Alumna Wins First Place in National Patient Counseling Competition

Jordyn Williams ’16 ΚΚΓ won first place at the National Patient Counseling Competition at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Annual Meeting from March 22 to March 25 in Seattle, WA.

Williams is a third-year pharmacy student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City through their satellite program in Columbia, MO. She works as a pharmacy intern at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City and Schnucks Pharmacy in Columbia.

Williams represented the UMKC School of Pharmacy at the Academy of Student Pharmacists portion of the APhA meeting, where more than 130 competitors were evaluated on their ability to educate a patient about medications.

“During the final round, we educated an upset patient that had just been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer,” Williams explains.

The recent award qualifies Williams to judge the competition at next year’s APhA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

“I proud of winning the APhA-ASP National Patient Counseling Competition, because it pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me that I am capable of more than I realized,” Williams says. “I was so happy to represent my school at the national level, so winning was such an honor.”

A native of Westphalia, MO, Williams majored in Biology at Westminster. She plans to graduate from UMKC in 2020 and return to her hometown to work in nearby communities. Read more about Williams below.

What organizations are you involved in? The American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP), the Student College of Clinical Pharmacy (SCCP), Rho Chi Honor Society, and the UMKC School of Pharmacy Honor Council. I have held multiple executive roles in APhA-ASP and currently serve as the president for SSHP. Both of these organizations have pushed me to improve my leadership skills and participate in volunteer events. I have really enjoyed being a member of these organizations and look forward to future opportunities!

What made you choose Westminster College? I chose Westminster because I loved the small campus and class size. I also knew that I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, and I had heard that Westminster had a great biology program. I can strongly attest to this, as my education at Westminster College did a great job preparing me for pharmacy school.

Based on your experience with the College, would you recommend Westminster to prospective college students? I would absolutely recommend Westminster to prospective students. The school provided me with a fantastic education, great experiences, and lifelong friends. If I could do it all over, I would choose Westminster College again.

Favorite Westminster faculty member? Dr. Amspoker.

Favorite TV show? The Office.