Middle School Students explore Health Careers with VGCC Pharmacy Technology faculty

A pair of Vance-Granville Community College faculty members recently helped middle school students learn about careers in health care as well as medication safety. VGCC Pharmacy Technology program head Dr. Erica Fleming and Pharmacy Technology instructor Brenda Harvey conducted a workshop for 20 students from Wake and Johnston counties on Oct. 4.

 

Part of the “Health Careers Saturday Academy” program offered by the Wake Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the workshop was held at the Andrews Center on the main campus of WakeMed in Raleigh.

 

Fleming and Harvey explained to students the different roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. They described the types of job opportunities available for graduates of a Pharmacy Technology program, in settings such as drug stores, long-term care facilities, hospitals, ambulatory care clinics, call centers, insurance billing departments, compounding labs and manufacturers. The instructors also conducted hands-on experiments that educated the students about medication production, use and safety. Students had the opportunity to learn about the various parts of a prescription, and why it is important to read medication labels carefully.

 

This marked the second collaboration between the college and Wake AHEC, following the “ Mini-Medical School ” for high school students, held at VGCC’s South Campus in June. Wake AHEC serves nine counties in central North Carolina from its office in Raleigh: Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Lee, Person, Vance, Wake, and Warren counties. AHECs are located throughout North Carolina and are affiliated with the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Wake AHEC’s Health Careers & Workforce Diversity program offers a wide array of activities to prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds to successfully enter and complete a health professional training program.

 

For more information about the Pharmacy Technology program , call Dr. Fleming at (252) 738-3482.

 

Above:  VGCC Pharmacy Technology program head Dr. Erica Fleming (standing) addresses students during a workshop at the Andrews Center on the main campus of WakeMed in Raleigh.

 

 

Above:  VGCC Pharmacy Technology instructor Brenda Harvey helps students with a hands-on exercise during a workshop at the Andrews Center on the main campus of WakeMed in Raleigh.