Students from the UF College of Medicine and the College of Pharmacy held a seminar on prescription drug abuse April 18. Pictured are: (from left to right) Ross Harrison, president of the UF American Medical Association; Paul Doering, M.S., distinguished service professor emeritus from the UF College of Pharmacy; Nancy Hardt, M.D., professor and director of Health Disparities and Service Learning Program at the UF College of Medicine; Roya Tran, president of the UF American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists; and Thomas Munyer, R.Ph., M.Sc., a clinical associate professor at the UF College of Pharmacy. Photo by Grant Lowther

UF chapters of the American Medical Association and the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists hosted a joint meeting for members April 18. The seminar featured a discussion about prescription drug abuse, led by Nancy Hardt, M.D., professor and director of Health Disparities and Service Learning Programs at the UF College of Medicine, and Paul Doering, M.S., distinguished service professor emeritus from the UF College of Pharmacy.

The collaboration was a first for the two student professional organizations which allowed an opportunity to discuss the issue from the perspective of both disciplines. The event attracted nearly 120 medical and pharmacy students.

Prescription drugs, notably painkiller and anti-anxiety medications, are now the most commonly abused psychotropic substances, following only alcohol and marijuana. Both physicians and pharmacists play a role in reducing prescription drug abuse.

“I am proud to see our two professional student associations, medicine and pharmacy, leading the way in interprofessional efforts to learn how they can share their expertise to improve healthcare,” said Thomas Munyer, R.Ph., M.Sc., a clinical associate professor of pharmacotherapy and translational research and faculty advisor to UF APhA-ASP.