COP announces latest Wal-Mart scholarship winners

(KINGSVILLE, TX) — Wal-Mart recently announced the winners of a scholarship competition this spring at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy.

As part of their spring pharmacy management course, HSC-Rangel College of Pharmacy students were asked to create a business plan for Wal-Mart. This plan revolves around Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management (MTM), which closely evaluates pharmacy care for senior citizens suffering from two or more chronic conditions or taking multiple medications.

The first-place team received a $1,000 scholarship split among members Peter Duong of Sugarland, Yen Nguyen of Houston, Christina Villarreal of Edinburg, Michael Valdez of Brownsville and Jamie Yun of San Antonio.

The second-place team was awarded a $500 scholarship to members Valerie Everett-Oliveira of San Diego (Texas), Rudy Rangel of San Benito, Debra Thomas of Beeville, and Daniel Villarreal and Oscar Ramirez Jr. of Raymondville.

“Although Wal-Mart is a few years away from implementing MTM, we are actively looking at ways to go into this business,” said Pam Piotrowski, pharmacy district manager for Wal-Mart. “This contest is a great way to get students to think out of the box. They get to come up with the project, work through obstacles and learn how to sell their ideas to a major corporation, which are skills they will all be able to use after they graduate.”