University of Michigan APhA-ASP attends Midyear Regional Meeting 2016
Policy Vice President Lauren Schumacher presenting our proposal at MRM's Policy Town Hall
From October 28-30, 24 schools and colleges of pharmacy gathered together in Cincinnati, Ohio for the Region 4 Midyear Regional Meeting (MRM) 2016. MRM is a unique opportunity for student pharmacists to get involved and learn more about policy proposals, career development, and general tips to be the best pharmacist in the future. The theme of the APhA-ASP this year, “Together We Can”, encourages us to recognize the importance of working together, making an impact in our organization and advancing the profession of pharmacy. This event showed us that we, as student pharmacists, can voice our opinions and inflict policy change.
On Saturday evening, everyone grabbed their favorite suits and dresses for the Casino Royale themed social event and then proceeded to the policy process at the Queen City Casino. Our Policy Vice President, Lauren Schumacher, went to MRM each year since she was a P1 and finally took the opportunity to represent our chapter in the policy forum as a P3. We proposed that the APhA-ASP should encourage regulation that requires transparent pharmacy reimbursement practices by pharmacy benefit managers. Thanks to her hard work, our proposed policy has been passed onto the regional level without any objection or amendment! She states, “I was thrilled with our success and the opportunity to bring the issue of pharmacy reimbursement to the forefront…I mean, we’re just students; who would imagine the difference we can make before we even learn how to dose Vanco?”
Lauren adds that MRM can also provide a meaningful experience to P1 and P2 students. She describes that as a P1, “MRM was about getting to know our chapter and understanding the role of the APhA-ASP in pharmacy.” As a P2, she was able to “branch out more” and network with “some like-minded students across the Midwest.” Regardless of a student’s progression in pharmacy school, MRM is a great opportunity to see the APhA-ASP on a larger scale and the differences between the various chapters in our region.
In addition to MRM, the annual APhA-ASP meeting this year is in San Francisco from March 24-27, 2017. It is one of the most well-respected meetings for future leaders in pharmacy, where students learn about topics ranging from leadership opportunities to patient safety and medication errors. We hope to see you at MRM and the annual meeting next year!
By Communication Liaisons Rachel No and Yong Jae Kim
