PULLMAN – Four Washington State University pharmacy students beat out teams from the University of Kentucky and the University of Houston Oct. 8, and won the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) annual business plan competition.
The three teams presented their plans to a panel of judges at the NCPA annual meeting in Las Vegas. The students on the WSU team are Daniela Beilic, Portland; Jason Doss, Medical Lake; Joshua Fancher, Richland, and Corinne Gavrun, Pullman; all from the class of 2009. Their expenses to the Las Vegas convention were paid by the NCPA.
The goal of the NCPA competition is to promote interest in independent community pharmacy ownership. It has grown since its first year in 2004, when a WSU team placed second among 16 teams and won $4,000. This year the judges reviewed 30 plans from schools all over the country. The three finalists were announced at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) in July.
The first place award is $3,000 for the NCPA student chapter at WSU, and $3,000 in the dean’s name to promote independent pharmacy at the WSU College of Pharmacy. In addition, the team members, the team advisor,and the dean will receive complementary registration, travel and lodging to the NCPA’s conference Feb. 14 in Aruba. The second place team is awarded $4,000 and third place, $2,000.
The award is supported by contributions from the families of two champions of independent pharmacy – H. Joseph Schutte and Neil Pruitt Sr. – and by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.
