Hi Everyone!
I hope February has brought great things to you all! I want to introduce to you a current P4, Jackie Hawn. She is amazing and has started Buckeyes Without Borders, which you can be a part of as a pharmacy student!! If this interests you, be sure to learn more about this when you start pharmacy school here 🙂 Also, be on the lookout for a blog post about Joyce’s Buckeyes Without Borders trip after Spring Break!
Best,
Sarah
As my graduation date in May comes closer, I have noticed that the last four years of pharmacy school have flown by. I feel that The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy has a place in my heart forever and likewise, I hope to leave a piece of me to be remembered. My most proud moment in pharmacy school was the opportunity I had to start a medical brigade to Nicaragua through the student organization, Buckeyes Without Borders.
During my undergraduate career, I studied abroad in Granada, Nicaragua, a city just south of the capital, Managua. Tropical rainforests, large lakes, and a stunning volcano surround the city of Granada. The streets are flooded with cars, horses, motorcycles, and the lovely people, which inhabit the colorful, colonial homes. I became extremely close to my host family and the culture during my time abroad.  Although beautiful, this area of Nicaragua is still in desperate need of medical attention. When I arrived at The Ohio State University, I saw the opportunity to take interdisciplinary students and providers down to my home away from home and provide free medical care to these patients in need.  After the blood, sweat, and tears I put into this program, we have now taken two, one-week brigades to rural Nicaragua. These teams have included pharmacy, medical, nursing, public health, social work, occupational therapy, and biomedical engineering students, as well as multiple supervising physicians. On average we treat 120 acute and chronic care patients daily and provide all patients with toothbrushes, toothpaste, and anti-parasite medication. I have had multiple patients cry on my shoulder, thanking me for the care we provided to them and their families.
The third group will be traveling to Nicaragua this March during Spring Break to continue the patient care. I am proud to watch the multidisciplinary students work together, learn from each other, treating and educating patients, and learning about the beautiful culture of Nicaragua. I know now, that as I move forward in my career and graduate from pharmacy school, a part of my heart will be left behind at the College of Pharmacy, bringing free health care to the people of rural Nicaragua.
Con todo mi corazĂłn,
Jaclyn (Jackie) Hawn
