On July 21st, Ross Medical Education Center in Brighton welcomed a guest speaker into their campus for a presentation and question and answer session with them. Deputy Jason Davis, from the local Livingston County Sheriff’s Department, took time out of his busy day on the job to speak with Ross students about drug diversion – and how their future careers will play a role in it. It all started when Ross Teacher Assistant Anita McCan introduced the Pharmacy Technician Instructor, Tracy Muck, to Undersheriff Mike Murphy. Then Sheriff Murphy connected Mrs. Muck with Deputy Davis and they began to set up his visit to campus.
Deputy Davis has developed a huge interest in drug diversion throughout his career. He has aided in busting several doctors who were illegally writing prescriptions, and even leaders of prescription drug rings from Michigan all the way down to Florida. Davis wanted to make it clear how big of a threat prescription drugs have become – letting us know that they cause more deaths than any street drug, and even more death than the top four disease killers every year. This is partly due to the fact that prescriptions drugs, used for their intended purpose, are perfectly legal and easy to hide. The increasingly large market for misusing these medications is enough to lead some medical professionals to corruption.
The students were very interested in the presentation and learning about how to identify the signs and warnings as well as protect themselves and their future patients. “He showed several of statistics, and pointed out that Medical Assistants, Pharmacy Technicians, and any other assistants in a doctor’s office are the first line of defense in turning in the criminal doctors and pharmacists,” shared Instructor Tracy Muck. He gave the staff and students his contact information and told them that when they are in the workforce and they suspect a pharmacist or doctor of dealing with prescription drugs inappropriately, that they can contact him personally and he will do his best resolve the situation while keeping them anonymous.