Pharmacy students make a difference during medical trips abroad

“This medical outreach trip to Ghana taught me so much more than just how to provide medical care to individuals,” says Chase. “This trip helped push me out of my comfort zone and reinforced the importance of patient sensibility in my eyes.”

She was one of several PharmD students from the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPPS) who spent their winter break on short term global health experiences in Ghana and Belize. Our Global Health Initiatives program, now in its tenth year, gives students hands-on experience beyond the classroom.

“Our short-term global health experiences provide students the ability to work with our non-governmental and university partners in other countries to promote culturally appropriate health and wellness clinics,” says Gina Prescott, PharmD, director, SPPS global and community outreach. “The students learn how to listen to patients with empathy about their health concerns; they also learn about other healthcare systems and how to serve patients based on available resources.”

Short term global health experiences are an annual collaboration among the UB health sciences schools. Pharmacy students work side-by-side with medical, nursing, dental and public health students to learn the importance of working as a team to provide high quality health care to patients.

“It is critical for health professionals to collaborate to provide the best patient care as a team,” says Selvi Chhabra, PharmD ’25. “[In Ghana] as situations arose in the diagnostic phase with the physician, the pharmacy team was able to discuss proper medication options based on drug availability. Having physicians work closely with the pharmacy team allowed for efficiency in care and showcased pharmacists are a key team player when addressing patient needs, especially in underserved populations like Ghana.” 

The 2024 medical trips were funded in part by a highly successful crowdfunding campaign. Nearly $4,000 was donated by friends, family and alumni to offset student travel expenses and purchase medical supplies.

The generosity allowed our PharmD students to go on the trip of a lifetime where they gained global perspectives and confidence in their decision to practice pharmacy.

“Being given the opportunity to practice pharmacy in another country was something I never thought I'd be able to experience and something I am so grateful for,” says Stephie Ikama, PharmD ’26. “The trip was life changing. I was able to connect with the people of Belize, their culture, and their stories. This trip was a breath of fresh air, only grounding me more that pharmacy is what I want to pursue in my life. Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible!”

From January 2-14, Chase, Chhabra, Prescott, Ridhi Sharma, PharmD ’25, Deanna Isom, PharmD ’27 and Ijeoma (EJ) Anadi, PharmD, MS, SPPS Pharmacy Academic and Leadership Post-Doctoral (PAL) Fellow, along with the UB schools of medicine and management, traveled on a medical trip to Ghana where the pharmacy team assisted with medication procurement and dispensing, therapeutic adjustment, dosing, education and patient counseling. They provided antimicrobial stewardship, served patients with acute hypertension, provided vitamins and antipyretics and counseled patients. They also ran a laboratory testing area for glucose readings, malaria testing and eye examinations.

The pharmacy team also participated in an outreach day at Mfantsiman Girls’ Senior High School where they spoke with 1,200 students about career paths, setting goals and university life in the U.S. The team also attended the Emerge Africa Conference highlighting youth leadership and entrepreneurship.

Reflecting on the trip, Chase shares, “I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to go on a medical outreach trip to Ghana and it will always have a special place in my heart. I know it will help me create better relationships with my future patients and push me to continue to move out of my comfort zone.”

From January 10-19, Ikama, Katherine Beikirch, PharmD ’26, Sarah Ahmed, PharmD ’25, Charles Schmitz, PharmD ’26, Kal Desai, PharmD, assistant dean, SPPS Inclusive Excellence and Yael Marks, PharmD, SPPS Global Health Fellow, along with the UB School of Nursing, traveled to Belize on a short-term global health experience.

In Belize, the pharmacy and nursing teams conducted home visits in a local village and invited community members affected by acute or chronic illness to attend a health clinic they were running at a local school.

At the clinic, the UB teams worked together to assess patient medical conditions, current medications and to educate patients on the importance of medication compliance and adherence.  The pharmacy team also worked at a local hospital with their pharmacists to dispense medications and counsel patients.

“Going to Belize was a life changing experience,” says Sarah Ahmed, PharmD ’25. “I was able to build off of what I learned in school and used it to help others while being immersed in another culture. I hope to use this experience to build on my ability as a healthcare provider while paying attention to various social determinants of health that patients go through.”

Charles Schmitz, PharmD ’26, adds, “Traveling thousands of miles away has reinforced how many similarities people all across the world share. The cultural exchange we participated in is invaluable.”

“My experience in Belize was eye opening and I learned more in a few days than I could have possibly learned in school,” says Beikirch. “I am now more confident working with an interdisciplinary team and with patients of diverse backgrounds.”