Student News
Mayor's Back 2 School Fest
Pharm.D. Students Provide Thousands of Free Wellness Screenings, Immunization Record Reviews and Health Presentations at Annual City of Houston Event
In what has become a rite of August, dozens of UH College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. students helped families from across the Greater Houston area get a healthy start to the new school year at the Houston Mayor's Back 2 School Fest Aug. 12 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Aimed at helping economically disadvantaged elementary school students and their families prepare to return to school, the City of Houston partners with numerous sponsors and organizations to provide free backpacks, school supplies, health screenings, immunizations, and social service resources to thousands of students each year.
At the this year's event, UHCOP students provided nearly 600 blood pressure and blood glucose screenings as well as body-mass index measurements to adult attendees. In addition, students reviewed the immunization records of nearly 500 children and educated more than 1,100 on a variety of health topics, ranging from safe medication use/poisoning prevention to diabetes and cardiovascular disease and prevention. One of the most popular educational activities for children in attendance was learning about the heart with the help of a large inflatable heart display.
More than 60 UHCOP students, along with faculty and volunteer preceptors and volunteer translators, worked the seven-hour event.