Presidential theme meaningful to chapter, myself
Carissa Willson is a final-year PharmD candidate at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy.
At the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, APhA–ASP National President Miranda Montoya’s presidential theme—“Each of Us, for All of Us”—is quite meaningful to our APhA–ASP Chapter members.
Collaboration helps the community
Chapter leaders not only support our student pharmacists’ growth, they also analyze what their style is. The chapter provides the members opportunities for promoting their ideas on social media as well as attending different events. Having this atmosphere and attitude around the different purposes each committee is trying to portray allows for others to step outside their comfort zone to run for these positions.
The chair position also embodies numerous ways to interact with other health care professions. From volunteering at a local clinic for low-income patients to point-of-care testing at grocery stores and barbershops, student pharmacists recognize the community of health care and acknowledge aspects each profession brings to the table when caring for each patient.
New committee yields results
One way our chapter further implemented this theme over the past couple years was by adding a committee called “Population Health.” Through this committee, we have been able to bring awareness and provide new knowledge on areas that haven’t been able to be discussed in the past due to not fitting in with already established committees.
Topics we have been able to further explore are blood disorders, health literacy, autism, thyroid disease, and transgender care/SAFE space training. This committee generates creativity for student pharmacists to choose what topics in which to bring light.
An inspiration to me
As someone who has been bullied in the past, experiencing feelings of being left out, or viewed as different in a bad way, this theme is inspiring to hear. I believe that this rather traumatic event correlates to how patients feel when they believe that no one else can relate with what they are going through or no one else has this disease.
Working on changing this mindset can be difficult, but that is where sharing stories, providing support systems, meeting patients where they are at, and furthering research in rare disease states can allow patients to find the community that being a pharmacist already encompasses.
Value of the team concept
Pharmacists’ sole purpose is helping others, which is done through working as a team. This team-based model allows people to embrace their individuality when working together to meet this goal. This thought is what continues to drive me to think outside the box for ways to improve this profession for patients.
I witnessed this through each individual’s path to this profession, and the variety of opportunities and leadership you can display as a pharmacist.