As a fourth-year student pharmacist, I am on the verge of graduating and becoming a new practitioner. As I complete the first week of my sixth advanced pharmacy practice experience rotation here at ASHP headquarters and begin to anxiously wait for residency interviews, the nerves and anxiety of entering the competitive workforce are sky high.
Throughout my time in pharmacy school, I have been involved at the local, state and national level. I decided to get involved in health-system pharmacy, because I enjoy leadership roles, student networking, encouraging students to attend national meetings and conferences, advocating for the profession on a state and national level and helping students become aware of different job opportunities in health-system pharmacy. It is imperative to be involved in pharmacy organizations, because our profession is an ever-changing world that constantly needs leadership from all over the country to help advocate and push it to grow. Becoming a member of pharmacy organizations on the state and national level allows students to help shape the future of pharmacy.
Being a member of WVSHP’s New Practitioner’s Committee and ASHP's Council on Education and Workforce Development as a student has been a valuable and rewarding experience. It has allowed me to stay up-to-date on healthcare issues, provide a voice for the students, as well as be involved with policy development and implementation.
Becoming a member of pharmacy organizations as a student and new practitioner is something that every student and resident should consider, as it offers educational opportunities to help develop as a practitioner, provides networking with students and faculty from across the state and advocates for policies and important issues surrounding health-system pharmacy. I know from personal experience that practitioners, faculty members and members of the pharmacy community are always eager to get a student’s perspective on pharmacy issues and relations. We have a voice and it matters, so use it!