disparities in the Valley

The Lower Rio Grande Valley is home to majority Hispanic/Latino border communities across four counties, all of which are classified by the federal government as "medically underserved" due to the lack of health care professionals. This unique population of more than 1 million residents is facing one of the hardest health care crises in the country.

According to Medicare data, the region is burdened with chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s, and hypertension. In one county alone, nearly 1 in 4 older adults had Alzheimer’s or a related dementia in 2021, compared to 1 in 14 nationwide. Roughly one quarter of the population is estimated to have hypertension, with one-half of those going untreated.

"It is rewarding to see that with our efforts we are turning students on to the various opportunities in the pharmacy profession," said Ron Ozuna, Pharm.D., BCPS, assistant dean and assistant clinical professor at UHCOP-RGV and clinical pharmacy manager at satellite program partner DHR Health.

Layered Learning

Karina J. Garza, Pharm.D., R.Ph., UHCOP-RGV clinical assistant professor and DHR Health clinical pharmacist, leads the medication safety discussions and other activities during the pharmacy camps and precepts students during the health fair.

"Our main goals of the mentorship program are to educate, prepare and inform students about pharmacy and the health care needs of our predominant Hispanic population," Garza said.

Organizers said the mentorship program activities increase the opportunity for participants to be exposed to the RGV Hispanic population and increase health disparity awareness. It also provides health care professional community engagement to augment available patient services and promote health communities and behaviors.

"We include a mix of hands-on activities, such as sterile compounding, deciphering a prescription and filling orders, and designing their own delayed-release medication," said Selena Martinez, MBA, R.PhT., camp coordinator and UHCOP-RGV executive secretary.

The pharmacy camps are slated to begin October 2024 with the annual health fair tentatively scheduled for January 2025.