Students Visit Legislators

In celebration of Ohio Pharmacist’s Student Legislative Day, February 23, a group of 37 Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) pharmacy students traveled down to Columbus to meet with their elected officials. Their goal, according to Sara Dugan, Pharm.D., one of the NEOMED faculty advisors for the event, was to learn about advocacy and about bills that will impact the pharmacy profession.

The students said the experience was a very rewarding opportunity to engage in the legislative process. Student Melanie Rozum said, “I particularly enjoyed hearing from legislators on various issues and meeting with my own representatives to talk about the current bills that affect my profession and ask for their support.”

Students thanked the legislators for their support of pharmacy laws that have recently been changed. One of these changes now allows pharmacists and interns to provide services to patients across a wider age range and to provide more vaccinations. Something known as the collaborative practice agreement has also been updated to allow inpatient and outpatient pharmacists to take a more active role in patient medication management. These changes directly impact the future of pharmacists and patients in Ohio.

Rozum said the day helped remind her how important it is to initiate discussions on healthcare legislation and to remind legislators that the state laws they make can directly improve patient care in Ohio and make positive changes to the healthcare industry.