St. John's News

St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions will celebrate American Pharmacists Month with a series of events, highlighted by the ribbon cutting ceremony, commemorating the grand opening of the Rite Aid Community Pharmacy Laboratory on October 5 at 3 p.m. on the Queens campus. 

The Rite Aid Community Pharmacy Laboratory, funded with monies supplied by the Rite Aid Corporation, as well as a Congressional appropriation provided through the support of Sen. Charles E. Schumer and Representative Gregory Meeks, is a state-of-the art facility designed to emulate the structure of a traditional working pharmacy. Sixteen work stations allow students to practice filling prescriptions, answering questions and other skills required to perform as a professional pharmacist. In addition, the laboratory contains three counseling rooms, equipped with video recording devices, where students can perform mock counseling sessions with faculty and review the footage for self assessment.

Robert A. Mangione, Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions highlighted the importance of American Pharmacists Month and the significance of this new laboratory.

“This is a wonderful way to begin the many programs and focus on the profession of pharmacy that are part of celebrating American Pharmacists Month," Mangione said. "Our new Rite Aid Community Pharmacy Laboratory will greatly enhance our teaching and learning environment for instruction in patient-centered community pharmacy practice. We are truly grateful for the generous support that has made this possible.”

Several other events are planned in honor of American Pharmacists Month including the seventh annual White Coat Ceremony, scheduled for October 23. Third-year pharmacy students will don their white lab coats during a ceremony in Marillac Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., initiating them into their first professional year of the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program. The ceremony concludes with students taking a pledge of professional conduct and symbolizes a new level of responsibility for patients and the profession. 

Also planned for October are the Clinical Skills Competition, scheduled for October 4, and the College’s annual Awards Night.

Nationally recognized for its pharmacy and allied health professions programs, the St. John’s College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions provides students with the education, training and support they need to meet the present and future demands professionals encounter as pharmacists, physician assistants, medical technologists, toxicologists and pathologist assistants. Established in 1929, the College enrolls 2,283 undergraduate and graduate students, including 1,571 students enrolled in the six-year Pharm.D. program.

One of the largest drugstore chains in the nation, the Rite Aid Corporation combines its modern store base, strong brand name, modern distribution centers and superior pharmacy technology with a talented team of approximately 70,000 full and part-time associates serving customers in 27 states and the District of Columbia. Rite Aid currently operates approximately 3,323 stores, reporting total sales of $17.3 billion at the end of its 2006 fiscal year. 

American Pharmacists Month is sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association and is a month-long observance designed to provide a channel to offer new services that will recognize pharmacists’ contributions to the healthcare team.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Reilly, Assistant Director of Media Relations at St. John’s University at (718) 990-5789, or e-mail inquiries to reillye@stjohns.edu. For information on the Rite Aid Corporation, visit www.RiteAid.com.