NCPA names 2017 finalists of Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte competition
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association has named the three student teams that will present their business plans at the NCPA Annual Convention as part of the Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition.
Teams of pharmacy students from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy have been named the finalists of the annual competition — named for independent community pharmacy champions Neil Pruitt, Sr., and H. Joseph Schutte. The teams will present their business plans in a live competition on Oct. 14 in Orlando.
“NCPA is dedicated to empowering the next generation of independent community pharmacy owners, with our annual student business plan competition being the crown jewel in those efforts,” NCPA President DeAnn Mullins said. “Our panel of experts were impressed by all the business plans that were submitted this year, but we are especially proud of the three teams of finalists who will give live presentations during the competition at NCPA’s Annual Convention in October. Best of luck to the pharmacy students from the University of Arkansas, the University of Pacific and the University of Southern California.”
The team that earns fist place will see $3,000 go to its NCPA chapter and $3,000 contributed to the school in the dean’s name. Second place gets $2,000 for the NCPA student chapter and a $2,000 donation in the dean’s name. Third place received $1,000 for the NCPA student chapter and a $1,000 to the school in the dean’s name.
NCPA said the competition’s goal is to motivate pharmacy students to think of a business model for buying an existing independent pharmacy or opening a new pharmacy. Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Pharmacists Mutual Cos. and the NCPA Foundation sponsor the competition.
The teams that placed in the top 10 all receive a special plate acknowledging the distinction, in addition to the plaque that all participants receive.
The schools in the top 10 were Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy, University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, University of Washington School of Pharmacy and Washington State University College of Pharmacy.
Student proposals were judged by a panel of 75 NCPA members, Live Oak Bank and Good Neighbor Pharmacy coaching consultants, as well as business leaders.