Physical therapists also represented their profession at PT Day at the Capitol.
First year PCOM Georgia student pharmacists now know the name of the statue adorning the Georgia State Capitol dome since 1889—Miss Freedom—and that nine Supreme Court justices serve on the Supreme Court of Georgia, the state’s highest judicial authority, thanks in part to the Georgia Pharmacy Association Day at the Dome held February 5. Donned in white coats, the students, along with UGA’s first year pharmacy students, visited the Capitol primarily to learn about the importance of advocating on behalf of the pharmacy profession.
Celia Black (PharmD ’22) described one of the highlights of her experience at the state capitol. “The Day at the Dome was an event where student pharmacists came together to share information with state legislators about how to better serve the people of Georgia. One way, according to the Georgia Pharmacy Association, is to allow for more accessible access to medications by not allowing pharmacy benefit managers to steer people to certain pharmacies," she said.
State Representative Ron Stephens and US Congressman Buddy Carter, both pharmacists by profession, spoke to the students about advocacy. In addition, the students heard from Georgia Pharmacy Association’s Vice President of Public Policy Greg Reybold who discussed the pharmacy benefit manager anti-steering bill that is being introduced into the Georgia House of Representatives this session.
Soon after, the students met with their assigned state representative or state senator, in addition to exploring the historic building’s third floor Georgia Capitol Museum through a team-based scavenger hunt. Drs. Sara (Mandy) Reece and Jayden Lee accompanied the students on the fact-finding journey.
On February 12, Daniel Hwang (DPT ’21) and Alyssa Crosswell (DPT ’21), PCOM Georgia doctor of physical therapy students, were actively involved in PT Day at the Capitol. According to Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Philip Fabrizio, PT, DPT, CIDN, the students joined 500 practicing physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and other students to represent the profession to legislators. The PT experience was sponsored by the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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