Mercer Summer Program Exposes High Schoolers to Pharmacy Profession, Careers

Fifty high school students are scheduled to participate in a three-day pharmacy summer program at 's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences thanks to a $10,000 gift from Walgreens designed to foster diversity in the field of pharmacy. Most of the participants attend metro Atlanta high schools, but some are coming from other Georgia cities, and even other states such as North Carolina and Wisconsin.

The Mercer Pharmacy Scholars Summer Program runs July 24-26 on the university's Atlanta campus. The program, now in its second year, is for rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with interests in careers in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences. The program includes activities in a compounding lab and workshops in pharmacy ethics, drug identification and patient care, as well as a pharmacy-related field trip. A panel of pharmacists will also discuss pharmacy careers with the participants.

"This summer program is critically important to increasing awareness among young people of the unique training, expertise and value of pharmacists and pharmaceutical sciences within the health care delivery system," said Hewitt W. "Ted" Matthews, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and senior vice president of Mercer’s new Health Sciences Center.

"The generous gift from Walgreens also allows us to expand opportunities in this profession to underrepresented groups, which is critical as our health care system expands to meet the increased needs of Americans who are becoming more ethnically diversified and are living longer lives."

In April, the Mercer University Board of Trustees approved the formation of the Mercer University Health Sciences Center to coordinate the efforts of the university's medical, nursing and pharmacy and health sciences colleges. The center will also establish the university's new College of Health Professions, effective July 1, 2013, which will include the university's existing programs in public health, physician assistants and physical therapy.