Pharm4Me Innovation Challenge

student

OptumRx and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) invites middle/high school students and current student pharmacists to partner on the Pharm4Me Innovation Challenge! Student teams will collaborate to identify innovative solutions to medication or health-related problems in their communities.  Submissions are due via submission form by March 15, 2019. For more information and challenge details, please see the full description through Pharmacy is Right for Me.

Suggested Topics

  • Acne or skin disorders
  • Behavioral vs. pharmacological management
  • Depression (coping mechanisms, social stigma)
  • Drug abuse (illegal, opioids, narcotics, prescriptions)
  • Immunizations/vaccinations (flu, HPV pneumonia, by age)
  • Medications (side effects, costs, branding, myths)
  • Obesity or eating disorders
  • Poison prevention
  • Pregnancy prevention
  • Tobacco use
  • Wellness (nutrition, healthy habits, stress management)

Projects

Student-led teams follow the instructions published through Pharmacy is Right for Me to explore and create a project on a health-related problem in their community. Through collaboration and development of materials, teams describe the problem, solution, and reflection. A full description and application packet can be access through Pharmacy is Right for Me.

Goals

A primary goal of the Pharm4Me Innovation Challenge competition is to stimulate interest in pharmacy careers by exposing high school students to pharmacy or health-related problems with opportunities to create innovative community‐based solutions. It is also intended to encourage student pharmacists to advocate for the importance of the role of the pharmacist and demonstrate the impact pharmacists can make on population health.

Prizes

  • Student members of the winning teams will receive an Innovation Challenge award certificate and letter.
  • Plaques will be awarded to the middle/high school and pharmacy college or school of each winning team.
  • A cash prize will be awarded to the middle/high school of each winning team to support STEM programs:
    • First place: $1000
    • Second place: $500
    • Third place: $250
  • A travel grant will be awarded to the pharmacy college or school of each winning team to attend the 2019 AACP Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL for an awards ceremony. A member of the winning team (preferred) or selected representative (e.g. CEO Dean) must register for the Annual Meeting before the travel grant will be issues. Meeting registration fees will not be waived:
    • First place: $500
    • Second place: $300
    • Third place: $200
  • Cash awards and travel grants will only be made payable to the appropriate institution and not an individual.

For more details, check out the full description through Pharmacy is Right for Me.

Questions? pharm4me@aacp.org