Future pharmacists going on mission trips worldwide

Spring break and summer vacation are often times to relax for college students. However, for many of the students in Cedarville University’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, these breaks afford them the perfect opportunity to serve others.

Beginning March 2, 42 professional pharmacy students will participate in 13 different mission trips. Some will travel internationally, with trips to West Africa, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Romania, India, Peru and Nigeria. Others will travel within the U.S., serving in Ohio, Florida and Georgia.

During their time in the professional pharmacy program, students are required to complete a cross-cultural medical service-learning experience. For many, this means joining one of the many mission trips offered at Cedarville each year.

“Participation in medical missions is life-giving in so many ways. We see God use our feeble attempts at missions to grant new life spiritually to the hurting and lost,” said Dr. Justin Cole, vice chair of pharmacy practice, who is leading a trip to the Dominican Republic this summer. “We see our own lives and mission come into focus as we serve and experience life in another part of the globe.”

The trips are led not only by Cedarville faculty and staff, but also by preceptors, who supervise students during clinical experience, and by partners in the community who support students’ opportunities to serve.

“I witness students changing their perspective on who our neighbor is and what is going on in our world,” said Dr. Christopher Stump, preceptor at Dayton Children’s Hospital who is joining the Dominican Republic spring break team. “Short term missions can change the eyes and the heart of the traveler.”

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,963 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.