Well here we are at the last day of my summer internship. I cannot believe how quickly it has flown by, but as I reflect on everything I have accomplished and how I have grown, it becomes immediately apparent what a robust experience this has been. As I wrap-up my intern blogs, I would love to share with you some of the key takeaways from my professional and personal growth this summer.
Professional growth
Network. ASHP is a community of professionals with expertise and experience in a vast expanse of the pharmacy profession. It has been inspiring to learn from individuals who chose to come to a national association because they believe in leveraging their skills to give back to members and advance the profession. I am grateful to have been a part of this community for the summer and I look forward to maintaining this network as I advance through my career.
Time management and professional accountability. On day one of the internship I was given an expansive list of each of my project assignments. Being someone who has always jumped at challenges and new opportunities, this was exciting. It put the responsibility on me to choose how to triage projects, manage my time, and be accountable for setting meetings and making deadlines. These are valuable skills I will take with me as I return to school leadership positions and into my future career as a practitioner.
An appreciation for national associations. This internship has given me the unique perspective of all that a national association does to advance a profession. I had the chance to work on projects with so many different offices and sections that I am leaving with a true comprehension of national association operations and what ASHP does for its members daily. This has inspired me to continue the work and to ensure this becomes a part of my practice one day.
Personal growth
This summer has been a chance to further understand myself and refine my personal brand. I have learned that policy and advocacy are areas of pharmacy that excite me. Certainly, working with Government Relations on biosimilar parity and drafting an issue synopsis for internal ASHP policy discussions have helped solidify this. Additionally, I have learned to identify how my love for advocacy manifests itself in other projects. I felt this when leading a Harvey Whitney lecture discussion and getting the chance to create dialogue around empowering women leaders in pharmacy. In writing these blogs, I got to delve into LGBTQ care in pharmacy and advocate for future advancement. Even in doing an Instagram takeover, I loved the opportunity to be a part of increasing visibility of hospital pharmacy and ASHP’s mission in its advancement.
In closing, thank you to my preceptor, my co-intern, my project mentors, and each and every individual at ASHP who welcomed two virtual interns with (metaphorically) open arms and created an opportunity for us to grow, engage, and contribute. I leave this internship with a network and lessons that will follow me through school and into my future career as a pharmacist dedicated to advocating for patients and our profession.
Delaney McGuirt
ASHP Summer Intern 2020
PharmD Candidate, Class of 2023
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy