Forty-one international pharmacists and pharmacy students converged on Samford University’s campus beginning Friday, July 17 for the Third Annual International Pharmacy Scholars Conference.  The 10 day conference, hosted by Samford’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy, provides an intensive educational program in clinical pharmacy designed to increase the participants’ knowledge, skills and abilities in patient communication and clinical patient care by pharmacists.

“The International Pharmacy Scholars Conference presents an opportunity for McWhorter School of Pharmacy to extend our global reach while contributing to the overall health and wellness of international communities,” said Michael D. Hogue, professor and chair of Samford’s Department of Pharmacy Practice. “This also provides tremendous benefit for faculty and students at MSOP to learn about pharmacy practice in other parts of the world. We are literally bringing the world to Birmingham!”

Conference attendees participate in both classroom-based instruction and active learning, including site visits at a number of health care facilities throughout the Birmingham area. The U.S. healthcare system remains a model system globally, and especially in the area of clinical pharmacy services in hospitals, ambulatory care clinics, and community pharmacies. 

Participants represent three universities, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan; Sookmyung University, Seoul, Korea; and Misr International University, Cairo, Egypt. In addition to the academic programs, conference attendees will engage in a number of cultural activities, including visits to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Railroad Park and a Birmingham Barons game as well as a sports night with pharmacy students at Samford’s intramural fields.  Gardendale First Baptist Church and the Church at Brook Hills also have provided evening dinner and entertainment events for the participants.  The conference will conclude with a closing dinner at Samford University, on Saturday, July 25.