Pharmacy Students Help with Contact Tracing
Students will collaborate with help notify and provide medical insight to those who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
“This project is a service that the community desperately needs,” said Zach Krauss, president-elect of Cedarville’s chapter of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) and second-year professional pharmacy student from Temple, Texas.
“It allows me to improve my skills as a student pharmacist while sharing the love of Christ through compassionate care,” Krauss added.
“The team I'm working with, which is associated with our chapter of SNPhA, is especially excited because we get to offer these services free to the community and let those without easy access to health care know that we're here for them."
Currently, the students are completing more than 10 hours of training to prepare for this unique opportunity. Starting early in October, the students will be placed in teams and volunteer at least five hours a week to call those in self-quarantine.
“In the midst of the pandemic, it has been a challenge to continue experiential learning due to health risks,” said Dr. Thaddeus Franz, vice chair of experiential programs and associate professor of pharmacy practice. “We are dedicated to serving as health care professionals even in the face of risk. It is what we are called to do. But we also want to be wise in our decisions and be innovative on how we can still meet patient needs without exposing our students to health risks. This is a creative way to meet those goals.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,550 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Doctor of Pharmacy program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and high student engagement ranking. For more information about Cedarville University, visit www.cedarville.edu.