NCPA announces 2009 competition finalists

Earlier this week at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) in Boston, Mass., teams of pharmacy students from three universities were named as finalists in the Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition sponsored by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

“I want to congratulate all the participants in the Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition, especially the finalists from the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, and the University of Washington School of Pharmacy,” said Holly Whitcomb Henry, RPh, NCPA president and owner of Rxtra Care Pharmacy in Seattle.

The competition gives pharmacy students invaluable experience, she said, in creating business plans for independent community pharmacy ownership. The plans are judged by a distinguished panel of pharmacy professionals.

Now in its sixth year, the competition, which is the first of its kind, drew entries from 29 schools and colleges of pharmacy. Members of the the three finalist teams and team advisors will receive complimentary registration, travel, and lodging for NCPA’s 111th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition in New Orleans, La., Oct. 17 to 21, where they will compete live.

Awards will be presented at the convention. The team placing first will win a $3,000 donation to its NCPA student chapter, and a $3,000 contribution to the school will be made in the dean’s name for promotion of independent pharmacy. The team members, team advisor, and dean will receive complimentary registration, travel, and lodging for NCPA’s 2010 Multiple Locations Conference.

The team placing second will receive a $2,000 donation to its NCPA student chapter, and $2,000 will be contributed to the school in the dean’s name for the promotion of independent pharmacy.

The team placing third will receive a $1,000 donation to its NCPA student chapter, and $1,000 will be contributed to the school in the dean’s name for promotion of independent pharmacy.

The remaining seven teams will receive $300 dollars for each person from their schools to register for the NCPA 111th Annual Convention. The remaining teams represent the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy; the University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy; the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy; the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa College of Pharmacy; the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy; the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy; and the Washington State University College of Pharmacy.

All participating schools receive a plaque commemorating their participation in the event. For every year of competition, participating schools earn an engraved addition to their plaques, and teams placing in the top 10 receive special plates of acknowledgment.