To celebrate American Pharmacists Month in October, teams of students from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Jacksonville and Orlando campuses traveled throughout their regions delivering thank-you cards to local pharmacists. Their handwritten messages conveyed heartfelt appreciation for the dedicated pharmacy teams who maintain the health of their communities year-round.
The student ambassadors and members of the American Pharmacist Association Academy of Student Pharmacists, or APhA-ASP, distributed about 75 thank-you cards this year, with many recipients being alumni of the UF College of Pharmacy. The connection these pharmacists have with the college and the Jacksonville and Orlando campuses makes this a meaningful way for the students to recognize Gator pharmacists making a difference in the community.
“One of my favorite aspects of this event is the opportunity to reconnect with UF pharmacy alumni working in Central Florida,” said Madelynn Gordon, a third-year student pharmacist and student ambassador president at the UF College of Pharmacy’s Orlando campus. “Many of them fondly remember when they were student ambassadors and delivering the letters created a full-circle moment. It fosters a sense of community and recognition for the hard work and dedication of pharmacists, reinforcing the values we cherish as part of the pharmacy profession.”
It was a sentiment shared by APhA-ASP Orlando Chapter President and third-year student pharmacist Cristina Cruz-Alvarez.
“This activity was especially meaningful during American Pharmacists Month because the students get to write and deliver a handwritten message to recognize the hardworking pharmacists who aren’t thanked enough for all they do for our community and their patients,” Alvarez said.
October marks the celebration of American Pharmacists Month, a time to honor pharmacists for their vital role in health care and dedication to their communities. The tradition dates back to 1925, with the American Pharmacists Association officially recognizing it as a month-long observance in 2004.
