WASHINGTON, DC – The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA-APRS) today announced the recipients of the 2015 APhA Postgraduate Best Paper Awards. The recipients were chosen during the 2015 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego.

The Postgraduate Best Paper Awards recognize the author of the best contributed paper (podium or poster session) presented at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition by a postgraduate student. APhA-APRS presents up to four awards each year to postgraduate APhA members in the basic, clinical and/or economic, social and administrative sciences categories.

Postgraduate Best Paper Award in the Economic, Social & Administrative Sciences (Podium)
Benita Bamgbade of Austin, TX, was selected for paper “Impact of a Mental Illness Stigma Awareness Intervention on Pharmacy Student Perceptions and Factors Influencing Willingness to Counsel.” The co-authors were Jamie Barner and Kentya Ford.

Postgraduate Best Paper Award in the Economic, Social & Administrative Sciences
Ranjani Varadarajan of Ashburn, VA, was selected for paper “The Effect of Illumination on Medication Preparation Errors in a Long-Term Care Facility.” The co-authors were Kenneth N. Barker, Salisa C. Westrick, and Kristen L. Helms.

About the American Pharmacists Association
The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, is a 501 (c)(6) organization, representing more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. For more information, please visit www.pharmacist.com.

About APhA-APRS
The APhA-Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA-APRS) stimulates the discovery, dissemination and application of research to improve patient health and serves pharmacists and those members who are involved in the pharmaceutical sciences. Members of APhA may choose to belong to a primary section within APhA-APRS based on their area of research. APhA-APRS is governed by an Executive Council comprised of elected leaders from the three Sections of APhA-APRS: Basic Sciences, Clinical Sciences and Economic, Social and Administrative Sciences. Members receive access to continuing education, an online community for pharmacists, networking and leadership opportunities, premier research journals such as JAPhA and JPharmSci, cutting edge information on medication therapy management and regulatory issues facing the profession. www.pharmacist.com/apha-aprs