Sorry for the delay in getting this posted. Google decided to flip out and deny me access to a blog I created. Kooky.
Below is a very abbreviated list of the professional organizations available to you as students/pharmacists. I've chosen to link these because they are the major organizations that have chapters here at WUSOP. In addition to pharmacist specific organizations such as those linked below, you will also have opportunities to join organizations focused on specific diseases or groups of patients (e.g. NLA, IDSA). As you peruse these sites, pay attention to which groups of people each organization is targeting. Also look for what each of these organizations is trying to accomplish.
NCAP
ACCP
APhA
SNPhA
ASHP
CPFI
Students: be thinking about what the potential benefits of joining an organization as a student might be. What are some opportunities that may be available to you through membership that you wouldn't otherwise have access to.
Mentors:the question I'm asking you think about this week: what is the benefit of membership after graduation?
66 comments:
Mentors,
I actually have a few questions.
The question that Dr. Nuzum posed: "What is/are the benefit(s) of membership after graduation?" I mean, do you still attend meetings regularly? Are you still involved in the organization? And finally, would you recommended joining a larger organization (one that would help with 'networking') or maybe a join smaller one and have a greater sense of helping and changing the community? (And for the sake of asking, lets say that you only had the time to join one).
Thank you,
Eric Beamon
WUSOP P1
Mentors, were you involved in some of these organizations and if yes, do you see a significant benefit of having been a member? If no, would you do things differently if you were to go back to Pharmacy school?
Thankyou
J. Mwathi
P1
Going off of what Eric said, I do believe that there are benefits to becoming a member of a large organization solely off the purpose of networking, but one must realize that with networking and memberships, also involves a lot of time. Especially, when joining more than one. Some other benefits would be job opportunities, chances for advancement inside of the organization, and friendships. But a down fall to all this is money. I know the ones on campus do not cost very much, but leading into bigger organizations foots a bigger bill; and we all know when you’re a college student everyone is strapped for cash. So I believe it’s in the eye of the beholder when it comes to organizations. To me yes, I think it is a great opportunity to take advantage of while we are in school, but others may disagree.
Josh Waters
WUSOP P1
To be a good pharmacist, we not only have to have a good knowledge but also have good personalities.
Participating professional organization is one of contributing factors that help you train yourself in knowledge, skill, and behavior. There are many benefits receiving from joining these organizations. Professional organizations usually provide scholarship for pharmacy students to encourage or motivate us keep up our effort. Moreover, these organizations help us build up the leadership ability, help us feel more confident and more active during schoolwork and, later, our real life.
Obviously, joining in an organization will give us opportunities to make friends and have fun; therefore, reduce stress.
Also, we will be able to train ourselves to behave well among groups.
The bottom line is that it is necessary for a pharmacy student choosing and joining in a professional organization; hence, continuing learning to be a great pharmacist in the future.
Mentors,
I am particularly interested in the American Pharmacists Association. I would like to take part in operation diabetes, operation heartburn awareness, or operation immunization. I hope this would allow me to have a direct effect on patient awareness of these topics while encouraging patients to take control of their own health. Has someone participated in any one of these events, and if so, what did the opportunity mean to you?
P1 - Amanda Flores
I am curious as to which organization would be the best to join. I know that all of the organizations have their own benefits however is one better than another. The main question I pose is "What made you decide to join the organization that you are now apart of?"
Thank you,
Kristin Hanson
WUSOP P1
I am torn on which organization would be the best to join. I know that they all have their own benefits to joining but is one of them better than the rest. The main question that I am posing is "Why did you join the organization that you are apart of?"
Thank you,
Kristin Hanson
WUSOP P1
I am particularly intrigued by the professional organization of CPFI, Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International. This one seems to stand out in the sense that it is incorporating very personal religious beliefs into the organization. What do the mentors or my peers think of this type of organization? It seems like in some sense it might be beneficial because it brings together like-minded individuals (Christians) that also practice the profession of pharmacy. I also understand how such personal religious beliefs can change the way one practices pharmacy. However, would there be any disadvantages to joining this type of organization? Would it close doors to anyone, whether that be to other peers or patients? I haven't quite made up my mind on the issue and would appreciate others input.
What benefits did you get from ACCP and SNPhA during your Pharmacy school and after graduation?
I became a member of several professional organizations during school and maintained those during my residency. Afterwards, I chose to continue membership with NCAP and ASHP secondary to my position in Emergency Medicine.
I think it is very important to use professional organizations to stay up to date and network with pharmacists in other areas. I have been able to pose questions and concerns identified in my practice to my listserve community and utilize their expertise to create policies/protocols at my institution.
As for meetings, I try to attend the Midyear Clinical Meeting every year. It is an excellent opportunity for continuing education and networking.
There is an expense associated with membership, but for me, the benefits far outweigh the expense.
I would encourage each of you to explore your options and choose an organization that best fits your current interests. As a student, the organizations feature reduced membership fees. Use this perk to your advantage!
Connie
Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist
Class of 2007
I am headache to think about which organization I should join in. In our school, there are many organizations and I am interested in 4 of them. However, it will be very hard for me to join in more than 1 organization for P1 year; therefore, I need a recommendation from you guys, my P1 classmate ^_^
PS: I plan to join in SNPHA because they give out a lot of scholarships. But other organizations are good too. What do you guys think?
Ngan Tran - P1
Through involvement in one or more of these organizations, I think that one of the most obvious benefits would be networking. For example, as part of NCAP, I'm sure one could find great opportunities to expand his or her options in working in the pharmaceutical field in the different regions of the state. Another example would be joining SNPhA, in which a student can network with other students and basically work together in different organizational meetings or events and basically feed off of each other for professional and career oriented influences. When considering organizational meetings or events, whether it is an outreach program of some sort or a national convention, these experiences could lend a hand in helping us as students to become exposed to more fields within the realm of pharmacy. For instance, someone attending these programs or meetings may discover some ability within themselves that they did not realize existed, or they could happen to see other groups/organizations that they may have been unaware of who work with some other interesting facet of pharmacy.
Ngan,
While I completely understand wanting to join based on the financial appeal of scholarships, make sure that the organization fits more long-term goals. I do not mean to say that SNPHA is a poor choice or even that it would not be the most beneficial for you, but look at what areas of pharmacy make you the most curious and inspire the most questions. To me, those are the organizations that you should put at the top of the list.
Respectfully,
James C Barbery
WUSOP P1
Mentors, I am particularly interested in joining NCAP and CPFI and I am wondering what are the benefits of joining these organizations? How involved are you with these organizations since completing pharmacy school? I am a little worried about the stress that can come with balancing school assignments and participating in these organizations. Was this a conflict you faced while attending pharmacy school?
Tiffany Humber P1
I believe that joining professional organizations while in pharmacy school has many benefits. One of the benefits is networking with older pharmacy students as well as working pharmacists who are involved with the organization. It also provides a lot of opportunity for attending national meetings which helps students see what the world of pharmacy will be like after graduation. These organizations also provide opportunities to work with patients in the community, a chance for leadership, and allow us to participate in pharmacy life other than studying all of the time.
The only question I have is there such a thing as joining to many organizations?
When thinking about professional organizations, you should think about your interests. As a student, I was a member of ASHP, NCAP, and CPFI. These were reasonable for my interests as a Christian pharmacy student interested in residencies and supporting my profession locally and nationally. I am still a member of ASHP and NCAP since I am completing a residency and because they fit my practice interests at the moment. I also recently joined ACCP due to my interest in academia and networking in areas that will serve me more closely in the future.
No organization is a waste of time or energy if you use its resources or support its mission. I encourage students to find ways to become involved either locally or nationally because it makes active membership easier as a pharmacist since you have already made organizational involvement part of your practice. This includes Alumni Associations and other smaller groups as well.
Professional organizations are important for networking and finding new positions. They also support legislation that models the organizations mission and values. This is more important than most of us realize.
Cassie Boland, PharmD
I am most interested in joining NCAP, just because I feel that it concentrates mainly on the issues pharmacists face in North Carolina. Since in pharmacy, state law supercedes federal law, a member of NCAP can hopefully impact the way pharmacy is practiced in NC in a positive way. Mentors in or from North Carolina, are any of you current NCAP members, or were any of you members of NCAP during school? Please describe your experiences. Mentors outside of NC, are there state pharmacy organizations you are members of? Are there any specific benefits from being part of a state organization (versus a national)?
Thanks,
Ben P1
I feel that one of the opportunities of joining these organizations would be the ability of being able to network with other individuals within a particular professional organization. By being able to network you could build friendships, gain knowledge, obtain leadership roles, collaborate with others who have a common interest, and use resources / friendships within this organization to help acquire a future job. I am under the impression that it is important to get involved in an organization that interests you. Also, I believe that it is more important to become involved in one organization as opposed to being uninvolved in numerous organizations. Any thoughts / comments?
-Kevin Morris
WUSOP P1
I definitely plan on joining one or two groups here at WUSOP, but I think they all have a certain unique value and that I would gain from joining any one of them. I'm leaning more towards APhA or ACCP, and the only reason is I feel like I understand their goals more clearly and could contribute more to helping them meet those goals throughout the year. Ultimately though I'm still unsure. Who knows?
How was it like being in SNPhA, ACCP and APhA?
Mentors,
I am excited that we have the opportunity to join these large and important organizations but I'm terrified that I will spread myself too thin and will not be able to do my best in school if I join all of organizations that I'm interested in. What would your suggestions be on how to get involved but not over do it?
-Hollee Kitts, P1
To James Barbery,
Thank you very much for your advice. Yes, I will look over everything and will come up with the best decision. You are right to say about long-term goal. It will be very helpful.
So yes, thank you one more time for your comment.
Mentors-
There are SO many organizations that we have the opportunity to join and I think we can all agree that this decision is stressful. So, what's better? To be involved with multiple organizations as a member? Or be involved in just a couple of organizations and strive for leadership positions?
Thank you for your time.
Katelyn Agee P1
Mentors,I was curious about the CPFI Organization. I think it is a wonderful idea to bring Christian pharmacists together for a web of support and I was wondering if this group has allowed many opportunities for mission trips? I feel that as pharmacists and future pharmacists, people look up to us and we could not only share our medicinal knowledge, but also our faith-based knowledge. My question is have you been able to partake in any mission trips as pharmacists through the CPFI Organization and do these opportunities exist?
Emily Byrd P1
Mentors, I have a quick question. Would you recommend joining larger or smaller organizations? I feel that a smaller one would allow you to form stronger and closer relationships with other members; this is very important to me. However, larger organizations allow you to "network" more efficiently, which is also very helpful in one's success in their career. My biggest question is: which situation would you prioritize over the other or would you not do that at all?
Thank You,
Greg Browning, P1
I know that I am very interested in joining some of the organizations but my question to the mentors is, were you able balance your school work with being involved in organizations? What would be your advice when it comes to choosing which organization would be best for you as an individual?
-Beth Campbell, P1
To Pharmacists and Pharmacy students
What did you like about NCAP? What was it like being in the organization? Where the benefits up to your satisfaction?
Looking through the different organizations, there are so many that spark my interest. How do you decide which one(s) are right for you?
I don't know what everyone's feelings are about this matter, but I plan to be involved in as many as I can feasibly fit into my schedule. More than just join, though, I want to be a leader. I believe that being active in organizations is a great way to network and practice some of the skills we have been learning in classes.
To the mentors:
Have you found that involvement in organizations as a student has helped you become more competent as pharmacists?
Laura MacCall
P1
Joining a pharmaceutical organization provides numerous benefits to both students and pharmacists. As a student, joining a few organizations during our educational journey can assist those unsure of the area of pharmacy they will practice upon graduation. By joining more than one organization (finances permitting) it can open up many future job opportunities that may have been unknown to the student. I noticed that SNPhA does not have a chapter in a most of the Midwestern portion of the country, which is unfortunate. As an Arizona native, the state is inundated with the Hispanic community, many of which are illegal residents. Regardless of right or wrong, the illegal resident community is prevalent and is considered a large minority group. These people still get sick and need medical care, but many do not get proper care because of their resident status. By turning a blind eye to this minority group, we are in a sense encouraging the spread of disease and illnesses amongst the community. If we do not care for minority groups who cannot afford medical treatment or are simply denied medical treatment, how can a Pharmacist say they are in a health service profession????
~~Chrissi Tyrrell, P1
Mentors,
Are there specific organizations that are more relevant for students versus those working in the profession? What are the differences in membership requirements for students versus those working in the profession besides membership fees? Do most who join as a student continue to stay involved throughout their professional career? Are there benefits with any of these organizations that offer training sessions to fulfill Continuing Education requirements?
Thanks,
Kirsten Wood
P-1 Student
I am interested in joining SNPhA and APhA. I understand that SNPhA is more directed at students but are any mentors members/have been members of either one of these groups? Also, would you recommend joining more than one group while in pharmacy school?
-Stephanie F. Hazle
Pharm D. Canidate 2014
In my opinion, if anyone says he/she wants to become a pharmacist to help people, he/she should volunteer to do some community services whenever possible. These activities not only increase the public's awareness of healthcare issue, but also give us valuable opportunities in practicing leadership, teamwork, and other things we learn from school. Joining a professional organization will give you opportunities to do this.
However, I think it is hard to keep membership when we graduate, and are overwhelmed with
work and family issues.
I have questions for mentors. Are any of you not a current active member of a professional organization? If you are not, will you join one in future. Which one you think to join and why?
Tai Tran
WUSOP class of 2014
Like others have said, there are many opportunities and doors that are opened by joining professional organizations. I feel like all of these could benefit me in one way or another. However, I feel (and I'm sure my fellow P1s do as well) very overwhelmed by all the choices! I definitely think that NCAP and APhA are two organizations that I want to join. I like the other choices but I am hesitant to add more to my already overflowing plate. Any suggestions on how to stay involved without getting behind?
I am very interested in joining SNPha because it is an organization for students and because it emphasizes the poor and underserved minority groups. A question for the mentors, is there a similar organization for professional pharmacists with an emphasis on serving the poor and underserved communities?
Sendra Yang P1
I am very interested in joining SNAPhA. For one thing it is a student organization, and since this is my first year in pharmacy school I feel it would be a good fit. Secondly, I heard that you get to learn how to take someone's blood pressure, test blood, and do other clinical tasks. I find these types of activities to be very interesting!
Mentors,
It seems most of the questions I had wanted to ask have been posted; those regarding number to join, which are beneficial to long term goals, and which help to influence legislature that will impact our careers. Your input is appreciated.
I had heard from one P3 to join all that interest me and in my following years to scale back. I would see what each was like and those that held the most interest would be the ones I would put the most time into. How feasible is this?
Professional Fraternities are a great way to not only get involved, but also to network. They are usually very popular organizations that attract many students, however what do companies and organizations really think about them? Sometimes these professional fraternities have a social stigma of being a "party" organizations, but how are they view in the professional world? Would it be a good idea to list them on a resume or would it be better to leave them off?
Here's a question for anyone in ASHP. As a student interested in clinical pharmacy, what benefits are there in joining ASHP as opposed to, say, APhA?
Andrew Herrin
WUSOP P1 student
Mentors,
With all the organizations out there and many different benefits from each one, how did you decide on which one to become a part of? Also, the quantity of memberships since there are so many organizations; would it be logical to join many of them while we are in school while they are cheap or should we focus on a select few to dedicate our time to? What kind of benefits did you reap through the membership during school and what kind of benefits came after you graduated from your institution?
Thank You!
Shawn Jessup
P1
Going off of what Nick said, I'm interested in knowing whether the mentors were members of any of the Pharmacy "fraternities". For those who were, do you think it was a good use of time and energy? Or would we/I be better off getting involved in other oganizations? Also, what kind of involvement have you had with these fraternities since graduating? I ask because it seems to me that the organizations are more geared toward pharmacists while the fraternities seemed more geared toward students.
Thanks!
Carolyn Kilbane
WUSOP P1
I am also having trouble deciding which organizations to join, as I know many of you are too. I have thought about joining several my first year and then only rejoining a few my second year after I fully understand what each organization has to offer. My only problem with this is that I am not sure how many hours a week/month each organization will require to be a good, supportive member. I do not want to be one joins but does not carry my load in the organization. Any idea how many hours we should be able to commit for each organization before joining?
John Miller P1
Membership in organizations helps you to stay connected to what is going on in the world of pharmacy. So many times we get into the day-to-day grind of what is going on and then we wake up to see that pharmacy has changed right before our very eyes. I enjoy getting the daily emails from ASHP and reading about what is happening at the national level.
When I was in school, I was a member of several different organizations. If you are deciding which one to choose, I would join one of the bigger national ones such as ASHP or APhA, but also join a smaller one like CPFI or SNPhA. Both will provide you with networking opportunities and let you get involved at the community level.
Carrie Griffiths
PGY1 Resident
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
I would HIGHLY recommend living by the “quality over quantity” rule when deciding what student organizations with which to align yourselves. I guarantee you that no one (employers, peers, residency directors) cares how many groups you joined; they want to know what you DID to develop your skills as a leader in your field. If you are an “ideas person,” find an organization that empowers its members to create and implement new projects. If you need leadership experience, seek an organization that has multiple opportunities for its members to develop their skills by chairing committees or service projects. If you need networking opportunities, look for an organization that shares similar values to your own so that long-term relationships can be developed.
As a student at WUSOP, I think I was in just about every organization available at some point… APhA, ACCP, ASHP, NCAP, Rho Chi, PLS… and 25 of my closest friends and I founded WUSOP’s Phi Delta Chi chapter. I may be a bit biased when it comes to fraternities, but PDC was the organization that best prepared me for life after pharmacy school. Professional fraternities (key word: professional) combine all of the best aspects of student organizations – service projects, networking opportunities, continuing education, teamwork, and friendship. The thing that sets them apart is the fact that you do so within an organization where the members have ties that are stronger than “classmate” or “colleague.” When I am asked to draw on my experience as a leader, challenges within groups, and/or my most successful projects, I always refer back to my days as a collegiate member of PDC.
So… which ones did I stay a member of post-graduation? The answer: just the fraternities… of which I will be a life-long member. I chose not to rejoin the national organizations because they don’t speak to me as a practitioner – they’re very large and their view of what is important to a pharmacist on a day-to-day basis often doesn’t align with my own. The organization of which I should be a member is NCAP (political representation, CE, professional development) – however, since most of their activities take place in eastern NC, their agenda can be difficult to follow. I would love for there to be a smaller, local chapter for pharmacists in Mecklenburg County, but to my knowledge, nothing like this exists. I suppose I should probably put my leadership skills to good use and get started on that, eh?
_________________________________
Erica Harms, Pharm.D., R.Ph.
Executive Pharmacist | Target Pharmacy
Charlotte, NC
eharms@carolina.rr.com
It's exciting to see the interest you all share in joining professional organizations. I will try to share what I can from my experience and hopefully answer the questions some of you have.
First, it is definitely overwhelming to begin pharmacy school and be approached by so many organizations. Often, there is no "best' organization. Each is geared towards specific interests, so one may be "best" for you only in that respect. You will not lose anything by joining for example a larger national organization such as APhA. It's a great starting point to learn about the many areas pharmacists can get involved in, and can even lead you to a more focused area of practice which may lead to a smaller, local organization. So if you don't know where to start, look for a broad national organization such as APhA or ASHP etc.
Second, organizational involvement is what you make it. Some are members of many organizations, but do not stay involved, leading to little benefit. If your time is limited, there is more to gain by joining one or two organizations and staying active vs. joining them all and observing. With that said, staying active is not as time consuming as you may think. It sounds overwhelming to worry about classes AND balance time for organizations AND finally a personal life, but you will be surprised. Often an organization may have a huge annual convention you can attend, such as ASHP's midyear clinical meeting. Also, you may hear of a local event such as a diabetes screening or immunization clinic which may interest you. A key objective is to commit to learning more. Learn about areas of pharmacy you didn't know about, or more about areas you may have heard of but want to get a better idea of. Perhaps you've heard of nuclear pharmacy, but now your organizational involvement will put you in touch with several nuclear pharmacists more than willing to answer questions about their day to day responsibilities.
Next, benefits as a student may include email updates to keep you current in many areas of pharmacy. One such example is ASHP's daily briefing. Today there was a link to a study showing that Rosiglitazone (Avandia) and Pioglitazone (Actos) may show similar CV risk. As you may know, many were beginning to avoid Rosiglitazone thinking it was more risky than Pioglitazone and this study shows this may not be the case. These emails are great for quick updates to keep you current and provide links to more information you may be interested in. Further, at many national conferences, there are also student focused events. Examples of such include CV writing workshops, Roundtable discussions with Pharmacists in many different fields etc. As a pharmacist, the different organizations offer CE credits for license renewal requirements, in addition to putting you in contact with many others who are more than willing to answer questions you may come across in practice. Additionally, personally through networking, I have been contacted several times about open positions available for a pharmacy manager, compounding pharmacist etc. Networking is a HUGE benefit, but definitely not the only one.
Finally, as mentioned by others, there is an expense involved. However, student fees are greatly reduced as the organizations understand it is difficult for students to pay so much for fees. I haven't met anyone who has joined and was regretful about the membership fees. I'm sure many of you will agree It's difficult to put a price on meeting many new colleagues who are willing to give you advice or even a potential offer for employment.
I know that was long-winded, but I hope it helps answer some of the questions many of you have. I will do my best to frequent this board if you have any additional questions I may be able to answer.
Best wishes,
Ramy Gabriel, PharmD
To Carrie,
Thanks for your comment. I totally agree with you. We need to stay in the track where healthcare community is growing day by day. We should be updated also due to the changes happening. Professional organization is one of the fastest, best ways for us not to be worn out; and have opportunities to help not only patients but also students like us connecting to pharmacy community.
Ngan Tran - P1
Students,
I joined several organizations during pharmacy school (NCAP, APhA, ASHP and Phi Delta Chi) and I believe that there are many benefits that go along with joining each. I do not think there is a problem with joining several organizations but I would not recommend trying to be extremely involved in all of them. I was quite involved in one and attended meetings for the others and managed to balance these with school just fine. I think it is important to be involved and give back to your community.
I am currently a member of NCAP and ASCP and am an active alumnus in Phi Delta Chi. I have attended at least one meeting per year for NCAP - these meetings are an excellent source of CE, networking and keeping up with the pharmacy happenings in our state.
Which is best? That depends on you. What area of pharmacy are you interested in/do you plan to work? Do you plan to work in NC?
Good luck!
Well it definitely seems like everyone will be joining at least one organization. Since I will be working during my first year of school, what recommendation would anyone have for an organization that does not require enormous amounts of time but is still a great opportunity for networking and working in the community? And, i agree with the comment made earlier, do not choose an organization just for the financial perks, choose one that you can honestly see yourself enjoying being a part of.
I was fairly involved in several "Professional Organizations" while in pharmacy school. It is a great way to get to know people and keep up with what is going on in the world of pharmacy.
However, to be honest, now that I am working 40 hours a week or more, I hardly have the time or interest to read their articles. I have a new baby and honestly sometimes it is hard for me to get all my CEs done. Additionally, after getting more politically involved, I have found that some of the organizations that I was involved in pharmacy school support representatives in congress that I don't agree with. I am interested in finding a LOCAL professional organization. So, while you're in pharmacy school - go ahead, join what you're interested in. The dues are in expensive, you may be eligible for scholarships through some and you can certainly develop your CV while involved in these groups. However, don't be surprised if when you graduate and start working, you let those memberships lapse!
Dear Mentors,
I am very interested in joining organizations to meet more people, network, and gain hands on experience. I find that every single organization we have on campus sounds interesting and exciting and I would like to participate. For this reason, I am having trouble trying to decide which organizations to join, and really which one will benefit me the most. I want to participate, but I do not want to overload myself.
1. I am from Michigan, so at first I immediately put NCAP out of the picture. Dr. Nuzum brought up an interesting point in that even though I'm from a different state, I will see what is happening at the State level in the profession.
2. EVERYONE here at Wingate seems to be involved in Phi Delta Chi. Will being a brother in this particular organization bring more opportunities for networking and hands on experience than other non-fraternal organizations?
3. At this point in my educational career, I do not have a direction in which I am particularly interested in going upon graduation (ie I'm not dead set on hospital or clinical, etc.) For this reason, I am thinking that some of the organizations that have a focus wouldn't be right for me. Am I wrong in my thinking?
Thank you for your help!!
Joslyn Sikkenga P1
Mentors,
I came to Wingate, NC from Florida. After I graduate, I am not sure if I will want to stay and practice in North Carolina or move back to the "sunshine state." With this in mind, do you think joining NCAP would be beneficial for someone like me? It would help me network and learn about North Carolina pharmacy, but as I said, I'm not sure if I will stay here. To any out-of-state mentors out there, would it be beneficial for me to find and join Florida's pharmacy organization? Or should I join both?
Thank you,
Christine Atkinson
P1
I was a member of several organizations while a student, and looking back, feel that it was one of the best choices I made. I feel that every student should be an ACTIVE member of at least one professional organization that interests them. I encourage you to attend the membership fair and to visit each booth asking questions, then ask current members what drew them to the organization. Attend events that the organization sponsors. Go to the sites webpage and read about their mission statement and goals. You will be able to find a good fit for you, WUSOP has something for everyone.
And be an active member, don't just attend meetings. Volunteer, chair committees, run for officer positions. Now is the perfect time to practice your necessary management skills upon graduation. And if you never challenge yourself, you never grow. I cannot express how much knowledge I gained from my work outside the classroom.
If you are afraid of not being able to keep up with your school work, just join one or two originations that really catch you; you can always join another if you feel you can handle the load. I agree with the advice of joining one large national organization and one smaller local organization as they both have unique opportunities available to you.
As a graduate, membership in pharmacy organizations is an valuable way of keeping updated in the changes with pharmacy practice. The day you graduate is the day you are now behind in the advancements of the field, you must take it upon yourself to be as informed as possible. Organization involvement is one way to help with this; through meetings, CE credit, newsletters, and mailings. I would still encourage you to be an active member upon graduating by volunteering, chairing committees, and running for office. Through activities such as these, you establish relationships with individuals who may hold the keys to your 'dream job' in the future. Plus active involvement in the communities is a wonderful way to give back.
Good luck and have fun!
Lisa DePetris, PharmD
WUSOP c/o 2009
St. Vincent's Medical Center
lgdepetris@gmail.com
Dear mentors,
How can you keep up both studying well and joining in organizations
especially, for some people who are president, vice president, etc?
A few more thoughts...
Great blog from APhA this week titled "Is your pharmacy an outpost?" (see http://blog.pharmacist.com/tmenighan/index.php/2010/08/28/is-your-pharmacy-an-outpost/). I agree wholeheartedly with the question posed by the "new practitioner" - after being quite involved in student organizations during school, the most daunting part of coming out into the 'real world' was that I didn't have the ability to bounce ideas or thoughts off my colleagues. Sure, I have my partners and pharmacy manager, but it's not quite the same. This 'professional connection,' as the article puts it, is probably one of the greatest benefits that these organizations can provide post-graduation.
In terms of the issue of time for studying, family, campus involvement, etc... your ability to balance these things is all about time management. Time management is a skill at which any pharmacist should be quite proficient. If you don't feel like you are good at time management... I would challenge you to join a student organization to develop this skill. If you feel like you do manage your time well... perfect the skill by taking a leadership role within an organization to test your abilities.
____________________________
Erica Harms, Pharm.D., R.Ph.
Executive Pharmacist
Target Pharmacy | Charlotte, NC
eharms@carolina.rr.com
I would like to thank the mentors for their responses to our questions. There were many helpful tips on how to decide what organizations are right for each of us. I think for us P1's that we should try to network and stay involoved in the organizations that we are the most interested in to aid us in our career paths and choices. Also I feel that our involvement will strengthen our time management skills as long as we do not try to over extend ourselves in too many organizations.
Chad Chriscoe P1
Student organizations offer many different options for pharmacy students. For example, I am very interested in working with minorities and SNPhA is an organization that can help me do that. We need to research these organizations and find out which one is your best match.
In my case, I am only going to join this one organization during my P1 year because, like most us, I'm worried about time management.
If we join organizations according to what we see ourselves doing after graduation the benefits we will receive from the experiences as members will far outweigh the benefits we may get from things such as scholarships.
Alisha Rivera-Menendez
WUSOP P1
I, like many of my classmates, am having trouble deciding on an organization to join. This being my first year of pharmacy school, i am very cautious about where to invest my time. I do not want to overwhelm myself by joining too many organizations, but i definitely want to get more involved this year. Looking back at my two years of undergrad, i feel like i was not involved enough in extracurricular activities. This year, i would like to join an organization/organizations that would enhance my leadership skills. To the mentors, which organization do you believe offers the most opportunity to grow in the leadership category? Also, which organization would it be most beneficial to join for post-grad years?
Thank you,
Allison Hoyle
P1 student
I have overheard from currently practicing pharmacists that the organizations are a wonderful opportunity to participate in while a student. Once a student is a practicing pharmacist however the organizations are very costly and it is not easy to take off of work for the conferences. In your opinion do you agree with these statements or is this just a one sided view of the organizations post graduation?
Tiffany Benfield P1
Joiing a professional organization that is in line with your career aspirations is great for several reasons. Networking, job opportunities that you may or may not have been aware of may be brought oy our attention, opportunity to meet friends with common interests, and pretty much for the same reason you may join a study group for an exam a professional organization may provide you with some new perspective on your career path. Meetings can also serve to keep you up to date on new pharmacotherapy, drugs or new technology that other pharmacies may be employing. Just keeping you connected is a great reason to join a organization. Even if you don't participate your first year due to the stresses of graduate school and your respective families its soemthing to keep in mind as you progress through school. I do think that if your going to join that you need to have the time to be an active participant or else it will do very little for you in terms of learning to become a better pharmacist. For these reasons I think joining a few organizations that really fall within your interest can only serve you well.
Jim Zacharias
WUSUP, P1
Being part of an organization is always beneficial and it can definitely open the door to networking. During undergrad, a couple of us from the WUSOP P1 class were part of an organization for pre-pharmacy students. I know I can speak for all of us when I saw that it was a great experience that taught us a lot. We were able to meet new people and learn new things about the application process and different pharmacy schools. Overall, being part of an organization is like a opening a door for new opportunities. I plan on joining NCAP, APhA, and possibly SNPha this semester.
-Maryann Choy-Ames
WUSOP P1
Joining any of the organizations that are available to us is like a second chance for me to develop my leadership skills that I can utilize as a pharmacy student and future pharmacist. I am thankful for having this wonderful chance and be able to take the advantage to be part of something that offers tremendous amount of networking and skill building opportunities that I had missed out years ago as a high school and undergrad student.
F. Assefa
P1
I agree with Tai, professional organizations offer opportunities for leadership and teamwork. I have experience working in a community pharmacy, which has exposed me to teamwork opportunities. However, I know that I have not stepped it up when it comes to leadership roles. I think organizations offer all of us a chance to practice leadership. I guess we do need to keep in mind that the organizations we will be joining are "professional," but we are still students and if we are unsure or mess up, we do have each other and our advisers to provide input on our leadership ability.
P1-Malia Yang
Joining organizations is an excellent way of getting your name out there. Also, these organizations will provide community services that will help us later in our career like attaining a residency. They will let us found our path within pharmacy. My hopes are to join APhA and I’m unsure of another but it’s a toss-up between ASHP and ACCP. My question to the mentors is if you could choose only one organization, which would it be and why?
-Evan MacDonald P1
I am very interested in joining NCAP and ACCP this semester.
Pharmacist's could you tell us about your different experiences in different professional organizations? How has being involved in these organizations opened doors for you in the past? Did any of you get involved in these organizations in Pharmacy School and if so, what position(s) did you hold?
Jeremy Efird
Membership in various organizations is vital in numerous areas, which was definitely not what I thought when I first started pharmacy school in 2005. At that time I just signed up for ASHP because everyone else was. I have truly come to realize the importance of joining in my career post graduation. It does not only exposes you to various aspects of pharmacy, but it allows you to link to others that give excellent insight and share their experiences with you if you need it. I have reached out to many colleges across ashp, accp, sccm, etc in regards to treatment protocols and policies that I have been involved with in my new position for their opinions. And it truly makes things easier when they share the pitfalls that they have experienced.
Another MAJOR plus of joining organizations are attending the various meetings that make obtaining CE credits a breeze when you carry more than one license, plus it challenges you to stay current.
One last comment: I had originally been set in working for a retail chain all throughout pharmacy school. However, my last year, ASHP midyear happened to be in Orlando, fl. As a member, I decided to go to stock up on all the free pens and goodies that they always give away. I happened to go to the residency showcase and that ended up persuading me to at least apply for a residency position despite already signing with a retail chain. Just a year now after graduating and just months after residency, I am in my dream job. Had I not been a member of ASHP I would never have attended midyear and gotten to where I am, at least not at this fast.
Best of luck to you all.
Matthew Nguyen, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Critical Care
MICU, CICU, Adult ED
As to the questions of which organizations to join:
I believe ASHP is a good starting point for those clinically oriented. APhA is great for those more community based. ACCP is a step up in the clinical area and their annual meeting is one that I would attend over ASHP midyear as a post graduate. During school, ASHP is essential if you could only go to one. Considering my field, I now will target going to SCCM at a minimum and try to attend ACCP. Considering we have a residency program, ASHP is an annual meeting already included on my calendar.
I believe you should try to pin as many as you have interests in (if you can afford it of course =/ )
Matt Nguyen, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Critical Care
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