A University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy student team placed third in the nation in the Good Neighbor Pharmacy National Community Pharmacists Association’s (NCPA) Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition.

The student team consisted of third-year PharmD students Jessica Cox from Williamsburg, Sara Holliday of Olmstead, and Ashley Lanham of Whitesville. The faculty advisor for the project was Dean Emeritus Kenneth B. Roberts.

The 2012 competition drew entries from a record number of 40 schools and colleges of pharmacy, and the UK team was one of three to be selected as finalists.

The Business Plan Competition is the first national competition of its kind in the pharmacy profession and is named to honor two great champions of independent community pharmacy, the late Neil Pruitt Sr. and the late H. Joseph Schutte. Schutte is a 1956 alumnus of the UK College of Pharmacy.

The goal of the competition is to motivate pharmacy students to create a business model for buying an existing independent community pharmacy or developing a new pharmacy. Through this competition, NCPA is better able to prepare tomorrow’s pharmacy entrepreneurs for a successful future. The competition is supported by Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Pharmacists Mutual Companies, and the NCPA Foundation.

Team members and the advisor traveled to the NCPA’s 114th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition in San Diego, Calif. in October where they competed with other finalists for first, second, and third place in an exciting, live competition.

By claiming third place, the team secured $1,000 for the NCPA student chapter and an additional $1,000, which was contributed to the school to promote independent pharmacy.