Downers Grove Mayor Honors American Pharmacists Month, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy

Members of the Midwestern University community attended the reading of the proclamation of American Pharmacists Month by Downers Grove Mayor Robert Barnett during the Downers Grove Village Council meeting on October 17, 2023. Pharmacy student Kourtney McKinnon (CPDG ’24) was present along with former executive board members, clinic leaders, and Robert Chapman, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove and American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) Co-advisor.

“As the mayor read the proclamation for American Pharmacists Month, I felt extremely proud to be a future pharmacist. We truly do so much for our patients and community. I felt very appreciative that the mayor took the time to formally recognize not only our Midwestern University chapter of the APhA-ASP organization, but the pharmacy profession as a whole,” Kourtney said. “At the Village of Downers Grove council meeting, our pharmacy organization was given a proclamation for American Pharmacists Month. We were recognized for the work we do within the community. As the former president, I was granted the opportunity to give a speech to the council. I was honored to represent our chapter and program, and I’m thankful for this unique experience.” October is American Pharmacists Month and honors the vast contributions of pharmacists in healthcare and for the communities they serve.

Kourtney reflected upon what the recognition from the mayor and the Village of Downers Grove meant to her and the importance of representing the pharmacy program and Midwestern University at the meeting. “I felt extremely proud to be a future pharmacist. We do so much for our patients and community. I was very appreciative that the mayor took the time to formally recognize our pharmacy organization at Midwestern University and the pharmacy profession as a whole. I was honored to represent our pharmacy program in accepting the proclamation from the mayor. It made me feel very appreciated for what we do and proud to be a future pharmacist. Pharmacists have a huge impact on healthcare, as we are the most accessible healthcare professional to our patients and community.”

She is also appreciative of the value of her student experience at Midwestern University, including serving as president of APhA-ASP, secretary of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), and membership in the pharmacy leadership society Phi Lambda Sigma. “I am thankful for the opportunities Midwestern has given me to grow as a leader on and off campus. Midwestern University provides students with many career enriching opportunities. Between the multiple options of leadership organizations to get involved in, research opportunities, volunteering experiences, supporting faculty, and Midwestern-hosted career events, there is something for everyone to get involved in and grow individually.”

Kourtney shared her future career plans in pharmacy. “I plan on completing a Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY1) residency and working in the clinical hospital pharmacy setting. Midwestern University has provided me with multiple leadership roles that I held during school, research experiences, participation in various competitions, and the ability to represent our program at annual meetings. With these experiences, I am confident that I will be able to succeed in my future endeavors. I have grown a great deal both individually and professionally, and I am excited for what is to come after graduation.”

The first celebration of "National Pharmaceutical Week" was held on October 11-17, 1925. During this inaugural effort, radio stations across the country broadcast special programs which emphasized the professional side of pharmacy. In 2004, American Pharmacists Month was launched to allow more time to promote the expanding role of the pharmacist. The College of Pharmacy joins that effort each year in the month of October with activities and events to help celebrate American Pharmacists Month.

Midwestern University offers Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree programs on both the Downers Grove and Glendale campuses.