Lisa McDevitt, daughter of Tom and Donna McDevitt of West Point and
a second-year student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College
of Pharmacy, recently created a new audience for Pinky, the pink elephant
mascot of the Children’s Hospital Poison Center. McDevitt delivered a poison
control presentation in Spanish last month at the Chicano Awareness Center
in Omaha, marking the first time Pinky’s poison control message has ever
been delivered in a language other than English.
McDevitt completed the project as part of an independent study under
the direction of her advisor Warren Narducci, Pharm.D. Dr. Narducci, an
associate professor of pharmacy practice in UNMC’s College of Pharmacy,
encouraged McDevitt to put her bilingual skills to scholarly yet practical
use.
McDevitt supplied the Poison Center with a translated version of her
presentation and is willing to present the bilingual program to others.
She said, "I love the Spanish language and plan on incorporating it
into my pharmacy career after graduation." McDevitt pursued a double-major
in Pharmacy and Spanish at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln before
arriving at UNMC. McDevitt’s Spanish presentation was covered by KMTV (Channel
3) and KETV (Channel 7). UNMC is the only public academic health science
center in the state.
Through its commitment to research, education and patient care, UNMC
has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers for cancer
research and treatment and solid organ transplantation. More than $25 million
in research grants and contracts are awarded to UNMC scientists annually.
In addition, UNMC’s educational programs are responsible for training more
health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution.
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