Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Students get Help from Alumni Donors

Many students were beginning rotations and internships just as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic called for national stay-at-home orders and led to restrictions for many healthcare facilities. Marques Williams PharmD’20 is one of them. Originally, he was set to complete his Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotation at Cooper University Healthcare in Camden, NJ, but when he was forced to find a new location, he was offered a new rotation spot at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. 

While elated for the opportunity, this change meant Williams would have an added cost to relocate and find housing at the last minute. USciences donors stepped up to help. 

Williams explains that without completing his APPE, he would not have been able to graduate on time or start his career post-graduation. “Expanding this view to a broader perspective, it would have forced me to complete the remainder of my APPE rotations with the class of 2021,” Williams said. “This would have made it more difficult for the APPE coordinators to fulfill every student’s desired APPE selection. As a result, my placement would have taken a learning experience away from another student.”

USciences’ Philadelphia College of Pharmacy coordinators worked hard to find Williams and other pharmacy students’ new rotation spots after theirs had been canceled. They were also able to secure financial support for him and others. “I was also informed that I would receive a full reimbursement for housing expenses” Williams shares. “It felt like a great weight was lifted off my shoulders because my family and I could not afford for me to relocate.”

Johns Hopkins Hospital is nationally recognized for its excellence. Williams shares how he and his classmates are being used to their full pharmaceutical potential and are getting unique opportunities to assist hospital staff in treating a variety of patients, including those who have tested positive for COVID-19. Multitasking has been his primary takeaway from this rotation. Williams says that this knowledge of how to multitask will be crucial as he continues his career as a pharmacist. 

To the donors who contributed to his relocation costs, Williams sends his sincere thanks. “This token sparked a desire within me to provide the same opportunity to student pharmacists in the future” he shares. “To all those who contributed in whatever capacity they were able to, I want to thank you. Everyone involved throughout this process truly had an impact on the next generation of PCP pharmacists”.

Categories: News, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, Students, Alumni, Giving