KEYWORDS:
Pharmacists, Pharmacy Students, Awareness Campaign, Increasing Immunization Rates, Partnerships, Access, Students, Public Education

BACKGROUND:
Pharmacists have been recognized as the most accessible health care professional. Pharmacists and pharmacy students can serve as educators, facilitators and/or immunizers to ensure higher immunization rates and decrease vaccine preventable diseases. This project is a collaborative effort of the American Pharmaceutical Association's Academy of Students of Pharmacy (APhA-ASP) and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNAPhA).

OBJECTIVE:
To utilize pharmacy students in the implementation of programs that will increase community awareness and access to immunizations.

METHOD:
Planning guides were distributed to all schools of pharmacy and interested practitioners, containing materials for implementation of the campaign in their community. Follow-up surveys and reports were gathered to determine the level of participation and patient impact.

RESULT:
Reports from chapters are due in early January. It is anticipated we will receive reports containing new innovations and successful approaches. Many of the previous year's reports included collaboration with public health departments, nurses, physicians, health centers and civic groups. The national winner's poster will be featured.

CONCLUSION:
Pharmacists and pharmacy students can be valuable immunization resources, advocates and providers. Pharmacy student involvement in immunization awareness campaigns can increase public understanding of the importance of immunizations and facilitate the delivery of immunizations. This project serves as a model for interdisciplinary participation among health care professional students and practitioners.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. describe how to develop and implement an interdisciplinary, community-based immunization awareness campaign involving pharmacy students, practicing pharmacists, other health professionals and community organizations.