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This page is for YOU, pharmacy, public health, law, public policy, social work, medicine and any other students of all ages who are interested in learning about, promoting or providing access to reproductive health services in pharmacies.
What’s the connection between reproductive health and pharmacies? In larger cities and increasingly in smaller towns, pharmacies are on almost every corner, open late (sometimes 24 hours) and you don’t need an appointment to see a pharmacist. What better place to get fast, convenient healthcare services right in your own neighborhood? What is more, pharmacists are valuable members of the healthcare team who can provide essential reproductive health services—like contraceptive counseling and emergency contraception prescriptions and sexually transmitted infection treatment — in their communities.
What does Pharmacy Access Partnership do? Pharmacy Access Partnership is a recognized leader in enhancing access to EC, hormonal contraception and other community health services in pharmacy settings in California and nationally. Since its inception in 1999, Pharmacy Access Partnership, based in Oakland, CA, has worked to improve awareness of and access to reproductive health services and supplies in pharmacy settings and to promote the role of pharmacists as valued members of the healthcare team. This includes education and training of students in all disciplines who want to be knowledgeable about the provision of essential reproductive health services in pharmacies and get involved in important advocacy work. Most notably, in 2002 we sponsored the first dedicated legislation in the U.S. to allow pharmacists to provide direct pharmacy access to emergency contraception (EC, the “morning- after pill” or Plan B) without requiring an advance prescription from a doctor or clinic. (This model is called “EC pharmacy access.”) There are currently nine states that allow EC pharmacy access: AK, CA, HI, MA, ME, NH, NM, WA, VT.
How can students get involved? Pharmacy Access Partnership encourages students to become involved in our training and leadership development of pharmacists and students, innovative research, strategic collaborations and public education and media outreach. See below for opportunities to get involved. Contact info@pharmacyaccess.org or call 510.272.0150 with any questions.
Gain Leadership, Work and Research Experience
Join our Student Leadership Committee — current positions open (advocacy, media, and training representives). Be a leader in your community! We need representatives for our Student Leadership Committee (SLC) from YOUR campus to help us with advocacy and outreach, media promotion and curriculum development at your school. Please contact info@pharmacyaccess.org for more information.
Gain Work and Research Experience
Internships at Pharmacy Access Partnership — Pharmacy Access Partnership seeks enthusiastic 3rd or 4th year pharmacy students interested in advancing women’s health, reproductive health, community or public health in pharmacy settings. This is an exciting opportunity to gain experience conducting innovative pharmacy-related research, policy analysis, program implementation and evaluation.
Specific activities and projects will be determined based on selected students’ interests, skills set and desired learning objectives along with Pharmacy Access Partnership’s organizational needs and timelines. Potential internship topics and projects for 2008-2009 include:
Conducting a consumer survey on EC access, post Plan B OTC availability
Assessing cultural competency and translation services in pharmacy settings and/or pharmacists’ training in cultural competency
Assessing school of pharmacy educational opportunities around reproductive health nationally
Advancing a youth-friendly pharmacy initiative
Advancing a pharmacy access to hormonal contraception pilot in CA
Developing a leadership development institute for pharmacists around women’s health.
Length of internship, availability for academic credit/work-study and funding will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Internships are all based in Oakland, California. Interested internship candidates, please contact Nicole Monastersky Maderas at 510-272-0150 or nmaderas@phi.org.
Volunteer opportunities — Have an hour or two to spare on the weekends or between classes? Check back here for one-time volunteer opportunities that let you get involved with pharmacy access issues in your community.
Job opportunities — There are no current job opportunities at Pharmacy Access Partnership. Please check back again.
Current Issues of Interest to Students
Pharmacy Access in your state — Interested in learning about EC pharmacy access in your state? Pharmacy Access Partnership “pharmacy news” tracks news in every state across the country and around the world. Contact us at info@pharmacyaccess.org to find out what’s the latest in your area of interest.
Plan B EC OTC — In August 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved Plan B emergency contraception for over-the-counter sale to consumers 18 and older (women and men). Women under 18 or those without proof of age still require a prescription to get Plan B. Learn more.
Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) — The DRA of 2005 aims to cut the national deficit by changing the terms of the way certain health care prices are set. An unintended consequence of the DRA has been a change in the price and availability of birth control at college health centers and low-income health clinics. Learn more about the impact of the DRA on college campuses nationwide.
Women’s health curriculum — does your school have one? If so, let us know all about it so other students and schools of pharmacy can learn from you! Or, if your school doesn’t have one, find out how other students have successfully called for additional training. Please contact info@pharmacyaccess.org to learn more.
Resources
Training opportunities — Pharmacy Access Partnership provides training for pharmacy students who would like to provide pharmacy access to EC as a licensed pharmacist or under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist who is EC-certified (i.e. during intern experiences). EC pharmacy access training allows pharmacists and pharmacy students in California to provide direct access to EC without requiring an advance prescription from a doctor or clinic. Live and online trainings are available. In addition, we would be happy to arrange a training session for pharmacy students on your campus if there is student demand. Review our frequently asked questions or contact Nicole Monastersky Maderas at nmaderas@phi.org to learn more.
Key state contacts — Pharmacy and other health experts around the country are available to provide insight on specific state-level issues. Visit www.go2ec.org/StateProfiles.htm to find contacts in your area.
Stay informed — Sign up for P@P Enews! Get all the news PAP’s fit to print! Sign up for our monthly P@P Enews and other updates – email info@pharmacyaccess.org to sign up.
Reproductive health information resources — Please visit our Internet Resource Library at www.go2ec.org/UsefulLinks.htm for links to other helpful reproductive health and pharmacy organizations.
Get involved in a student group! See below for ideas, or send us new ones to include here!
American Pharmacists Association
Academy of Student Pharmacists
www.pharmacist.com (see “Student Pharmacists” tab)
CPhA Student Caucus
www.cpha.com/students
Law Students for Reproductive Justice
lsrj.org
Medical Students for Choice
www.ms4c.org
Pharmacy Fraternities
www.phideltachi.org
kappapsi.org
www.kappaepsilon.org
www.lks.org
Pharmacy Access Partnership manages several websites of interest:
www.pharmacyaccess.org — our flagship website all about what we do at Pharmacy Access Partnership.
www.Go2EC.org — focus on state policy and legislation impacting the delivery of reproductive health services in pharmacies.
www.EC-Help.org — a database of select EC pharmacy access pharmacies in the pharmacy access states.
www.MySpace.com/pharmacyaccess and FaceBook pages — social networking opportunities with like-minded students and advocacy groups. Contribute to our online blogs!
Research and Publications
PAP publications — Visit pharmacyaccess.org/Publications.htm
Other publications — Visit go2ec.org/ECLibrary.htm
Presentations, Reports, Slides and Other Materials — If you are writing a report or giving a presentation on emergency contraception or hormonal contraception, let us know! We have a large inventory of background research and professional slide presentations to share that can enhance your work. To learn more, please contact us by email by email at info@pharmacyaccess.org.
In the Media — Pharmacy Access Partnership tracks news in every state across the country and around the world. Contact us at info@pharmacyaccess.org to find out what’s the latest in your area of interest.
Questions? Contact info@pharmacyaccess.org or call 510.272.0150.