The Plein Center is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Baxter Student Scholarship: Amanda Bryan, Garbo Grossman, Brian Lee, and Nghi Nguyen.
Each recipient will be awarded $500 to put towards their Plein Certificate fee. Students were selected based on essay submissions outlining their vision for the future of geriatric pharmacy and motivation to pursue a career in the field. This scholarship is awarded thanks to a fund set up in honor of UWSOP Alum, Dean Baxter (‘58), by his daughter, Louise Baxter, MD, to support Geriatric Pharmacy.
Amanda Bryan
Amanda hopes that her future patients can come to her to feel seen and heard, and views the care of older adults as a mutually beneficial experience.
“The aging population in particular is a priority for me. I have a lot of respect for the older generations who have paved the way for many of us in the healthcare field. I want to give back to a population that has done so much for me and one that I believe has so much more to still teach me.”
Garbo Grossman
Garbo wishes to support older adults by focusing on their well-being and dignity, helping them feel connected to where they live in their community. She sees a great opportunity for pharmacists to bring this to fruition through advocacy for older adults.
“I want to see more pharmacists trained to comprehensively treat older people, focusing on identifying geriatric syndromes, correcting polypharmacy, and improving cognition and gait impairments.” “I’d like to see geriatric pharmacy practice consider the many factors that influence patient overall health and advocate for housing/healthcare models that support older adult care.”
Brian Lee
Brian’s desire for pursuing the Plein Certificate comes from interacting with older adult patients, and recognizing the varying levels of assistance patients need as they age.
“Added understanding for some of the changes older adults may be experiencing has made conversations with patients at my community pharmacy more rewarding. In pursuing the Plein Certificate in Geriatric Pharmacy, I hope it shows my patients that I am someone who is willing and able to assist them.”
Nghi Nguyen
Nghi is using her experiences working with older adults in various settings to bring passion to and help guide her future work.
“My personal goal as a future pharmacist is to see past the patient, behind the medications, and provide personalized, empathetic, and empowering care. I want to build trust, connect with, and advocate for all my patients.” “Compassion and personal care go a really long way.”