Pharmacy Students Are Authors AND Publishers

ARxCH is a student-run, open access journal.

For many undergraduate students, being published in a peer-reviewed journal is a long-term goal. They equate publication with something reserved for doctoral candidates or academicians working in the field. College of Pharmacy students at Findlay are not only authoring articles, but publishing them as well. Using a free, open platform, the student-run Annual Review of Changes in Healthcare (ARxCH) made its online debut in May 2017.
Jason Guy, Pharm.D., assistant professor of pharmacy practice, serves as advisor for the publication, but it’s definitely published by students who review all submissions and suggest edits and revisions.
“I was very pleased with the student engagement that’s happened with the ARxCH,” Guy commented. Students began working with Guy in the fall of 2016 for the May publication. “It’s great experience for those editing the publication and those submitting articles.”

Jason Guy, Pharm.D.

As the name states, the purpose of the Annual Review of Changes in Healthcare is just that. The focus is on updates on medications, new or revised guidelines and regulations. The May “issue” featured articles such as “Review of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Updated Guidelines,” “Review of Parkinson’s Disease Treatment and Future Therapies,” and “Agricultural Antibiotics and Their Impact on Human Health.”
Guy, who was formerly a fellow at University of The Sciences in Philadelphia, has only seen one other student-run, open access journal. He explained that an author can submit a paper through the ARxCH site and will receive notification if it’s accepted or needs revisions. The UF pharmacy students and some other faculty in the College of Pharmacy do the peer review.
“If your article is published, it can go on your CV as a scholarly publication. That’s impressive for a student,” Guy stated.
Hoping to continue the journal in the 2017-18 academic year, Guy said that the goal is to expand to other disciplines within the University and elsewhere. For more information, contact him at guyj@findlay.edu