Good
morning!
I hope everyone’s having a good summer so far! Last week, I
was able to attend 2016 ASHP Summer Meeting and I would like to take some time
to share my experience with you. ASHP Summer Meeting provided a great
opportunity for everyone, ranging from straight out of 1st year
pharmacy students to experienced pharmacists. It provided the chance to learn,
network, and be a part of the progression of health-system pharmacy profession.
Day 1: The “Pre-Summer Meeting”
This year’s ASHP Summer Meeting was held in Baltimore, MD.
As this year’s ASHP summer intern, I had the opportunity to participate and
observe Pharmacy Student Forum Executive Committee Meeting that occurred a day
before the conference. It was great to meet this year’s Student Forum EC
members and see first-hand how much time and effort they put in to represent
pharmacy students and our pharmacy profession. Participating in the Student
Forum EC meeting has made me realize how much potential we, as student
pharmacists, have in representing our profession and that we have a say in
changing the future of our profession.
Day 2 to 6: 2016 ASHP Summer Meeting
Participating in this year’s ASHP Summer Meeting has been an
eye-opening experience for me. Not only was I able to attend many of the
sessions offered in the conference, but as a summer intern, I was able to be a
part of the ASHP staff and see a glimpse of the behind the scene work of Summer
Meeting. This included the early morning staff meetings, making sure each
conference room is prepared for the next session, monitoring during sessions to
make sure everything goes smoothly, etc. (Mind you, I think on some days I
drank as much coffee as I do during final exam week) But regardless of the busy
schedule, all of the ASHP staff never failed to smile and laugh throughout the
entire Summer Meeting. It was such a privilege to work with them and a
rewarding experience to get a taste of the behind the scene work of Summer Meeting.
I also had the chance to participate in several sessions
ASHP Summer Meeting offered. There were variety of sessions ranging from
leadership or advocacy workshop targeted for pharmacy students, to topics of
how to integrate clinical pharmacists into medical staff to name a few. As a
first time attendee of Summer Meeting, one of the meetings I found interesting
was the House of Delegates meetings. There, the House of Delegates discussed
and reviewed policy proposals that covered current hospital pharmacy related
issues, such as advocating for ban on direct-to-consumer prescription drug
advertising. As a pharmacy student, the House of Delegates meeting introduced
me to hospital pharmacy related issues I wasn’t aware of before and about what
ASHP’s stance is regarding these issues.
In addition, what made the Summer Meeting so rewarding was
the constant opportunity to network. The conference was large enough where there
were pharmacists and pharmacy students from all over the nation, but small
enough where you can find yourself exchanging business cards or having a lunch
with an experienced pharmacist who has travelled worldwide. Some of the
sessions I attended involved group discussions or activities, providing more
opportunities to network. And there were even sessions dedicated for networking
such as ConnectLIVE!, where people had the chance to introduce themselves,
discuss certain pharmacy related topics or problem, and exchange ideas and
possible solutions in a round table setting.
Overall, I found this year’s ASHP Summer Meeting truly
worthwhile. From the invaluable sessions and workshops to the opportunity to
meet so many inspiring pharmacists and pharmacy students, I have gained so much
from this conference and highly encourage everyone to attend!
#SummerMeeting #Meetings #Leadership #PharmacyStudents