Jacob Noble is a final-year PharmD candidate at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy and a member of the 2022–2023 APhA–ASP Member Engagement Standing Committee.
The Region 5 APhA–ASP Midyear Regional Meeting in Minneapolis this year (November 4–6) can be boiled down to 3 words: connection, collaboration, and companionship. These themes followed each student pharmacist throughout the weekend and allowed for new relationships to blossom.
Step into our fears
Following APhA–ASP President Kennedy Erickson’s “Courage to Change” theme, the meeting on Friday night was kicked off with an inspiring speech given by Andy Traynor, PharmD, BCPS, a professor at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. Talking about stepping into our fears, Dr. Traynor opened up about personal experiences in his life that have shaped him into being the pharmacist and leader that he is today.
Quickly following the opening, students were able to network with other individuals from the region. Reminiscing about previous experiences from the most recent APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition, many attendees further established relationships or formed new connections.
Enjoyed policy Saturday
Saturday was the day of presentations and policy. Through hearing from pharmacists about the Minnesota Poison Control Center and myths about vaccinations, the attendees learned from regional experts on how they could assist their communities through the patient care projects they participate in at their colleges of pharmacy. From the OTC Medication Safety presentation, student pharmacists discovered the interactive and fun resources that they could use to educate fifth and eighth graders in their surrounding area.
One highlight for me that came from this day specifically was the policy session led by Region 5 APhA–ASP Regional Delegate Mark Nagel. With many attendees hesitant to approach the microphone initially, Mark assisted individuals in the correct process that would be used at the Annual Meeting & Exposition and facilitated smooth transitions between proposals. From the policy session, all students were excited to get more involved in the policy process and help others further understand the important role advocacy plays for the profession.
See you in Phoenix
On the final day of the meeting, Region 5 was humming with words of support and encouragement for those who won patient care project regional awards, and the innovation award-winning poster from South Dakota State University. While much of the day was spent on finalizing the policies that had been put forward, I couldn’t help but notice the phone numbers that were being exchanged and the student pharmacists talking about their plans for attending the Annual Meeting & Exposition in Phoenix this March 2023. With so many individuals looking to further help their chapters, it was extremely encouraging to see the incredibly dedicated and aspiring young student pharmacists who were looking forward to helping others and the organization.
While everybody came to MRM with a specific tie to APhA, greater student connection was reached. As we set our sights on Phoenix, Region 5 is excited to join the other 7 regions in the policy process and help furthering our communication of connection, collaboration, and companionship.