Howdy!
Last week I got the amazing opportunity to attend the ASHP 2018 Advocacy Boot Camp in Bethesda, Maryland. Doing so as a P1 SSHP Advocacy Chair, and as the only pharmacy student representing Texas A&M. In addition, presenting a poster displaying what my co-chair and I do as Advocacy Chairs for SSHP. During general meetings and committee meetings my co-chair and I present my news segments labeled “Pharmacy 411.” This is meant to inform and raise awareness to the members of Texas A&M SSHP on advocacy, news, crisis, laws, regulations and what we can do to intervene or what is being done to address these issues, all pertaining to pharmacy.
On the second part of the Advocacy Boot Camp attendees were grouped by state and were to meet with their state representatives at the US Capitol. During this meeting, each of my group members played a role in advocating for pharmacy. The advocating was focused on the concerns, topics and issues surrounding pharmacy at a state and national level. For example, the need of intervention concerning drug shortages and the importance of provider status. My role was that of empathy, sharing my personal stories of the severity of the medically underserved areas of South Texas, where I was born and raised.
At this conference I was able to make new friends with ASHP members, other pharmacy students, and pharmacists across the country. This experience was both breathtaking as well as eye opening. While participating in this event, I got to explore Washington D.C. and Bethesda as well as gaining new insight on how to further effectively advocate for pharmacy.
I definitely plan on returning to the event next year with the hope of bringing more Texas A&M pharmacy students, more “Pharmacy 411” content, and while encouraging all student members to attend as well.
Xavier Marcel Canché | P1 Professional Pharmacy Student, Class of 2021
Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy | Texas A&M University
SSHP Advocacy Chair | Rangel College of Pharmacy