by Sarah Mummert, Student Public Relations Writer
The Cedarville University School of Pharmacy is partnering with Prasco Laboratories, the leading U.S. based pharmaceutical company to offer a novel work-study program where Cedarville’s pharmacy students can partner with Prasco’s call center to serve the community, hone their communication and problem-solving skills and learn about pharmacovigilance. This work will be managed at Prasco’s call center in Mason, Ohio.
Pharmaceutical companies are required to perform pharmacovigilance, an important concept involving the surveillance of the safety and efficacy of drug products approved by the FDA. Call centers are a key part of pharmacovigilance, allowing providers, patients and caregivers to ask questions or report concerns.
Casee Seibert, a member of the Cedarville School of Pharmacy’s advisory committee, oversees the pharmacovigilance work at Prasco. It was his idea to connect this important work with Cedarville students because of their shared vision for quality health care.
“We thought it would be a great opportunity for pharmacy school students to experience personal interaction with customers,” said Seibert. “As a result, their work meets our needs, gives the students great experience and strengthens our great partnership with Cedarville University.”
While the call center is located in Mason, Cedarville pharmacy students will work on campus in the Center for Pharmacy Innovation, where they have all the training, technology and resources they need to serve the many customers. A Cedarville faculty member serves as a mentor to the students during each working shift.
“There’s a really great match between the cultures at Prasco and at Cedarville, and we were looking for opportunities to partner with Cedarville’s School of Pharmacy,” Seibert said.
It’s also been a great match for the students. “As I approach the end of my time at Cedarville, this opportunity has helped me rekindle my passion to go out and solve problems,” said Luke O’Brien, a third-year student in the Pharm.D. graduate program. “Prasco always prioritizes the patient, and we do the same at Cedarville. We were trained to make sure that even if there’s nothing we can do, we always make sure the patient knows where to go next.”
The leader from Cedarville University on this initiative, Dr. Justin Cole, chair of pharmacy practice and director of the Center for Pharmacy Innovation, has seen immediate benefits to students — professionally and spiritually.
“Our students work according to biblical principles and ethics, so they are uniquely equipped to empathetically listen to the caller, understand their needs and address them with a genuine care and concern that makes them feel valued as a person,” said Cole.
About Cedarville University
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is a Baptist university with undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and professional programs, and graduate programs. With an enrollment of 6,384 students in 175 areas of study, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio and is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), and high graduation and retention rates. For more information about the university, visit cedarville.edu.
About Prasco
Prasco is a privately held healthcare company located in Mason, Ohio. The most innovative and trusted brand companies rely on Prasco to bring their products to the generic marketplace as Authorized Generics. As the acknowledged category leader, Prasco has launched 126 Authorized Generics, providing patients with brand quality medicines at more affordable prices for over two decades. For more information, visit www.prasco.com.