ASHP Midyear is a hot topic these days. I wanted to write down my thoughts from going to Midyear as a 3rd year pharmacy student. I had heard mixed reviews from upper classmen on the value of going to Midyear as a P3. The general consensus was that you should go if you can afford it. From my personal experience, I found that there were a lot of pros and cons to going to Midyear as a P3.
The biggest con is the price. Depending on where you live and your school’s reimbursement policy, you will probably have to pay at least $300. My friends and I found an inexpensive condo to stay at through Airbnb, but at times I wished I had a room walking distance to the conference. Another con is that the conference usually falls before final exams. Luckily, I was able to write an essay on the plane and only had one final left to study for.
One of the pros of going to Midyear is the wide variety of lectures that you can attend. They have a bunch of student programming as well as interesting CEs. I attended an extremely fascinating lecture on the new lipid guidelines. I found the Keynote speaker, Colin Powell, entertaining, educational and inspiring. I can’t wait to see the Keynote next year. Of course, one of the main reasons why I went to Midyear was for the residency showcase. It wasn’t as chaotic and intimidating as I thought it would be. I had some great interactions with residents and program directors. I tried to only ask one or two questions to leave more time for 4th years, but I was able to begin to narrow down a list of programs to consider applying to. I also presented a research poster, which made the trip even more worthwhile. Each year, a large number of research posters are accepted and I would recommend anyone going to Midyear to consider presenting a poster. It was also fun to travel with my pharmacy school friends and visit sunny Orlando.
Overall, I decided that attending Midyear as a P3 was a worthwhile experience. It is certainly not necessary if it will be a significant financial burden, but it is enjoyable and educational!
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