title: The NC Tars Project: students leading the way to educate patients about proper use of antibiotics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a North Carolina Taking Antibiotic Resistance Seriously (NC Tars) project involving a student pharmacist coalition educating patients about appropriate use of antibiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Charlotte, NC, metropolitan area in October 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Student pharmacists from the Wingate University School of Pharmacy were educated on the importance of antibiotic safety and the threat of antibiotic resistance, and groups of students were assigned to local community pharmacies where they assessed patients' knowledge of antibiotic resistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Student pharmacists expanded their knowledge of antibiotic resistance and were provided an opportunity to participate in a service-learning project in their community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient knowledge regarding proper antibiotic use and the threat of antibiotic resistance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient knowledge was increased. Patients reported that the information provided by the student pharmacists was beneficial and would be useful in the future.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NC Tars project is a unique, student-driven education program that has the potential to raise public awareness about the proper use of antibiotics and the threat of antibiotic resistance in the community setting. Through this experience, students were provided an opportunity to educate patients via a service-learning experience.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Wingate University, Wingate, NC, USA. jgreene@uu.edu
authors.forename: Joy B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dolder
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wallis
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D009657:North Carolina; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010595:Pharmacists; D013339:Students, Pharmacy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents