Since January of this year I have been planning and preparing for my rotation at ASHP Headquarters in Bethesda, MD so it is crazy that my first week is already finished! Going from living at home with my family to living with my husband and two dogs, to living on my own in a new city for a whole month is a brand new experience for me. From unpacking and figuring out the Metro Bus system, to finding my way around headquarters and getting started on projects, it has been an amazing first week.
What I love most about being here is the people that I get to work with every day. From the security guard who escorts me to the elevator, my co-externs, my preceptors, to the smiling faces I pass walking down the hall, it is a pleasure working with everyone here. One of the opportunities students have during rotations is to meet with various ASHP staff such as the association’s senior leadership and directors. Everyone is very welcoming to students and enjoys talking with us about their past endeavors. I am excited to be able to meet with more ASHP staff and volunteer leaders throughout the month.
I also love the independence that is given to students at ASHP. I have my own space, with my own computer, and have projects with deadlines as well as multiple meetings on a daily basis. Through my organizational involvement, I have always enjoyed catching up on emails, and attending to conference calls and meetings, so being on this rotation is a ton of fun for me. My schedule is also very flexible, as ASHP is continuously working on multiple initiatives at the same time. For example, I casually told my preceptor that I’d love to work on my presentation skills, and right away she asked for me to join her on a presentation she was giving to a group of students in two days. The next day I set up a meeting to go over the logistics as well as my questions, and we gave the presentation the following day. It was a great opportunity that I was able to be a part of because of the customization ASHP allows.
I am super excited about this week which is Policy Week. ASHP members from across the country convene at ASHP headquarters to initiate ASHP’s professional policies that are ultimately voted on by the ASHP House of Delegates. ASHP’s Legislative Day is also held during Policy Week and we will all meet with member of Congress to advocate on behalf of the pharmacy profession. Advocacy is something that I am very passionate about, so to have a chance to observe ASHP’s Policy Councils at work is going to be very rewarding. Check back next week where I will share my experience at Policy Week and Legislative Day!