October 31, 2013

By: Kristina Brooks, PharmD'15, and Deven Brueckman, 2013-2014 APhA-ASP Chapter President

In late-October, 37 University of Michigan student pharmacists attended the 2013 American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) midyear regional meeting in Chicago, Ill. This was the largest turnout from the U-M College of Pharmacy in over a decade.

The APhA-ASP midyear meeting creates opportunities for students to learn about leadership through seminars; networking with representatives from residency programs and pharmacy chains; and forming professional relationships with fellow students from across the Midwest. Student pharmacists often exchange contact information to set up collaborative events or learn about innovative and unique events that other chapters are doing. Additionally, there are chapter showcases, member recognition, and committee awards that allow the regional chapters to learn about ways in which student pharmacists are making their mark across the region.

The University of Michigan APhA-ASP Chapter was acknowledged in the Chapter Showcase during the Leadership Breakfast for their work with the Michigan Pharmacists Association to plan Pharmacy Day at the Capitol. Pharmacy Day at the Capitol is a legislative event held annually at the Capitol Building in Lansing, MI. At this event, students participate in providing blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, immunization administration, and medication disposal for government employees, State Representatives and Senators, as well as the general public. This year, the medication disposal event collected over 500 pounds of medication that totaled more than $1 million. Over four years, a total of one ton of pharmaceuticals has been collected (minus packaging) totaling more than $2.5 million.

While at the APhA-ASP midyear regional meeting, U-M PharmD students participated in resolution debates. The U-M APhA-ASP chapter proposed resolution 2013.8 which would require a bachelor's degree as a requirement for admission to an accredited PharmD program.

Although this resolution did not pass, it created the most debate among all the chapter resolutions in our region. Student pharmacists benefitted from the pro-and-con deliberation of the resolution’s merits. Debate on proposals such as this help student pharmacists improve their ability to shape the profession by addressing issues that are relevant to current and future pharmacy practice.