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Photo courtesy of InterMed

Six students from the ����ֱ�� School of Pharmacy recently participated in InterMed’s second blood pressure clinic, helping to provide vital health monitoring services to patients as well as education to improve outcomes.   

Thirty-eight patients attended the clinic, held at InterMed’s Gorham Road location in South Portland on Jan. 9. Representing ����ֱ�� were fourth-year pharmacy student Abigail Symbol (Pharm.D., ’25) and Class of 2028 students Lily Bennett, Madelyn Demmons, Andrew Marcous, Emma Miller, and Allison Weymouth.

The group was joined by clinic co-organizer and 2014 School of Pharmacy alum Tyla Rouse, Pharm.D., RPh, a clinical pharmacy specialist at InterMed.

The goal of the clinic was to educate patients about hypertension management and lifestyle factors that influence high blood pressure. While at the clinic, patients explored various blood pressure cuffs on the market while talking with clinicians about their medication and how to accurately measure their blood pressure on their own. 

Kerry Martin, Pharm.D., RPh, director of experiential pharmacy education, said the students’ involvement was a way for them to make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes, even before they begin their careers as working pharmacists.

“InterMed serves as a vital clinical partner to the ����ֱ�� School of Pharmacy, providing students with valuable opportunities to engage in hands-on patient care in an ambulatory setting,” Martin said. “This kind of experiential education is crucial to professional development, and collaborations like this play a key role in advancing the field.”

Symbol remarked that her participation in the clinic was a valuable experience. 

“During my time volunteering at the InterMed blood pressure clinic, I had the opportunity to directly engage with patients by assisting in blood pressure screenings, offering education on hypertension management, and working alongside health care professionals to optimize patient care,” Symbol remarked. “This experience deepened my clinical knowledge and reinforced the vital role pharmacists play in both chronic disease management and promoting overall public health.”