UB hosts ninth annual Pharmacy Summer Institute

Some 55 high school and college students from across the country explored the field of pharmacy at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences’ (UB SPPS) ninth annual Pharmacy Summer Institute (PSI) July 15-17.

During the program, sponsored by Independent Health, the students took part in a variety of interactive sessions, activities and lectures hosted by UB SPPS faculty, alumni, students and area health care professionals. Learning experiences focused on topics ranging from patient counseling scenarios to medical marijuana and psychedelics to administering vaccinations.

Programming also highlighted the multitude of educational pathways offered by the school and provided guidance to help prepare students for the next steps in their pharmacy journeys.

“Our UB SPPS community is always excited to host our annual Pharmacy Summer Institute,” says Jennifer Rosenberg, associate dean for student success and engagement. “It is rewarding to offer innovative and interactive sessions to talented high school and college students with demonstrated interests in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences as we engage the next generation of health care leaders.”

New programming this year featured an interactive pharmaceutical sciences session where students practiced extracting DNA from strawberries. Also new this year were tours through Buffalo General Medical Center, where students experienced the practice of clinical pharmacy within both inpatient and outpatient settings.

The summer institute was organized by the Office of Student Success and Engagement and led in collaboration with the institute’s Student Leadership Team, a group of current UB PharmD students who were once institute attendees themselves.

“The Pharmacy Summer Institute is an exceptional learning environment where participants delve into the complexities of pharmacy, from compounding and vaccines to hospital settings and leadership opportunities, even exploring advanced topics like DNA extraction and patient counseling,” says Desiree Herman, PharmD ’26, 2024 PSI co-chair and advisory committee member. “PSI is particularly significant to me, as I once sat in the participants’ place and now have the opportunity to inspire high school students to consider pharmacy as a fulfilling career path, sharing insights into both the benefits and challenges of pharmacy school experiences.”

Caroline Mak, PharmD ’25, PSI co-chair and advisory committee member, notes this year’s PSI program was “incredibly interactive.”

“It offered potential students a hands-on idea of what pharmacists can do in their day-to-day lives and gave them insight into pharmacist responsibilities that they may not have been aware of,” Mak says. “Being involved in PSI has allowed me to share the knowledge and experience that I gained during pharmacy school with students who are in the same place I was a few years ago, and hopefully I helped some of the students in their decision-making process.”

Adds Shiqi Zhang, PharmD ’25, another PSI co-chair and advisory committee member: “The Pharmacy Summer Institute made a lasting impact on me during my junior year of high school when I first attended. Now, as a committee member, I aim to help recreate that memorable experience for future participants.

The firsthand activities this year, such as vaccinating an orange and compounding a lip balm, not only offered memorable experiences but also gave participants tangible souvenirs to take home.”

For more information, visit UB Pharmacy Summer Institute.