Every time I think about the time I will spend on rotations next
year, I get excited. I cannot wait to leave the classroom and learn
hands-on. History has shown that the things I learn just from the books
just really don't stick sometimes... the things I have learned on my
IPPE rotations and internships makes me feel much more confident as a
student pharmacist. I can only hope that rotations will really help me
feel energized and ready for a residency!
From talking to other students, I've realized that each pharmacy
school selects their APPE rotations in a different manner. At Ohio
Northern, we have spent the last few months getting everything squared
away in "drafts" that try to make the process fair for everyone. Most of
our rotations are in Ohio, but we do have some great opportunities out
of state as well. Thus far, I have two out-of-state rotations scheduled:
Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Florida and ASHP in
Bethesda, MD. Other than that, my experiential office has taken the time
to make sure I am able to apply for a residency and attend Midyear next
year (in New Orleans!), so I have December and February off to make
that happen.
Before we started our "draft" process, I really had to decide what my
priorities were for next year. I realized that it was most important
that I learn about things that can help me best prepare for my
residency. For this reason, I selected a Medication Safety rotation as
an elective. This subject is already an interest of mine and I felt it
would help me prepare for an administrative residency. I also chose to
do a teaching rotation with one of my professors. He approached me
wanting to work on some curriculum additions for our Pharmacy
Administration module, which was definitely what sealed the deal. Also, I
hope to obtain a residency that has a teaching certificate, so I
thought this might be one step in the right direction.
For any of you that haven't finished scheduling APPE rotations or are
a younger pharmacy student, you should really look into the APPE
rotation at ASHP. When I was in Bethesda, MD this year for Policy Week,
Samm Anderegg and Joe Dikun were on rotation and spoke very highly of
their experience. They not only enjoyed the time they spend learning
about national association management, but also
loved being able to spend a month in the Washington, DC area. All the
necessary application information can be found on the ASHP APPE rotation website. I can't wait to network with great ASHP leaders and help them prepare for Policy Week.
Now that my schedule for next year is almost complete, I am
really looking forward to having an awesome last year of pharmacy
school.