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4 pharmacy grads complete rural health program

Two gals at Mr. Bob's Drive-Inn
Pharmacy student Madison Styles, right, and medical student Kristi Pond enjoy an ice cream outing in nearby Selby in summer 2021, when they participated in the Area Health Education Center Scholars program at Bowdle Health Care.

Four 2023 graduates of the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions were honored for completion of the Area Health Education Center Scholars program. 

They were Laken Olson, Britton; Hannah Juracek, Gregory; Madison Styles, Brentford; and Madelyn Reinike, Pierre.

The program is a voluntary, noncredit program designed to give health care students a better feel for practicing in a rural area. It is organized by the Northeast South Dakota and Southeast South Dakota Area Health Education Centers, which are federally funded.

Laken Olson
Laken Olson

“The program made me realize all the opportunities that are available for rural health and the need for advocacy of pharmacists in those areas,” said Olson, who will begin her professional career as a clinical pharmacist at Kearney (Nebraska) Regional Medical Center.

The two-year program entails 160 hours of study outside of their classroom work and a four-week summer field experience. For the 2023 graduates, their field experience was in 2021. Olson’s plan was to work at the Britton hospital, but COVID-19 regulations there prevented that.

Since Olson wasn’t able to go to her site, she was able to choose from a wide array of online programs based on her interest. “I completed two online certificates involving telehealth, which were very beneficial considering the circumstances,” she said.

The 160 hours of study outside of the classroom includes 80 hours of hands-on activities and students are able to include previous pharmacy field experiences. That could include things like shadowing a pharmacist or giving blood pressure checks at a pharmacy.

 

Juracek: More than pharmacy

Juracek’s field experience was at Winner Regional Health, where she was paired with an occupational therapy student from the University of South Dakota.

“A lot of my time was in the pharmacy, which really allowed me to see what each of the pharmacists did as well as how they interacted with other health care professionals. Winner does a lot of telehealth and have specialists come in once a week. I was able to shadow the cardiologist and urologist, and listen in with a nephrologist (kidney specialist) during a telehealth appointment,” Juracek said.

That was Juracek’s first experience with telehealth.

In addition, she shadowed occupational and physical therapists and assisted with patient education at discharge. That gave her an opportunity to work with a diversity of patients, including Native Americans and pediatrics. “It made me a more well-rounded health care professional,” Juracek said.

She said her biggest takeaway was the “interprofessional communications and teamwork. I learned so much about how I can contribute to other professionals goals.”

 

Styles: Saw health care full circle

Styles’ field experience was at Bowdle Health Care, which has a hospital, a nursing home and an outpatient clinic. She shadowed the hospital pharmacist, who also has an independent retail operation downtown.

“I got to see how he manages both. I also tagged along with other health care providers, got to see a colonoscopy and went with public health nurses to rural homes. I got to see how the whole system works,” said Styles, who stayed in an apartment in the public health building with a medical student who grew up in nearby Ipswich.

“I thought it was really cool getting to follow one of the MDs. I sat in on an appointment and could see the different ways she approaches treatment. I got to see the full circle of how health care is provided,” Styles said.

Looking back on the program, Styles said, “Anyone who is interested in rural health should do it. It’s amazing to see how many different hats people wear.” For example, the hospital pharmacist had just hired a new pharmacist for the retail operation. “On top of that, he is in charge of all the (hospital pharmacy) inventory. He has to do all the paperwork and the behind-the-scenes stuff. He also is the clinician, the drug expert for the hospital.

“It’s humbling to see how the whole community comes together and helps people. I really value that. The whole facility was such a family thing, If someone needed help they were going to jump in.”

After a one-year residency at the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Medical Center, Styles plans to return to South Dakota to find a job with Indian Health Services or in a rural community.

Reinke was not available for an interview.

More information on the program is available at SDAHEC.

 

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