Casting a presidential vote is among the most meaningful actions the average American will take in their lifetime. The stakes are high, as the winning candidate gains the chance to influence American politics and public life for years to come. Karl Williams, R.Ph., J.D., faculty member of the Wegmans School of Pharmacy at St. John Fisher University, said the first election he remembers was in 1968, involving a pharmacist named Hubert Humphrey, who lost the presidential race to Richard Nixon that year. “Folks viewed it as a high-profile decision, and this [election] isn’t any different than that,” Williams said. “But with […]

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Dr. Alex DeLucenay rarely consulted with patients remotely. But during the pandemic, phone calls became the ambulatory care pharmacist’s primary method for communicating with patients that required his expertise, instead of seeing them face-to-face in his Rochester General Hospital clinic. “A lot of times people felt comforted because they knew that we were still available to care for them. That hasn’t changed,” said DeLucenay, a professor at the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy. “It’s still Alex, I’m still here, we’re still going to see you, we’re still going to have that continuity, we’re […]

In a hurry to pick up their prescriptions, patients may engage only minimally with their pharmacists. They may save time but miss an opportunity to speak with a doctorally prepared health professional who can provide valuable advice. According to Elizabeth Sutton Burke, Pharm.D., assistant professor at the Wegmans School of Pharmacy, the purview of a community pharmacist is broad, and their role is adaptable to meet clients’ or patients’ needs. “Some days it’s being the sounding board for any health concerns or complaints. Sometimes it’s being an active part of finding a solution,” she said. “Other times, it’s being there […]

Students taking the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), the entrance exam for pharmacy school, can choose from an array of study methods: review books and prep courses, personal tutors and study groups. While choosing a method that fits your learning style is important, it is all too easy for students to spend too much time spinning their wheels rather than engaging in focused preparation. “If that book is going to do nothing more than hold your laptop computer 3 inches higher, don’t buy it,” said David McCaffrey III, Ph.D., assistant dean for student affairs at the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School […]