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NextGen Pharmacy Camp was held for the first time at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this summer. In previous years, the topic of pharmacy was offered as part of a combined camp with nursing and dentistry. The camp drew support from the South Central Illinois Area Health Education Center (AHEC), part of the Illinois AHEC Network. 

"I asked around if we had a pharmacy camp for high school students to come and learn about pharmacy. I thought it would be a great opportunity for college-bound students to learn about the profession as well as SIUE and potentially contribute to enrollment,” said Deanna Seiler, BS, PharmD, a clinical instructor at SIUE School of Pharmacy (SOP). 

Each day began at 8 a.m. with breakfast, then moved into a full schedule of lectures and hands-on activities. Campers explored topics ranging from mental health to infectious disease, and the learning rarely stayed behind a desk. They filmed pharmacy TikTok videos, raced through a scavenger hunt, practiced CPR during a mock code in the nursing simulation lab, and dug into a health disparity lecture and activity. That was only a sampling of what filled the day. After dinner at Prairie Hall, they played pharmacy Kahoot, sand volleyball, board games and cards and watched movies. 

"The students acted as the blood-brain barrier and examples of drugs trying to penetrate it in the medicinal chemistry lab," Seiler added. "They learned about diabetes and were able to attach a blood glucose monitor, learn how to inject insulin and participate in a diabetes escape room. In the compounding lab, they punched capsules and made a gel." 

Seiler led the camp, with co-leaders and support from Jessica Kerr, PharmD, SOP professor and Associate Dean, and Deja Finley, PharmD, clinical assistant professor. Seiler said the camp had 11 phenomenal counselors, six during the day and five overnight. They were P2 and P3 students, in their second and third practitioner years of the Doctor of Pharmacy program. 

When asked about the cost of the camp for participants, Seiler said they wanted all students who met the criteria to be able to attend and did not want it limited by cost. "We were lucky enough to utilize a grant from the SIUE Foundation, as well as a generous donation from AHEC," she said. 

Beyond the labs and activities, Seiler hopes campers leave with a broader understanding of what pharmacy truly is. Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare professionals, and their careers extend far beyond dispensing medications. Whether students ultimately choose pharmacy or another healthcare profession, she said, she hopes they leave inspired, more confident in pursuing STEM careers, and with a better appreciation for the impact healthcare providers have on improving the lives of patients and communities. 

Seiler reflected on what the campers’ experience: "Our goal was not just to teach students about pharmacy. It was to help them see themselves as future healthcare leaders. If even one camper leaves believing they belong in a career they never thought possible, then we have succeeded. The excitement and curiosity our campers brought each day reminded us why programs like this matter. They are the future of healthcare, and it was an honor to help them discover what is possible." 

Photos by Howard Ash