Attention student advocates! It is an exciting time for pharmacy as the Provider Status bill is re-introduced into Congress. Students are an important part of the political process, because what happens today affects the future of our practice. I had the honor of being selected as the student member of ASHP’s National Council on Education and Workforce Development. During this commitment, I had the pleasure of attending Policy Week located in Washington, D.C. this past September. On Wednesday of Policy Week, the members of the councils and commissions, as well as ASHP staff members traveled to Capitol Hill to educate member of Congress and their staff about the importance of the Provider Status legislation currently circulating Capitol Hill. As a student, this experience helped me understand the ongoing issues within our profession and also gave me a chance to provide my experiences as a student pharmacist and show that we are the most accessible healthcare provider and are a vital component to the healthcare team. The training provided during Policy Week helped silence some of the fears I had about traveling to Capitol Hill and advocating for such an important issue. Furthermore, the training and experience I received during Policy Week will stay with me throughout my career. It helped me appreciate the pharmacy profession on a whole different level, provided me with unique training in advocating and getting your message across succinctly, and gave me a chance to further develop my leadership qualities for future practice.
So, want to get involved and have the same opportunities I had? ASHP is hosting their first-ever policy conference for students February 3rd and 4th in Washington, D.C.! The conference starts at 1:00pm on Tuesday with Advocacy 101: “What School House Rock Left Out” – an introduction on policy making and how federal legislatures shape pharmacy practice. Next, there will be an expert panel to answer any questions you have about advocating for your profession. Later on in the evening, there will be an update on the Provider Status legislation followed by a networking reception with ASHP friends and staff. On Wednesday, we head to Capitol Hill to speak with members of Congress and their staff about how pharmacists improve patient outcomes and decrease healthcare costs. For more information about this wonderful opportunity, visit this link on ASHP’s website: http://www.ashp.org/menu/Advocacy/GrassrootsNetwork/Student-Advocate-Training-and-Legislative-Day. Don’t miss this event to voice your opinion and help shape the future of pharmacy!