Nl#106

International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation

IPSF Newsletter 106 Triannual Comprehensive Publication

Since establishment in 1949, IPSF now represents over 313,000 pharmaceutical students and recent graduates in over 80 countries worldwide.

IPSF is the leading international advocacy organisation of pharmacy students promoting improved public health through provision of information, education, networking, and a range of publication and professional activities.

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President VP / Chairperson of the African Regional Office Secretary General Treasurer IPSF Team Talk Chairperson of Internal Relations Chairperson of External Relations Chairperson of Media and Publications PEN Featurette Chairperson of Pharmacy Education SEP Featurette Chairperson of Student Exchange SPOT Featurette Chairperson of Public Health Profession Development Featurette Chairperson of Professional Development Chairperson of World Congress APRO Featurette Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Regional Office EMRO Featurette Chairperson of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Chairperson of the European Regional Office Chairperson of the Pan American Regional Office

Issue #106, April 2016

Design & Layout Ms. Amy Howard

IPSF Chairperson of Media and Publications publications@ipsf.org

Ms. Khansa Chavarina Ms. Carla Figura Ms. Nina Sostaric Ms. Tiffany Lee Ms. Carla Figura Mr. Ahmed Ali Awed (EMRO) Ms. Henny Lau (APRO)

Proofread by Ms. Sara DiTursi Editor-in-Chief editor@ipsf.org

Ms. Sheena Patel Ms. Katarina Zunic Mr. Odokonyero Kennedy Mr. Cheah Chong Sheng Ms. Katarina Žunić Ms. Sheena Patel Ms. Christine Echtenkamp

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Dayl President To my dear Federation, It is an honor to be in this position serving you as President for the 2015-2016 term. I could say that it feels like just yesterday that I heard about the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) as part of my former national association, the American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), but truly it feels like IPSF has been a part of my life for a very long time.

I joined in 2009 as a ready volunteer to fill in the Local Exchange Officer position at my university, not having any idea about the size and scope of IPSF’s work. I only knew that the Student Exchange Programme was being promoted across the United States, and the information on the IPSF website told me of the public health campaigns and other areas of impact. The idea that I could attend the World Health Assembly or meet people across the world who already had a connection to me through pharmacy was something I could not even imagine.

Knowing I wanted to make a greater impact than what I could reach at my local level, I applied for a national position within APhA-ASP, and was grateful to have been given an opportunity to serve as 2

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the first National Project Coordinator, alongside the Contact Person and Student Exchange Officer.

So, away to my first IPSF Congress I went to serve as Official Delegate at the General Assembly, not knowing anyone who would be there.

Thailand! Beautiful, beautiful Hurghada! I had never heard so many different accents in my life, never seen so many people from so many countries in the same room, and never realized the potential for growth that this Federation gives future pharmacists.

Within the ten days of Congress and the travels of the Post-Congress Tour, I was more than inspired to bring the knowledge of this experience and the possibilities to every pharmacy student I had met or had the potential to meet. I entered Thailand with only myself, and left with colleagues equally inspired to reinvigorate the Pan American Regional Office. I then served as the Regional Relations Officer for the Pan American Regional Office for a year, prior to a year as the Chairperson of External Relations.

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With the support and love of the other IPSF members I have met along the way, my goal as President is to strengthen the foundations of our Federation. We have a lot of work to do, and a big vision to reach. We should not settle for less than our potential, and we will continue to seek opportunities to improve public health and advocate on behalf of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences students on a global scale.

And for the student out there who just found out about IPSF, you’re in for a life-changing experience; welcome to the IPSF Family.

V la P! Humbly, Dr. Dayl Eccles

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Dear IPSFers, As we transition from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development, it is required from each stakeholder to improve their practice and evolve for us to reach these global goals. The practice of pharmacy shall not be left behind in this transition. This mandates us to be architects of the future where we represent a generation of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists which is a more creative and innovative contributor to the knowledge base within health. Let us be a gateway of solutions for our communities and ultimately change the world.

I’m Israel Bimpe from Rwanda -- the country of a thousands hills. I serve as the Vice President of the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (2015 – 16) and Chairperson of the IPSF African Regional Office (2015 – 16). I’m a final year student at the University of Rwanda. I’m grateful for the very motivated Regional Working Group (RWG) and skillful Executive Committee (ExCo).

I look forward to collaborating and making many friends through IPSF during this mandate. In the African Regional Office, this year we aim to sustain the development of the Regional Office and IPSF at large by reaching out to more non-member

countries in the West and the South, build leadership capacities within the Region, and engage in projects and initiatives to PANS, Nigeria for attaining Full Membership during the 61st IPSF World Congress.

Realistically, we expect to meet challenges, but no matter how difficult the circumstances, we acquire knowledge, skills, and experience to move on. This doesn’t just benefit each of us personally, but also our countries, the Region, the Federation, and the world. As we grow into value-based leaders, we aim to transform nations and the world.

The 4th IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium in Kigali was breathtaking, with a record participation of more than 350 delegates. Next year is our Region’s year within IPSF. Early in June, we are all heading to Mombasa, Kenya, for the 5th IPSF African Pharmaceutical and later in July to Harare, Zimbabwe for the 62nd World Congress, coming back Africa after more than 20 years. See you in Mombasa! See you in Harare!

IPSF is on African Vibes in 2016! Viva la Pharmacie!

Israel Vice President / Chairperson of African Regional Office 4

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James Secretary General G’day mates, My name is James White and I am the IPSF Secretary General for 2015-16. Being the second year of my mandate, I’m able to bring my experiences from last year back and hopefully improve on what I have established in my first year.

But firstly a little about myself. Currently I am an Intern Pharmacist (Provisional Registration Pharmacist) at University Hospital Geelong in Geelong, Victoria. I graduated with my Bachelor of Pharmacy from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and I’m currently completing my Graduate Diploma of Pharmacy Practise. I started in IPSF back in 2013 with the IPSF World Congress in Utrecht, the Netherlands and have been hooked ever since. Some people say don’t live to work, work to live; I have started to feel like I work to support my IPSF habit.

My biggest goal for this mandate is to create and structure the process of writing and disseminating guidelines. I would like to see all IPSF processes written down and available to all members on the website. Having our standard operations written down will allow for smooth handovers and allow all members and Team to understand all procedures.

Secretary General is a hard portfolio to bring innovation to. The portfolio is one that requires a large time commitment and a large portion of the work is work that doesn’t change from year to year.

Minutes and agendas can make it a job that little envy. Letting those parts of the work overwhelm the rest of the position is what will make it not enjoyable. As little time as you get for it, the innovation within the Secretary General portfolio is what makes it enjoyable and makes me enthusiastic.

The other big part of my portfolio is managing the IPSF Team and this part of my job is also something that I am excited for this year. This year I plan to begin IPSF Team soft skills trainings. As an IPSF trainer I’m in the lucky position of having the knowledge of soft skills and how to teach them to others and this is my plan for the IPSF Team. Soft skills trainings for communication, teamwork and group dynamics will increase the expertise of the IPSF Team and allow for more efficient teamwork and work for the Federation throughout the year.

All in all, I am just looking forward to working for the Federation for another year. I am looking forward to meeting my friends again in Zimbabwe.

I am looking forward to catching the IPSF spirit again.

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Michael Treasurer

Hello everyone!

My name is Michael McIntyre and I am the IPSF Treasurer for 2015 through to 2017. Even though I am currently in, and originally from, Canada, my first experiences with IPSF were when I was studying my pharmacy degree abroad in Australia. Helping out with the Student Exchange Programme in Australia led me to the Official Delegate seat for NAPSA, Australia at the 60th IPSF World Congress in Porto, Portugal and I’ve been developing my IPSF habit ever since.

During the year after Porto I served on the IPSF team as a member of the Development Fund Committee (DFC) and the Constitutional Working Committee (CWC). As a part of the DFC, I was able to learn more about the ways IPSF can provide financial support to the members who need it most. Being part of the CWC gave me a deep familiarity with the official documents while working to edit and finalize them. I also gained a better understanding of the workings of the General Assembly (GA) as we reviewed the recorded sessions to fully document the minutes of the GA. Using the experiences I gained over the previous year, I took part in the 61st IPSF General Assembly in Hyderabad, India, as the first Parliamentary Coordinator. I ran the GA in place of the IPSF Presi6

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dent to provide an unbiased voice in mediating all discussions taking place. It was also in Hyderabad where I was elected Treasurer of IPSF for my two year mandate.

The treasurer position is an interesting one within IPSF. Because my mandate is two years long, it allows for me to plan bigger projects and make longer goals. My overall plans are to keep the Federation financially stable and maintain the allocation of our resources where they will be most effective in helping our members. I’m also carrying over from the previous Executive Committee plans to finalise the Federation’s not-for-profit status. This will open up many more financial doors for us in terms of grants and partnerships, both of which I would love to see expanded. I am also planning on finally implementing a functioning online payment system which is cost effective for our members and the Federation as a whole.

Overall I am looking forward to working with the hard-working and hilarious group of people I get to call my ExCo family over the next year. I also look forward to meeting many of our members at IPSF events and of course, the next World Congress in Harare, Zimbabwe!

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Brian Wong  Development Fund Coordinator 2015 - 2016

Funding Your Path to IPSF The Development Fund (DF )has evolved since its establishment in 1969. The main goal of the Development Fund is to give each and every pharmacy student an equal opportunity to fully participate in IPSF activities and develop their potential to help their community.

The Development Fund was originally created to help pharmacy students around the world participate in IPSF Congresses due to their financial circumstances. Now, it has expanded to support students in various ways to fulfill their dreams such as taking part in the IPSF Student Exchange Programme, running IPSF campaigns for their communities or IPSF membership fees.

The Development Fund is steered by the Development Fund Committee that consists of three members and the IPSF Treasurer. The Development Fund Committee is chaired by the Development Fund Coordinator. Also, the Chairperson of Student Exchange is involved in the committee to make decisions regarding Student Exchange grants. When making decisions on Development Fund Grants, equity is emphasized. Applicants from the developing/less developed countries with financial hardship are prioritized, however, good applications are always considered. We will try to help those who are most financially in need so that they can participate in IPSF activities.

The main income source of the DF funds is from charity auctions held during the IPSF World Congress and Regional Symposia. In the auction, Congress participants will bring unique and genuine items from their home countries for auction. Some items are even especially tailor-made for the auction. Therefore, please support the auction night

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during IPSF events as you are winning unique items from other countries while helping the Development Fund to fulfill the dreams of others.

Other income sources are donations and congress profits. IPSF congresses are non-profit events but in the occasion of any profit, the Congress host must donate a proportion of the profit to the Development Fund according to the IPSF Constitution. Throughout the year, the DF Coordinator sends out the calls for applications to DF grants. All applicants have to send in an official application form by the deadline set by the DF Committee and they must follow the guidelines in the application form and call for applications. Calls are distributed through the IPSF website, IPSF Social media and IPSF Contact Persons who are essential for distributing it further nationally and locally.

This year, the Development Fund Committee is implementing changes to provide a better utilisation of the funds. Two rounds of the Project Grant Call will be announced throughout the year to encourage pharmacy students to carry out IPSF and public health campaigns to benefit their community. Also, a Development Fund newsletter will be published to show how the Development Fund can help pharmacy students around the world to fulfill their dreams and plans.

Announcements of grant calls will be made throughout the year with updates on the IPSF website and IPSF Facebook page. Contact your student association IPSF Contact person for more information. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me for any enquiry or further information regarding to the Development Fund (df@ipsf.org).

Viva la pharmacie Brian Wong

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Samin Huq »» Policy Coordinator 2015 - 2016

Policy and Advocacy: Foundation of Better Future in Healthcare In my personal opinion, the primary basis of a running project from various portfolios (public health, pharmacy education, professional development) with the aims of advocating on a particular issue is the preparation of strong and objective-based policies prepared with a vision on the role of various factors and epidemiological studies related to the issue. Preparation of strong policies will help in the building of a platform for the advocacy of the issue through implementation of various projects of a portfolio. Furthermore, it also gives the organization a basis to develop a strong and focused project of the Federation as well as giving an overview on the preparation of the advocacy strategy for its successful implementation.

Let me take the opportunity to introduce myself. I am Samin Huq, a recent graduate of pharmacy from the Department of Pharmacy, BRAC University, in Bangladesh and have been working as IPSF Policy Coordinator for 2015-16. Additionally, I have been working as Teaching Assistant in the Department of Pharmacy, BRAC University right after my graduation. My involvement in IPSF started in 2012, with the successful application of BRAC University Pharma Society (BUPS-Bangladesh) as Member-in-Association of IPSF in 58th IPSF General Assembly, Hurgadha, Egypt. Working on various avenues of IPSF such as the Constitutional Working Party 2012-13, Motions Committee for 59th IPSF General Assembly, Policy Committee 2013-14 have led my realization for the need of IPSF’s in-depth involvement on policy and advocacy for setting the foundation behind the successful implementation of its project.

The Policy Committee, which has been guided and chaired by the Policy Coordinator has the prime responsibility for the preparation of a policy statement

as well as the development of advocacy strategies based on the policy statement is entering its third year since its inception in the mandate of 2013-14.

In previous years, the committee being relatively new had the sole responsibility of preparing the policy statement of IPSF’s external partner event, for strong partnership in the implementation of its project. During the role of Policy Coordinator in coordination with the President, my first objective is the development of IPSF’s independent policy statement which will applicable for all cases in the specified timeline as I believe the dimension of healthcare changes from time to time which arises the need of newer policy statements on the emerging issues of healthcare and completing the need of present issues in the future.

The policy committee is working and prepared guideline on which the committee will work in this year. The committee is highly interested in its involvement of the members of the federation and their contribution towards the development of policy statement. Furthermore, we have submitted three policy statement at the 138th Executive Board Meeting of World Health Organization in the year 2016 on issues of healthcare such as non-communicable disease, sound management of chemicals and global vaccine action plan. Our future work involves the development of policy statement with an aim of releasing one statement per month and developing advocacy strategy and necessary action for the prepared policy statement in the final month of the mandate.

Finally, I would like to say that I am extremely honored to be awarded with such responsibility at the Federation and the entire policy committee would love the member’s opinion and contribution related to advocacy of relevant issues of healthcare and in the preparation of policy statements.

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Lucas

Chairperson of Internal Relations

Dear IPSFers and future IPSFers from all over the world, My name is Lucas Ercolin, and I am the Chairperson of Internal Relations for 2015-2016. I have the pleasure to write to you from the hot Brazilian weather.

I first discovered IPSF in 2011, when I start the proceedings for my local association to join the Federation, and I joined my first World Congress in 2012, in Hurghada, Egypt. Since then, I have met hundreds of students from all over the world. It is hard to describe the feeling of being a citizen of the world, sharing moments and events in every corner of the globe.

The Internal Relations portfolio deals with mainly two big areas: Membership Affairs and Membership Promotion. The work inside IPSF must go to the members, based on the work of the Contact Persons, who are appointed by the associations.

Then the members can report back to IPSF about all their hard work. For this, I deal with platforms to allow sharing and discussions about the IPSF’s related subjects. Interested yet? Talk to your association about how to join IPSF’s work!

For Membership Promotion, the main question is -

how can we encourage students who are not members of the Federation to join? Not the entire world is part of IPSF, and a considerable number of the students do not have a representative association for the pharmacy students in their country or university. For this, the Internal Relations team works on reaching out those who are not members, and supports students who want to develop their own associations - both local and national. Want to support this work? Want to urge your association join IPSF or even make an association? Contact me! For those looking to join IPSF individually, the Federation welcomes all. Contact the Membership Coordinator at membership@ipsf.org A third piece of Internal Relations work is on events.

The Internal Relations Chairperson works as advisor for the Reception Committees for the World Congress and Regional Symposia. You should join an IPSF event too!

The Federation has a great number of opportunities, and you can be a part of it!

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Lucas Ecrolin »» Chairperson of Internal Relations 2015-2016

Inside the Federation – An Internal Work Dear pharmacy students from all over the world, After most the first part of the term, which started October 1st, we developed several new projects and engaged in the traditional portfolio, bringing the Federation closer to the members via Contact Persons (CP), the main bridge to the Association and increasing the knowledge about our own work. Therefore, I want to share with you the key points from this first part of the term: Contact Person – Training Materials, Contact Person Group, IPSF Booklet and Create Your Own Association.

Contact Person – Training Material “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

(Malcom X) Some Associations are just starting in IPSF, while others were not only a part of the IPSF since the very start of the Federation, but have over a century of existence. All of them, with their different cultures and internal organisation, must appoint one person to be the contact between the Association and the Federation. Moreover, this person may have an entire committee, being in charge of sharing all the information from IPSF to the local individuals, who will share this to their students.

The one who holds such an important position is called the Contact Person.

However, in almost every Association, the Contact Person changes yearly, the same person does not have the same position for more than 2 or 3 years or the contact between the old and the new Con12

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tact Person is not the best. Others may be just too new to know exactly what is expected from them or get overwhelmed with the huge amount of information that comes every day (see more in the next section ).

A question posed from several generations of IPSFers, from the Executive Committee to the Associations and their students, is always the same: How can we be sure that the Contact Persons will reach the highest standards, complete their portfolio work and be aware of what is the most relevant information for IPSF and the Association?

Maybe, “how to be sure” is a little too much, because we cannot be sure of anything but our own conscience – René Descartes (1596-1650) was a philosopher who reached his most known quote based on this problem, “I think, therefore I am.”

Maybe we cannot be sure, but we can try to do our best. For this, past generations of General Assemblies set in our IPSF Official Documents that the Contact Person must be familiar with the Contact Person Handbook (Official Documents, Domestic Rules, Article 12.2.5) – This handbook should be a guide for every Contact Person to educate themselves and complete their portfolio work as best as possible.

This year, we updated it – from one big handbook to a set of documents: Contact Person 101, Contact Person Annual Report model, Credential Forms model, Filters for Gmail, Global Contact Person Group Guidelines (see specific session about the Contact Person Group), IPSF Booklet (see specific session) and Official IPSF Contact List.

From all these, the most interesting to comment on about is the “Contact Person 101”.

Imagine yourself getting a position that you know nothing about – Most people just get aware of the existence of the Contact Person when they want a Confirmation Letter to an event or internship, when they get curious about the Federation or when they feel spammed by them (which is not intentional). Therefore, IPSF must be prepared to give the best background for the new Contact Persons – From those who had a great handover and started with a good knowledge, to those who know nothing. his document starts from the very basic question, “Where to Start”, with the very basic answer, “First Things First”.

Our idea was to answer some of the main doubts and put the incoming Contact Person on track: Where to start? Where to work? Where to go? Setting and managing the email, Activity Reports and Credential Forms, IPSF’s Activities, where to look for information and how to finish your mandate.

It is important to notice that this document is tailored for the Contact Person. When looking for setting and managing the email, it explains and gives the tools for Contact Person to set their emails, and it is not something applicable for anyone looking for IPSF information. When looking for the IPSF’s Activities, you are not going to find information about what they are, but how the Contact Person can engage on these activities.

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Other documents, such as the most updated version of the Official Documents (based on the Contact Person Group), Project Accreditation System Guidelines and, yet to be updated, the Official Documents for Newbies, are part of the Contact Person Training Material.

Contact Person Group – Statistics for Knowledge “Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful.”

(George E. P. Box) If you are a Contact Person, and if you are paying attention to the Contact Person Group, I can guess that you are very curious about this chapter. But I will introduce this to our best friends: The pharmacy students from all over the world.

There are many ways from which IPSF communicates with all those 320,000 pharmacy students and recent graduates from our “Pale Blue Dot”.

Probably Facebook and the contact from your Association are the main ways that you use to receive it, seeing different pictures, campaigns, opportunities and events.

But the Federation uses email as the main way for communication. You may ask: “Well, I do not think that I ever received an email straight from… err…

You!”. And in fact not. I would say that only 0.05% of all the represented students, with their personal and Association’s emails, will ever receive an email from IPSF. There is a group of people who, sometimes, may not want to be in this 0.05% - The Contact Persons Group.

While planning the Contact Person Material, I wondered: “Do we have any hard data about the Contact Person Group? How many emails it get?

How many people actually answer to it? What are the main topics?”

Then, since the very start of the mandate, I decided to get some hard data about it: Total number of emails, number of emails in a same thread, title, email from who sent, position, association, date and time (with seconds precision!).

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In the time it took me to write this article, the Contact Person Group received 384 emails, about 3~4 per day. From all this, 25% is from the Executive Committee and 55% from Contact Persons. The rest (20%) is from the Coordinators and Officers from the Regional Working Groups.

and less. That is why we have now a “Contact Person Group Guidelines”, to avoid it.

No wonder why some people blame us for spamming – Which is less than 15% of all the emails received, from what less than half of received go to the Contact Persons, and every month reach less

Some people approached me to ask: “Lucas, how long does it take you to read each email and to record this data?” – To record the data about the group, one minute or less. It takes more time to

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The threads that get more attention are related to guidelines, monthly updates, events and internships.

anyone looking for it, from Pharmacy Students, to potential partners.

“I want to know more about the Federation!” – “Here you go! All that you might want to know.

You can see the website too.”

IPSF Booklet

Create Your Own Association

“Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it.”

(Samuel Johnson)

“Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right.' Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”

(George Herbert)

We cannot know why would someone decide to look for information about IPSF. One can be a 16- year-old person, that finds our logo nice and decides to send an email to us (yep, it happened), another may be a billionaire, looking to give their money to a nice Non-Governmental Organisation.

Or, maybe the ones that we are looking for more, a pharmacy student that sees something about our Federation and, without knowing if it is or is not a member, decides to give a look.

All those will have the very same question – “Where can I look for information?”

We, IPSF, must ask another question – How can we provide information, and what information should we provide? In a digital world, the most obvious answer would be the Website (ipsf.org). In fact, it is important, but a well done website can have several directions, and all the information that we want. Nevertheless, there is a different situation: Some people just approach us and ask: “I want to know more about IPSF”, and telling them “go look the website” is just not polite, nor efficient – A second approach, alternative and additional to the Website was needed.

Then, we decided to combine two past works from the previous generations of IPSFers – The NonMember Handbook and the Contact Person Handbook, which were basically a summary of IPSF with some specific information, and make one document to provide an overview of the Federation for

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read every single one and know what is happening. Needless to say, there are so many emails that in the past some people even recommended to make emails from this group “skip inbox”. If you do it, you are missing all the fun.

Few IPSFers had to start their own Association from zero, in order to be part of the Federation.

Many students, while looking for membership, easily see that is better (and cheaper) to bring all their pharmacy friends to IPSF, then being a member alone. However, most of them will hit the first barrier – “How can I make my own Association?”

For some pharmacy students, the one who asked this question made it over a hundred years ago, others never had this question in first place, because their universities or professional associations were in charge of starting it.

But some students just have nothing – Never heard about the existence of Student Associations, the universities and professionals do not support it, the students just do not see the point or trust the possibility to make one, or they just do not know where to start.

For this reason, we decided to make a document, aimed for those who have no support and no knowledge, to give support to those looking to create their own Association from zero. It includes information about what we think that is better to start, what they should look for, a sample constitution, how to become an IPSF member and tips to start – Always having in mind that we do not know every law of the world.

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Maddie Chairperson of External Relations Greetings IPSF students! It’s a pleasure to introduce myself. My name is Madeline Chavara. I am this year’s Chairperson of External Relations, meaning that together with the Corporate Relations Committee, I am responsible for the maintenance and further development of IPSF’s external partners and for establishing new ones in both the professional and corporate fields. I am a 5th year Doctor of Pharmacy candidate at the University of Pittsburgh located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.

My journey with IPSF started in May of 2014 when I attended the World Health Assembly sponsored by the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. I was not originally part of the IPSF WHA delegation, however, I attended the side event they hosted in conjunction with the International Pharmacy Federation (FIP), which discussed the importance of interprofessional collaboration. I was inspired by IPSF’s impressive dedication to its students and the promotion of world health. This inspired me to get involved and in 2014 I joined the Corporate Relations Committee (CRC). This year, I am humbled and privileged to serve you and IPSF as the Chairperson of External Relations.

ple and relating with them in a way that allows us to learn from each other. As External Chairperson, I hope to use this enthusiasm to connect IPSF to our partners so that we can grow and create opportunities for each other. My goal is to give IPSF the opportunity to represent ourselves and our future profession on a local, regional and international level by connecting with our partners and collaborating in a productive way. As future health care professionals, we have the opportunity and responsibility to advocate for pharmacy and global health. IPSF serves as an excellent platform to truly make an impact!

One of my greatest passions is meeting new peo-

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Amy Chairperson of Media and Publications The route leading me to IPSF has been a bit longer than the one most of my fellow members have taken. Here's the quick version of my adult life: earned a degree in Studio Art at University of California, attended language school in Paris, was a rural healthcare volunteer with the Peace Corps in Senegal, majored in biology at University of Nevada while working as a pharmacy techinician, married a musician, moved with him and our dogs across the USA, and now am in the third year of studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Pharmacy.

My introduction to IPSF was in Portugal at the 60th World Conference where I decided to be an active participant in this impressive organization. One of the most enjoyable aspects of IPSF membership is the chance interact with people from all over the world who share the goal of becoming pharmacy professionals.

know the role of pharmacists and pharmaceutical sciencists in healthcare. We have a platform to share and shape the health policies for tomorrow.

At the 61st World Conference I had the honor of being elected your Chairperson of Media and Publications. Communication is the key to understanding and I look forward to making a contribution to this essential element of the work on behalf of IPSF. I hope all members take advantage of the material and information provided by your Executive Committee. We welcome your input, ideas, and involvement!

When I was selected to participate at the WHA as a member of the IPSF delegation and had the opportunity to see the potential for IPSF impact, I was hooked. As students we have the chance to be a voice for the future of our profession. Advocacy for IPSF happens everyday via social media. By showcasing our collective voice, we let the world

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Katarina Zunic »» Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb

The Final Review: Role of the Editorial Committee The Editorial Committee is a part of the Media and Publications Portfolio. In the IPSF Team Call it is stated:

“This Committee is responsible for proofreading all documents intended for distribution within or outside the Federation.”

It’s a pretty simple description, but the job is so much more. Every piece of information, whether it’s a Facebook post, text on pictures, newsletters, meeting minutes, webpage, PEN, Phuture or instructions for new Executives and Committee members is authorized by Editorial before publishing. Here are some thoughts on the work that is being done by the current members of the Committee: “The work of an editor is like that of a producer in a movie. I find it cool working behind the scenes of something. I joined the Editorial Committee because I was eager to learn and improve my command of English. Each time I’m not sure of something, I go and read about it. This has especially improved my punctuation skills. I believe my work, in a way, helps in providing credibility to every readable material that comes out of the Federation.“ - Odokonyero Kennedy, MUPSA Uganda

“The Editorial Committee serves as the final check before articles are published. Knowing I’m the last pair of eyes, trains me to be more detailed in reading.“ –Cheah Chong Sheng, MyPSA Malaysia “I feel privileged to serve on the Editorial Committee as this position allows me to work not only with my fellow Committee members, but also with every region. In our role as editors, we use our skills to unite the pharmacy students and pharmacists of IPSF by optimizing communication and ensuring the professionalism and spirit of our image as a Federation. It is my hope that as a Committee, our work allows the authors to have confidence that the final publications are of the highest quality, and truly reflect the authors intent.“ -Christine Echtenkamp, APhA-ASP USA “I like to think of us as a way of helping people, both pharmacy students and graduates, who are not fluent in English or have problems with their writing style to better express themselves. We try to understand what the author of the article meant to say and we make changes so that more people can understand it too. At the same time, we learn new information about pharmacy beacuse we have to read the articles thoroughly and we always learn something new about the English language. “ -Katarina Žunić, CPSA, Croatia

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inside IPSF “Here, at the Editorial Committee, we have the pleasure and the responsibility to proofread and review all the written content of IPSF, aiming to the overall quality of the external image and prestige of IPSF and to a clearer and more uniform writing, thus contributing to a better communication with worldwide pharmacy students. Through an effective communication we can, therefore, fully understand each other and, together, contribute to a generation of more informed and prepared future pharmacists.“ -Pedro Martins, APEF, Portugal None of the work from the Editorial would be possible, without the Editor-in-Chief who looks for mistakes that the rest of the Committee might have missed and gives a final approval of the edited documents.

“Being the Editor-in-Chief, it is my job to ensure the readability of all materials. This is a great opportunity for me to serve IPSF in this capacity and ensure that all communications that reach our members are of the highest quality, and also to assist the authors in producing the materials. It is great to be able to work with IPSFers from all areas of the Federation.“ -Sara DiTursi, APhA-ASP USA

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Whitley Chairperson of Pharmacy Education Greetings IPSFers, In this edition, you will read about student internship experiences, answers to our pharmacy education challenge question, perspectives on student education experiences, and an event report from IPSF students on how they addressed the issue of disaster preparedness among pharmaceutical students. I would also like to take this opportunity to share a brief update on the publications in the Pharmacy Education (PE) Portfolio.

A special thanks to all the individuals who contributed articles, the Pharmacy Education Committee and the IPSF Media and Publications team.

Please contact education@ipsf.org with any questions.

Viva la Pharmacie!

Pharmacy Education Newsletter (PEN): You might also have noticed some changes in how PEN is organized. PEN will now contain consistent features in each edition, which are described in more detail in the PEN Call. PEN will be the PE featurette in the larger comprehensive IPSF newsletter.

Phuture: Phuture will continue to be themed, but will be open to research, reviews, or commentaries on other topic within pharmacy or the pharmaceutical sciences as well. Articles and abstracts can be submitted any time and will be accepted on a rolling basis. Therefore, articles submitted early have a greater likelihood of being included in the publication.

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Amel Abad »» Microbiologist PhD, ASEPA Algeria

Algeria Facing Antimicrobial Resistance Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a main concern for health professionals. Increasing resistance rates and new types of resistances have been reported recently and paints an overview of the possible lack of treatment for some infectious diseases in the near future as a result. To fight against antimicrobial resistance, many countries have introduced effective prevention strategies.

In Algeria, the misuse of antibiotics including beta‐lactam antibiotics (e.g. oxacillin for staphylococci and cephalosporins for enterobacteria infections), and fluoroquinolones (especially for UTIs ) has generated remarkable rates of resistance to these antibiotic families in the community and hospital population with the emergence of new mechanisms of resistance (e.g. oxacillinases, carbapenemases...etc.)

Microbiologists (are doctors and pharmacists with microbiology specialisation) play a key role in achieving laboratory phenotypic and genotypic tests that allow the detection and identification of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. They also collaborate with hospital pharmacists for monitoring the antibiotic consumption.

The title of “microbiologist” is garnered after completing a course of 5 years termed “residency” – which includes theoretical and practical trainings.

As a response to the rapid rise of antibiotic resistance, the idea of creating ​​ an antibiotic resistance monitoring network was implemented in 1999. It was then officially formalized in 2002 by creating a national network under the WHO guidelines. The 24

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network is called the “Algerian Antimicrobial Network” (AARN) and is listed on the WHO website, playing a key role in forewarning and monitoring.

The network is of major interest to use in hospitals in order to assess the local epidemiology of antibiotic resistance and guide clinicians in selecting the most effective treatment while avoiding antibiotic misuse.

Despite the measures implemented in recent years, the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is still worrisome. In fact, the implementation of these surveillance measures face many challenges including lack of communication between pharmacists and clinicians. This situation could be solved by creating a clinical pharmacist programme.

Additionally, we should seek to better regulate the prescription of antibiotics: In hospitals, through the provision of a summary on the local epidemiology to the clinician, it will allow him/her to choose the best antibiotic according to the clinical situation In the community, through the organization of awareness campaigns and patient education on the risks of antibiotic misuse Ultimately, the implementation of measures to prevent the emergence of antibiotic resistance requires close collaboration between clinicians and pharmacists to select the best treatment and educate the general population. The spread of AMR, however, should suggest a need for the development of new antibiotics which could be effective on these new multi‐resistant bacterial strains.

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Matthew Hung »» Université Laval (Quebec, Canada)

Integrating Technology in Pharmacy Education Technology has been progressing at a rapid pace, making it complex to be continuously updated with the latest trends and tools. Technology is becoming an increasingly integrative part of our daily routine by simplifying many tasks and facilitating communication.

In the field of pharmacy, technology has allowed us to increase efficiency in pharmaceutical service and optimize patient care. We are able store a countless number of patient files and information on an electronic server.

Prescriptions can be scanned and attached to each script so they are easily accessible. Medications are prepared in controlled laboratories, and drug interaction detection programs have demonstrated their usefulness. Long gone are apothecary‐like days with endless folders of patient files manually written or potion bottles claimed as medicine.

Technology has become an important tool for pharmacists.

So what more can we expect in terms of technological advancements? In many places, prescriptions can be renewed via online refill systems, rendering the refill process more convenient for both the patient and the pharmacist. Furthermore, clinical lab results, medical images, and even prescriptions can now be shared between prescribers, health professionals, and pharmacists, opening doors for interprofessional collaboration. In an even more innovative manner, mobile applications are being developed to help pharmacists monitor their patients in real time. These apps can record the number of steps a patient has taken throughout the day and can compare glycemic or blood

pressure levels each time they are measured. Even though these advancements are revolutionary, it is essential that patient confidentiality and information security be consistently maintained.

While the use of technology in pharmacies will increase, the teaching of this new technology should increase as well. It should be a new standard in curriculum that students are instructed the fundamentals of pharmacy software technology at an early level during their education. The chosen technology should correspond to the most widely used technological applications in each respective surrounding geographical region. This way, students are able to learn the basics of the software and perfect their skills in preparation for their clinical internships and ultimately for their future practice. The use of pharmacy technology, because of the continuously changing field, should also be an integrative component of continuing professional development for pharmacists in practice.

These days, a computer is essential for pharmacists to easily and quickly access patient information and medical lab results. Technology has become a helpful ally in enhancing patient care. While “on the job” experience with pharmacy software is invaluable, students should nevertheless be introduced to technological applications at an early stage in their education. With new technological tools being regularly developed, it is even more imperative that the future generations of pharmacists are instructed to efficiently use pharmacy technology to provide and optimize pharmaceutical care.

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Asma Bahira, PharmD »» ASEPA, recently graduate of University of Algiers, Algeria

E-Learning to Support the Traditional Education System Entering university is like switching from a small community in which all the parts care for each other, to a larger community where we are left on our own most of the time. Neither students nor teachers are able to have performance traceability before or after exams. This important notion used to be assured in our prior educational systems – high school, middle and primary schools – through continuous evaluation in traditional learning, or assignments that, in the exception of some subjects, are absent in our life as Algerian pharmacy students, or do not provide any traceability. The problem with assignments at university is that teachers have to manage a huge number of students. Exam correction, conferences, laboratory and research work already take too much time, which makes scheduling any additional effort using the classic tools difficult.

Introducing e‐learning to regular students and enhancing the existing system helps teachers get rid of time management problems when offering more assistance to their students.

The truth is that technology or more precisely, the internet, embeds itself into the educational system without knocking on doors. Nowadays, the use of social media and emailing is common among students and teachers. An American study stated that in 2011, about 53% of pharmacy programs in the USA used social media in some form1. The same goes for pharmacy education in Algeria where

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facebook, e‐mails and forums, for example, contribute in the learning process through facilitating communication and knowledge exchange. Creating a Facebook group for the new promotions each year became a steady tradition in students’ lives. Adopting an e‐learning system as a support to the traditional system doesn’t only help organize the functionalities that students seek when using any of the tools cited above, but also provides countless benefits, some of which are cited below: •

Communication: E‐learning provides a virtual interactive platform that facilitates communication through incorporated messaging system, forums and online display spaces.

•

More materials for a better understanding: Suggesting, using, and creating online materials becomes simple and almost effortless.

•

Assignments: Attribution and submission of assignments do not cause problems anymore since all that the teacher has to do is to upload the assignments and find students’ answers collected in his/her account before the deadline he/ she defines. This saves time for teachers and gives students a chance to review their courses while they are still fresh, and to dig deeper for further understanding of the material furnished during lectures.

A better assessment of apprenticeship and teaching programs: Many features help teachers assess apprenticeship and see the teaching programs from the student’s point of view. E‐portfolios, for example, besides being a good choice in realizing these aims, help students develop soft skills such as autoevaluation, critical thinking, communication, analysis, synthesis, knowledge integration...etc2, tracing the learning process an easy task.

•

Auto‐correction system: Some tests and assignments may benefit from this option, offering students an immediate evaluation and helping teachers make a better use of time while monitoring their classes.

•

Traceability and data transmission: For example, calculating the overall average of the class and using the stored data in tracing the class performance allows teachers to have an accurate estimation of students’ assimilation and subsequently target their weaknesses during tutorial classes. That is, any effort done by teachers will be channelized thanks to good data use and instant data transmission. Therefore, it will give better results.

•

Knowledge increase: In their studies, Sandra M. Salter et al, found e‐learning to be effective at increasing knowledge immediately after training by 7% to 46%.3

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•

Though the research did not include long term knowledge evaluation, the proven effectiveness of e‐learning makes it evident that using it to support traditional learning would help reinforce the acquired skills and information. With all the advantages it presents, I think it is time to enlarge the use of e‐learning and to fully avail all that it offers, particularly in terms of assessment and traceability. As for our university, I believe we should at least start thinking seriously about implementing this new “culture” in order to empower the quality of education to meet students’ needs.

References: 1. Michael S. Monaghan, Jeff J. Cain, Patrick M. Malone, Tracy A. Chapman, Ryan W. Walters, David C. Thompson, Steven T. Riedl . Educational Technology Use Among US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy. Am J Pharm Educ. 2011 Jun 10; 75(5): 87.

2. Denis Berthiaume, Amaury Daele. Evaluer les apprentissages des étudiant∙e∙s à l’aide du portfolio.

Unil, Lausanne University, October 2010.

3. Sandra M. Salter, Ajay Karia, Frank M. Sanfilippo, Rhonda M. Clifford. Effectiveness of E‐learning in Pharmacy Education. Am J Pharm Educ. 2014 May 15; 78(4): 83.

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Elif Baris, Merve Yildiz and Mehmet Dumeni »» Faculty of Pharmacy, Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus

Different Perspectives of Undergraduate Students to Pharmacy Pharmacy is a field of science which is made up of different branches including synthesis of chemicals, health sciences, and herbal and synthetic based drugs. Traditionally, pharmacists are more prone to compound and dispense medications based on prescriptions from physicians in drug stores. Unfortunately, all over the world, the perception of the pharmacy profession is limited to dispensing drugs in addition to giving limited advice to patients.

In order to realize different opportunities in our profession, we preferred to do our traineeship in the Pharmacology Department of Uludag University in Turkey. During this period, we had a chance to participate in different experiments including: microdialysis, HPLC analysis, decapitation and brain tissue slicing with a tissue cropper, total protein analysis by the Lowry method, novel object project, mechanical withdrawal test, thermal withdrawal test, and the Von Frey test. This article aims to correct the misconceptions about the restrictive scope of practice in the pharmacy field.

Collection of acetylcholine by microdialysis method and HPLC analysis Microdialysis is an invasive technique measuring the free or unbound analyte concentration in any tissues. These analytes include hormones, neurotransmitters, glucose, sodium, potassium etc. which cause important actions within the body.

Defect or excess concentrations of these analytes can change homeostasis and can cause several diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other significant diseases.

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Microdialysis methods require a probe/catheter by inserting this probe into the tissue of interest. The purpose of this method is to collect the acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter from brain tissue.

Once the catheter is inserted, artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF like fluid without neurotransmitters) is administered to brain tissue. Due to the presence of pores in the probe, neurotransmitters can pass across into the probe from a high concentration to a low concentration according to passive diffusion phenomena. When spinal fluid is collected, it is run on HPLC (high‐performance liquid chromatography) to analyze the concentration of ACh. Total Protein Analysis in Brain Tissue Slices with Spectrophotometry Decapitation is a process which is based on removing the rat’s brain using a guillotine. After comforting rats in the operation room for 30 minutes prior to procedure, rats are held from front legs and head of rat is decapitated. Brain is removed from the scalp by using scissors and collecting it without harming the brain tissue. The cortex is dissected from both hemispheres of brain and sliced by using a tissue cropper. The cortex slices are kept in a normal, physiological Krebs‐ Hensleit solution.

The tissues are incubated for a period of time and further analyses continue with total protein level determination by the Lowry method. This method is used to determine concentration of proteins by using spectrophotometry.

inside IPSF Mechanical withdrawal test The mechanical withdrawal test, also known as the Randall‐Selitto test, is utilized to detect the mechanical pain threshold of rats. Mechanical pressure is applied in a constant increasing ratio to the back hindpaws of rats and the results are recorded in gram units. After adaptation of rats to a Randall‐Selitto device, the paws were compressed by increasing pressure and a process which resulted in pain. Pain causes an escape reaction from the rats. This reflex is defined as a withdrawal threshold. The process is repeated three times and an average value was assigned as control value. In our traineeship, an analgesic agent was injected to rodents via a microinjection method. After injections, the anti‐nociceptive effect of the analgesic agent was evaluated with this method.

method, familiar objects are placed in an arena and rodents try to explore these objects during a particular time.

Thermal withdrawal test Thermal withdrawal test is a technique to detect pain nociception of rats by using heat as a stimuli. Rats were attached to plexiglas boxes with a glass floor 30 minutes prior to the operation and heat was applied to back paw of rats to initiate the pain. When the rats started to show signs of a pain sensation such as licking, shaking or lifting the paw, the previously started timer was stopped and the thermal stimuli was terminated. The test was applied three times and the average value was assigned as control value. Similar to the mechanical withdrawal test, the thermal withdrawal test is used for assessing the anti‐nociceptive effect of analgesic agents.

Conclusion Apart from the research methods and ethical concerns regarding the use of experimental animals and their breeding, presentation of an academic publication and principals that we should follow during laboratory sessions are the other topics that we anticipated. What actually impressed us mostly is the collaboration of different professions such as medical doctors, biologists, chemists and pharmacists which is crucial for a scientific researches. Research studies are developing day by day and it is a dynamic work which is related to discovery and keeping up with newly developed technologies. Consequently, completing a traineeship program in a research laboratory brought us a different awareness about the pharmacy profession. As undergraduate students, our future plan is to work in a research laboratory in Cyprus in addition to having an academic career to train more pharmacists for the next generations.

Novel Object Recognition Test The novel object recognition test is performed to understand the effect of endogenous and exogenous factors like age, genetic factors and chemicals on memory alterations in rodents. In this

A foreign object, known as novel object, is replaced with one of the familiar objects. Rats become more curious about a recently introduced object and the normally functioning brain spends more time for exploration.If rat shows same the interest to novel and formerly introduced objects, it is considered a memory deficit.

Rodents with different age groups participated in this test in order to estimate the relation between age and memory. It was concluded that there is a negative correlation between age and memory.

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Yuya Kitazawa (translated by Akiko Nishioka) »» APS Japan

18th Pharmaceutical Congress in Kinki Area As you know, many earthquakes occur in Japan. There were two big and awful earthquakes in the past 20 years.

One was the “Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake” which occurred on Jan. 17th, 1995 and the other one is “Great East Japan Earthquake” which happened on Mar. 11th, 2011. The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake hit early in the morning and killed about 6,000 people. The Great East Japan Earthquake caused a tsunami that killed more than 16,000 people including people who are still missing. Japan, an earthquake nation, is always in danger, thus, we need to look back at the past and learn something from it.

APS-Japan began projects about disaster medical care a few years ago.

This year, we held a lecture and discussed disaster medications with pharmacists at a pharmaceutical congress in the Kinki Area. The Kinki Area is on the western side of Japan where the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake happened. It is said that this area will have a big earthquake again in the near future, so it was a great opportunity for pharmacy students to learn what they can do when it happens.

We held this lecture on 30th of Aug. in Kobe titled “Thinking about Disaster Response with Pharmaceutical Students”. There were 35 pharmaceutical students and 15 medical workers who went to support the disaster-hit area, in total 50 people attended. At first, Dr. Ukai, from the Hyogo Emergency Medical Center, spoke about his experiences during the Great Han-

shin-Awaji Earthquake and the role of medical workers in disasters. In addition, he explained what has changed since the Great East Japan Earthquake hit compared with last large earthquake. During the Great HanshinAwaji Earthquake, pharmacists could provide medicines properly and control hygienic conditions.

Through this experience, Japanese pharmacists made a manual for disaster response. This helped pharmacists work more effectively when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred.

Next, we discussed what pharmacists can/should do when an earthquake happens. We made two groups, one group discussed on-the-spot supporters, pharmacists who go to disaster-hit areas, and the other discussed outside supporters, pharmacists who give outside support to disaster-hit areas. This discussion was meant to contemplate an emergency such as time, place, a magnitude of the aftershocks and the location of epicenter. These points are important to discuss about disasters. We would like to show you a few things we discussed. >>on-the-spot supporters<< • Confirmation of the status of damages to local community pharmacies • Confirmation of safety • The number of supplies which are not damaged • The number of earthquake victims, especially, elderly and infants

>>outside supporters<< • Getting information from disaster stricken areas • Sorting demanded relief goods and sending it to the right places • Make a priority list and support from higher priority places Finally, we created a manual with one situation when an earthquake happened. This manual includes advice for pharmacy students or pharmacists. After the discussion, we received many comments from pharmacists.

Through this lecture, we had the chance to think about disaster medicine with medical workers, including pharmacists who worked at disaster stricken areas.

It was a big surprise to us that there are many things that pharmacy students who are still learning “pharmacy” can do. However, if we do not have any knowledge related to disaster medicines, we will not be able to do anything.

The need for better training is why this event was important for students and provided them with tools to prepare for future disasters.

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Allan Simbarashe Kasambarare »» Harare Institute of Technology (H.I.T), Zimbabwe

Internship Report Being a student at the School of Pharmacy has been nothing but great satisfaction for me. Being able to acquire knowledge of one of mankind’s necessities, medicines, and being able to use that knowledge to help the community, from pediatrics to geriatrics, is a feeling that cannot be described but can only be felt. Well, I had an opportunity to feel that during my internship. I did my internship at Cimas Healthcare Clinic in a city called Gweru in Zimbabwe. Let me tell you about it!

The major activities that I did during my internship was dispensing medication. This involved reading prescriptions and checking if the dose is the right one with respect to the age of the patient and the patient history notes from the doctor. I would then type in the instructions and print them on the patient’s medication label following the guidelines of standard labels. I was also involved in the reconstitution of suspensions, powders and other extemporaneous preparations. I was also involved in patient counselling which involved a one‐on‐one interaction with the patient for proper advice on medication use. I was also involved in some office work that involved the ordering and receiving of stocks from distributors and updating the stock levels in the pharmacy system.

This internship has been a source of great personal growth. For example, being able to counsel patients about their medication and proper use of it has helped me develop the quality of compassion because you really want the best for patients and do all you can to make sure that they regain their health. This internship has also helped me to be patient, because at times you deal with patients who need you to repeat what you said three or four times for them to fully comprehend what you have said, so you need to be patient. I would like you to know that my goal as a future pharmacist is to make sure patients fully understand their medi-

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cation and be told all they need to know about their medication. The internship has also helped me to develop good communication skills. This is due to the fact that when you interact with different patients on a daily basis it helps you to align your communication with them in a unique way, because each patient is unique just like a fingerprint despite the fact that they might have the same disease or not. Each patient needs to be communicated with in a different manner that is unique to them. A good counseling session with a patient is the key to effective use of the medication by them and good therapeutic outcome. All these qualities have helped me to develop myself and be a competent seven star pharmacist of tomorrow.

This internship has taught me academic growth that is unique. For instance, I had an opportunity to increase my knowledge in pathophysiology. I got to meet patients who presented to the pharmacy with different signs and symptoms and asking for over‐the‐counter medications. Careful analysis of the signs and symptoms made me recommend proper medications to the patients. This made me have increased understanding on disease signs and symptoms with the help of the pharmacy staff, I was able to have academic growth in this aspect.

This internship also helped me to fully strengthen my knowledge in pharmacology. This is because each time I would counsel a patient, they would ask me questions about their medication, its potential side effects and indications, as well as contraindications. These questions motivated me to be well versed with pharmacology so that I give accurate information to the patient for their intended positive therapeutic outcome.

I also developed my academic growth in the field

This internship also helped me to have an increased knowledge on identifying and monitoring of adverse drug reactions (ADR), although rare, it has taught me the role that concomitant drug

therapy can play in ADRs and precautions that need to be done. This also involved monitoring of patient medications and carrying out case studies on patients with suspected ADR.

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of biopharmaceutics because a patient might ask if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ok or safe to take this medication after food.

So it has helped me to research more on those scenarios and could see the practical applications of biopharmaceutics in patient therapy.

In conclusion, I would say that this internship has been an eye opener as it equipped me with practical skills that I can fully utilize to help the community as a health care provider.

Emmanuel K Appiagyei, PharmD  Graduate of the University of Debrecen, Hungary

Educational Challenge As the role of the pharmacist continues to vary and grow, there is the need to expand undergraduate training curriculum with broader knowledge in some fields of practice to meet this diversified role. I would like to make an appeal to educational stakeholders in the European region, where clinical pharmacy education/practice is not highlighted at the undergraduate level, to do more. For instance, I had only one semester of clinical pharmacy in my entire five years of study.

There was hardly any place, such as a hospital, where we could have efficient practice sessions.

I am aware there are limited opportunities for pharmacists within clinical pharmacy in countries like Hungary. My suggestion to pharmaceutical regulatory bodies in such situations is to open a dialogue, consulting with governments in every such country, to expand the role of the pharmacist, allowing them to take on more responsibilities in clinical pharmacy practice, even with an undergraduate degree. Since almost all international students in my class came from countries where pharmacists play larger roles in hospital practice, it seems critical that this alteration occur in the school curriculum. About 90% of such students return to their country of origin to work and if these changes, happened they would be more

confident and better equipped to meet the new challenge of the pharmacist. A more clinically focused curriculum places the students on par with their locally trained colleagues.

Another alteration I would like to suggest is in regard to the pharmacology course schedule during those five years. The course starts in the 4th year and lasts only two semesters. It is hard to squeeze that amount of knowledge in just two semesters, forcing students to study many things within a short period of time. Students do not have adequate time to understand and appreciate some principles in this course. I suggest pharmacology be started in the 3rd year and run over the course of four semesters. This expansion will reduce the burden on students and will also allow for all topics to be thoroughly covered.

I hope my suggestions will be acknowledged and given a thought by those universities and countries with such shortfalls.

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Ngoc Thanh »» University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Role of Student Pharmacists in Immunization Vaccines were a key contributor to the decline in the death rate from infectious diseases within the U.S. from the 1900’s through the 2000’s. Immunizations were one of the greatest public health achievements.

In 1996, the American Pharmacist Association (APhA) called on pharmacists to get involved with immunization, and by 1997, they developed a Pharmacy‐Based Immunization Delivery Training Program with approval from the board of trustees.

Since then, the program has trained more than 230,000 pharmacists. 1

I feel pharmacists play an important role in immunization and public health. We do not simply administer vaccines; we advocate for and educate the public about immunizations.

As a first year pharmacy student, one of my most anticipated activities is this Immunization Certification Course taken through the Experiential Program at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The Immunization Certification Course follows the APhA’s Pharmacy‐Based Immunization Delivery Training Program. This APhA‐developed program consists of interactive self‐study modules with re34

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inforcement exercises, an immunization administration technique video, a self‐study exam, a live seminar, and a final exam and evaluation of immunization techniques.

The self‐study modules review the fundamental concepts of immunology, and how live attenuated and inactivated vaccines were and are developed based on those concepts. As preparation for the vaccine delivery, the modules also review the most common vaccine‐preventable diseases, giving summaries of disease epidemiology, clinical features, and potential complications. There are discussions of vaccine indications, contraindications, dosage, administration information, and vaccine‐related adverse effects. When examining strategies for immunization, learning to identify patients with immunization needs is crucial. With specific patient cases, the final two modules focus on utilizing an immunization schedule from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to appropriate timing, doses, and routes of administration. Last but not least, the live seminar combines the concepts from all the modules, going even further into details for each module.

This past May, I was among forty classmates selected to participate in a new skills‐assessment process ‐‐ a project that our Experiential Program faculty collaborated on with Australia and Sri Lanka ‐‐ to assess pharmacy students around the world. The skills evaluated included communication with patient, examination for need of a vaccination, proper assembling of medical equipment, drawing up the appropriate dose, and correct documentation

inside IPSF of patient information prior to administration of injections.

A second component of this new process evaluated the student pharmacists on locating and assessing the appropriate injection site, and administering the injection correctly. The last component of the process observed the student pharmacists post‐administration for proper disposal of equipment, correct documentation, and appropriate patient counseling. We were to demonstrate both an intramuscular injection as well as a subcutaneous injection.

On the day of the actual evaluation, our group time was 45‐minutes delayed. Other student pharmacists were taking longer to practice and go through the assessment process than the program coordinators had anticipated. Anxiety grew stronger the longer we waited, until finally we were called into the assessment room. We all sat with our partners and proceeded to practice. We drew up medication (normal saline) into the syringes and injected into a foam ball. There was only one evaluator, a pharmacy faculty member, so each pair of us took turns starting with the pair closest to our evaluator.

My partner and I sat furthest away.

We were the last pair to be evaluated and thus were able to observe three other pairs doing documentation, verification of patient information, injection preparation, and actual administration with their partners. To my surprise, the evaluation process was lengthier and more nerve‐wracking than expected. Some shook, others breathed heavily when in position to administer the injections, most likely from being observed or from fear of hurting their friends.

I was thinking to myself, “I hope I don’t hit her bone...” My partner was rather thin. I could feel her deltoid muscle being a bit more resistant than the foam ball; that was to be expected. When I finished my second injection, our evaluator said, “That was the best SubQ injection. Absolutely perfect.” The comment made my day. Needless to say, my first injection experience was exciting.

Overall, having been through the Immunization Program, I feel students from the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences are trained extensively and thoroughly.

I am looking forward to providing high quality services in the area of immunization and help prevent infectious diseases.

References 1. American Pharmacist Association. 2014 Pharmacy‐Based Immunization Delivery : A National Training Certificate Program. Module 1. Pharmacists, Vaccines and Public Health. 2014; 2‐3.

Once it was our turn, my partner and I turned to each other and said, “We can do this!” My partner was the first to go and her technique was perfect.

I started out slightly hesitant but gained the courage to administer the injection smoothly as well.

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Komal Vadday »» University of Hertfordshire, UK

Student Perspectives: Life of a Pharmacy Student in the UK The route to being a successful registered pharmacist in the United Kingdom (UK) starts way before even taking up the Masters of Pharmacy (Mpharm) course at a university. The entry requirements of the Advanced Level through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) range from AAA‐AAB and differs for each of the 29 schools of pharmacy currently offering the MPharm (Hons) degree. This is a full‐time four‐year degree, with a 52 week pre‐registration training year either in the community, hospital or industry settings. In order to be registered as a qualified pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), the students are required to pass an additional exam at the end of the training year.

ferable skills and dispensing classes to get a feel of practical pharmacy. Moreover, the student gets an opportunity to work in a pharmacy for a day during the end of the first year to experience the insights of working in it. In most cases this year is considered as a foundation and does not contribute to the final grade.

As a pharmacy student, one is treated as a prospective healthcare professional and is required to abide by the Code of Conduct written by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and certified by the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA). The course consists of certain subject requirements to be fulfilled by the GPhC that differ between the universities.

I personally found this year most challenging as it was a definite step up from the subjects covered in previous years and it required good time management skills to cope.

The first year covers the basic background, history of pharmacy, organic chemistry, human physiology including aspects of cell biology, biochemistry and metabolism

As we are halfway into the course, the students are encouraged to get a part‐time pharmacy job to stay updated with the changes in the pharmacy sector. This is also beneficial to relate the theory acquired in the university to the real work practices.

It also includes tutor sessions on personal trans-

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The second year is more intense with subjects like pharmacology, therapeutics, drug development, pharmaceutical microbiology and manufacture being introduced. It also incorporates some compulsory pass elements like dispensing, competence and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE).

Third year of the programme covers the practical aspects like pharmacy law, ethics, professionalism, business management, pharmaceutical analysis,

The final year in most universities mainly comprises of the dissertation research project and modules about public health, safety and pharmacy practice. By the end of the course each student receives a MPharm Honours degree in either first (1), upper second (2:1), lower second (2:2) or a third (3) depending on their individual performance and the percentage score throughout the degree. After passing the pre‐registration exam, one is registered as a qualified pharmacist in the GPhC register and given a recognised title.

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research and quality control. As a healthcare professional, a pharmacist is responsible for patient care and safety as a fundamental job role. To communicate this to the students, inter‐professional learning sessions are held along with student nurses, radiographers, physiotherapists and dieticians to enhance the health and social care as a team. An opportunity to gain work experience for a week is also offered in either community or hospital setting to give an idea of the route to go for the pre‐registration training. As the pharmacy profession in UK is very competitive, the students are encouraged to gain summer placement experience and internships to expand their transferable skills. They are also encouraged to attend the conferences and study sessions outside the degree training. Such sessions are highly beneficial to expand the clinical and practical knowledge and improve connections.

Throughout the degree, I have experienced work placements in all the three major sectors of pharmacy and have secured my pre‐registration training place in a hospital pharmacy. I am a BPSA national representative and I am involved in their competitions and conferences on topics like oncology, mental health and cardiovascular medicine held throughout the year.

Last summer, I was an official delegate of 61st IPSF World Congress. The congress was comprised of competitions, workshops, general assembly and lectures on the latest advancements of the pharmacy sector. These involved subjects like antibiotic resistance and public health. Tuberculosis awareness and personalised medicine lectures were fascinating. Although the pharmacy degree requires a lot of hardwork and dedication, I believe that it is all worthwhile at the end of the day. To be able to make a difference in the lives of people is the biggest satisfaction of all.

As a final year pharmacy student, these four years have been the best experience of my life. Being a pharmacy student in the UK opens up a lot of opportunities even outside the course.

Some of them being involved with the student bodies like BPSA, EPSA and IPSF. Even though the course is very challenging, the part time work experience and internship prospects are very valuable to gain detailed understanding of the subject.

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Bianca Chairperson of Student Exchange It is with great joy that I am writing to you today. My name is BiancaElena Chichirău. I am a recent pharmacy graduate from Romania, and I am extremely honored to present myself as the Chairperson of Student Exchange for this year.

My journey in IPSF started in 2013, when I decided to become the Student Exchange Officer for my national association, FASFR. I can truly say that it was the best decision I couald have made at that moment in my life, as it brought me closer to the world of IPSF. Even though everything was new and quite challenging for me at first, I got to experience the wonderful parts of a SEO’s life very soon: being surrounded by amazing people, starting new friendships, working with dedicated and inspiring people from all around the world, bringing smiles and joy to students worldwide. How could anyone not love being a SEO? Of course it has ups and downs, like every aspect of life, but when you draw the line at the end of the SEP year and see how many lives you have positively influenced, you know that it was worth it. That is why it will be very hard for me to let go of this programme: two years as SEO, one year

as Student Exchange Committee member, and now Chairperson of Student Exchange. Everything went so naturally from the beginning and everything felt as it fit into the right place.

SEP is an extraordinary program--an opportunity for every pharmacy student where discovery and the thirst for knowledge is perfectly blended with the effervescent emotions one has when facing new cultures, traditions and ways of experiencing life in its pure meaning. SEP promotes “the pharmaceutical spirit” amongst students worldwide. Its purpose is to create challenging, inspirational, and exuberating experiences. SEP is much more than travelling and studying. It is a moment truly dedicated to be enjoyed at full speed. It is defined by the excitement, joy, and ambitions of students worldwide who step outside their boundaries and get a glimpse of what lies beyond their student life and are willing to translate this into action and make heard their dreams and ideas.

To keep the quality of SEP exchanges at a high level, everything needs to be very well organized and structured.

Communication and feedback need to be the key points from this portfolio. My strategic plan for this year is

to handle these aspects with total transparency, to find the best solutions for the issues that might appear during the year, to make sure SEP runs smoothly in each country, and to add if possible, some beneficial changes to the SEP database. I am really confident that every point of this plan will be successful as I put all my trust in IPSF and its dedicated team members.

I am honored to be part of the IPSF executive team and to represent SEP as it is a very dear programme to me.

I would like to thank everyone who trusted me and encouraged me to apply for this position. I will do my best not to disappoint anyone! Also, I would like to give credits to the SEC team, which has proved to be indeed the SEC Dream Team. I close with a motto I hope will inspire and encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and live an experience which will definitely bring you the most precious memories in your student life: “If you want something in your life you’ve never had, you’ll have to do something you’ve never done.” -JD Houston Keep the SEP spirit alive!

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Best SEO of The Month

In the fall of 2013, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when it all started. I applied for SEP in 20132014 after being accepted as one of the outgoing students. I had many questions concerning the SEP, such as how the SEOs communicate through the Database, how to have contacts globally, and how to present your country. I was really curious about the criteria that the SEO uses to pre-select the outgoing students and accept the incoming students. Since then, I started working on the SEC, trying my best to think outside the box on how to enhance the SEP in new perspectives and brainstorming many creative ideas with my SEO. I then worked as much as I could, while seeking this position in the next elections, and trying to fulfill the skills that should be in a SEO. My hard work paid off by being elected as the SEO for ASPSA, Egypt 2015-2016. The SEO position has impacted me in a positive way by improving my communication skills and many other skills immensely, as I am in charge of communicating with other SEOs

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and dealing with the SEP local committee to prepare the SEP to be beneficial for the students to fulfill their needs.

Last November, it was an honor to be nominated for the best SEO and a greater honor to be voted as the Best SEO of the Month, as this motivated me to work even harder on excelling the organization and the SEP program.

Finally, I hope this year will be full of successes and accomplishments for all of you and together we will be able to raise SEP to even greater heights.

Adham Mokhless Best SEO of November, ASPSA 2015-2016

Being a Student Exchange Officer (SEO) in IPSF is one of the best parts of my life.

Working with the Student Exchange Committee (SEC) and all the SEOs around the world was really fun. Yes, it required a big responsibility, but I didn’t see it as a position that encumbered me.

Why? Because the best job in the world is the one that you love, and it was exactly what happened to me. I loved everything about the Student Exchange Programme, so it led me to accept the offer to be a SEO at that time. I enjoyed meeting new people, cooperating with many people, making friends and even becoming a new family.

I used to work as the SEO of HMF-ITB, Indonesia. It was a pleasure for me to accommodate people from all around the world who were interested in Indonesia.

That’s why I tried my best to satisfy them and improve the programme based on my experiences every year. Becoming a SEO certainly made me get to know many people around the world and gain more knowledge by sharing with them.

It also improved my soft-skills, especially in communication, because we had to discuss everything to make sure that the programme would run well.

It was really a precious experience to work in IPSF, and if there is another chance that comes to me to work in SEP, I would like to work again. I send my support to all the SEOs who are working for SEP this period. I wish you all the best and keep your spirits up!

Being a SEO was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I feel thankful to every small detail that enabled me to become a SEO. For me the best things about being a SEO were making me feel like an ambassador of my country, promoting my country using my imagination, and also helping students from my country to go and experience SEP outside and see the smile on their faces after having a great SEP experience.

It had a great impact on my life at college. The year I was the SEO, I scored highest marks compared with the previous years. My total performance in daily life was better, as I was doing something that gave me positive energy, something that I love. That was a big motivation for me to apply for SEC because I didn’t want my journey to come to an end so soon, especially because I still have passion for SEP. I’m really thankful to IPSF. The experience I gained through my work in IPSF was priceless, so therefore, I couldn’t have imagined myself to be luckier than this.

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Insights from the Best SEOs of 2014-2015

I have always felt like there is more to being a pharmacy student than having sleepless nights cramming the doses of antipsychotics and actually becoming psychotic in the process. I have built rapports with people from all across the globe I would have never met if I hadn’t joined IPSF. I have enjoyed my journey of being an SEO. Not only have I learnt a lot from my fellow SEOs, but I have also been exposed to different cultures and perspectives, things I wouldn’t have learned burning the midnight oil drinking imported coffee from Ethiopia, the strongest coffee in Africa, cramming the structures of barbiturates only to forget them the minute I walk out of the exam room!

Being an SEO has helped me improve the way I work with people and has made me appreciate one thing, we are all unique and it’s a beautiful kind of unique!!

Nomagugu Ncube, SEO of ZPSA 2014-2015

Amr Fathi, SEO of EPSF 2014-2015

Tijani Adlina, SEO of HMF-ITB 2014-2015 IPSF Newsletter

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My name is Petra, and I’m a recent pharmacy graduate representing CPSA, Croatia (Croatian Pharmacy and Medical Biochemistry Students’ Association).

From the beginning of my pharmacy studies, I wanted to spend some time abroad, as I really enjoy experiencing new cultures, meeting dear friends and learning new and interesting things. And, travel is the only

thing you buy that makes you richer.

SEP was a great opportunity for me that connects my two passions: traveling and pharmacy. As I wanted to get more involved with this amazing program, I became SEO of Croatia. I enjoy working with many great students and professionals from all around the world and in the same time improving my knowledge and skills. Now, after being involved for two years, I’m still highly motivated to share my experience and implement ideas for SEP progress.

world is big enough for all of us.

I enjoy working with a dream SEC team with many motivated and enthusiastic people and I am looking forward to an interesting year with SEP and IPSF. Viva la pharmacie!

Petra Orlić SEO of CPSA 2014-2015 SEC member 2015-2016

This year I’m looking forward to helping SEOs with all the challenges and inspiring them to promote SEP within the pharmacy world and sharing the SEP spirit and my experience with all of those wishing to take a risk of changing their life. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Pharmacy

SEC Members I met more amazing people, got years for me. It brought me expenew friends, and enjoyed the SEP rience, personal growth, more summer in Belgrade. friends, more memories and the Best SEO award. I’m extremely Since my ideas, plans and passion proud of receiving that award, for SEP grew, I wanted to do more, which proves to me that my passo I became SEO for NAPSer, Ser- sion for SEP was recognized. bia. Of course, this meant more This award, same as IPSF and SEP responsibilities, hard work and itself have a special place in my dedication, but I didn’t regret it heart! for a second! Communicating with both, outgoing and incom- Ana Pantovic ing students, was amazing, even SEO of NAPSer 2014-2015 though sometimes challenging. SEC member 2015-2016 But when you receive message from a happy student who is satisfied with his/her SEP, there is no greater reward or recognition.

When I first heard of the Student Exchange Programme, I immediately decided I want to be part of it. I started spending some time with foreign students in Belgrade, showing them around, teaching them some Serbian and having really great time. All of that Last year being part of NAPSer, made me apply for the LEO posi- and being a SEO is one of the best tion, which was a great decision.

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To me, two of the biggest values in life are to know where you come from and to have a place to call home. If you are lucky enough to have both there is nothing greater than traveling and exploring new places and cultures.

In November 2014, I started my mandate as BPhD Germany’s SEO for 201415. Ever since, organizing internships for international pharmacy students hasn’t just been a selfless hobby. I am grateful for all of my international friendships that sprung from it, for all of the interesting talks about life as a pharmacy student and about the pharmacy profession in different countries we had, and

for all of the unforgettable moments we spent together. My decision to become BPhD Germany’s Student Exchange Officer (SEO) for 2014-15 has brought me even closer to IPSF, which is giving us a platform for priceless professional and personal exchanges with SEP. My handbook for being a SEO has only had colorful pages in it, including the chapter on incredible India where I participated as an Official Delegate at the 61st IPSF World Congress in Hyderabad in summer 2015. After a busy year with long days, but also so many rewarding moments, I was overwhelmed that I was elected one of IPSF’s Best SEOs in 201415. In IPSF, work isn’t done without notice and respect from others, and I appreciate this concept of international collaboration a lot!

When I turned to the next page, I realized that as long as I can, I would like to stay part of this big and colorful family by supporting as many future pharmacists as possible in reading countless

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“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Regarding my lifestyle, St. Augustine is my soul brother. My name is Katharina Wien, I am a fourth-year pharmacy student at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and I have always been a passionate traveler.

pages in their books of life. I am extremely excited to be a member of the Student Exchange Committee this year because from the moment I have experienced the SEP spirit for the first time, I knew that I will never let it go!

To IPSF, to SEP, viva la pharmacie!

Katharina Wien SEO of BPhD 2014-2015 SEC member 2015-2016

SEC Members Before becoming SEO I only did some minor work in our association. At first it was quite overwhelming, but after I have put my organisation skills into use, I didn’t have any problems doing SEOs job. Of course there were some ups and downs, but all in all it was a really great experience and it also got me into Student Exchange Committee.

as well as new connections from all over the world.

The title of Best SEO of the year is a great honor and it encouraged me to work even harder and to help future pharmacist from all over the world to go and do internships even more.

Be part of IPSF, be part of SEP, be part of your local association, believe me, it is worth it.

During my mandate as a SEO I got familiar with emails, improved my organisational skills, Martin Koprivnikar Krajnc my communicational skills, I have SEO of ŠSSFD 2014-2015 been in contact with many com- SEC member 2015-2016 petent people from all over the world and I have also made some good friends. The position of SEO would give you a lot of new skills

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I’m Danielle, a pharmacy student from the United States. From the start of my studies with pharmacy and global health, I have loved learning about pharmacy across the world and how different cultures influence medicine. I had the opportunity to participate in SEP this past summer by going to Ismailia, Egypt. My SEP experience was nothing short of the best experience of my life, and attending the 61st IPSF World Congress in India inspired me even more to improve the SEP program to help others have a great experience. I look forward to helping new SEOs improve their SEP and promoting this great program!

Viva la Pharmacie!

Danielle Hess SEO of APhA-ASP 2014-2015 SEC member 2015-2016 My name is Alvin Edem Kobla Akpalu, from GPSA, Ghana. I am in my 5th year, which is basically a year of internship. I am majoring in industrial Pharmacy.

I love to play and watch football, I am a Gooner (I breathe, eat and drink Arsenal).

Favorite colour: Blue Favorite movies/Series: TED, American Pie & Big Bang Theory (a big fan of Comedy) Favorite songs: Wiz Khalifa – We dem boiz, Stonebwoy – Go Higher Favorite food: Waakye (SEPers in Ghana will “tastefy”) Favorite quote: there is nothing new under the sun Alvin Edem Kobla Akpalu SEO of GPSA 2014-2015 SEC member 2015-2016

SEC Members it was a good experience to work with brilliant SEOs around the world.

Their attitudes and skills challenge you to be strong and influence you to work hard and improve on a daily basis. Working for SEP was a good opportunity to learn a lot of things that I would have never learned in class.

I am Kabogo Janvier from Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (RPSA), Rwanda. I am passionate about Global Health equity and Pharmaceutical Marketing. I was Student Exchange Officer for Rwanda before taking over SEC roles.

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Now since SEP has been part of my life, it was a logical next step to join the Student Exchange Committee.

After a competitive process of application and selection, I am glad to be part of SEC Dream Team 2015-2016.

SEC is a friendly family; working with them is a dream come true.

The success of each and every SEC member is directly assessed by the success of SEOs around the globe.

So, we need collaboration, compliance, and commitment from SEOs.

Through that spirit, I believe this year will mark a difference in SEP history.

Viva Pharmacy, Viva IPSF-SEP! Janvier Kabogo SEO of RPSA 2014-2015 SEC member 2015-2016

After the end of the SEP period in 2013, I was only in my 2nd year at the faculty of pharmacy, but I wanted to be more engaged and involved in my home association to try to enhance the SEP in my country as much as possible, and to introduce new and fresh ideas. Naturally, I applied to be a member of the Student Exchange Committee of ASEPA, and it was one of the most interesting and rich experiences I ever had. I worked with a very motivated team, headed by a lovely SEO. The next year, I was elected as SEO of my country, and at this moment, as I’m writing my testimony, I can’t believe that I’m spending my 2nd and last mandate as Student Exchange Officer of Algeria, and I can assure without doubt that so far this has been the best experience of my life!

At the end of my first mandate, I wanted to be more involved in IPSF and to see the other aspect of SEP, so I applied for the Student Exchange Committee of IPSF, and at my surprise, I was accepted to take part in this new adventure.

For me, being a SEC member means that I’m part of the dream team who is in charge of the program, where the main purpose is to make strong links between nations, break cultural, religious, and language barriers, and contribute to share a message of peace with pharmacy students.

Because we have to admit that we live during the saddest years of human history, with catastrophic wars in the Middle East and tragedies of emigrants, with increasing racism and religious extremism. SEP works to eliminate this racism and to build a bond between students of different countries.

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My love story with IPSF started during the first edition of SEP in my country, Algeria, in the of summer 2013, when my small contribution as host family for an exchange student made me to feel the magic spirit of this program, which is an excellent way to erase the cultural and language barriers between nations.

I deeply believe in the magic of SEP and IPSF, and we can tell the world that pharmacy students across the globe are united.

Viva SEC, viva IPSF, viva la Pharmacie!!

Ryad Bencheikh SEO of ASEPA 2014-2015, SEC member 2015-2016

SEC Members My name is Shella Syafira Wijayanti from BEM KMFA UGM, Indonesia. Being the SEO of my association for one year gave me so many opportunities to work with a lot of amazing people. It also gave me a wonderful experience since it broadened my knowledge about people, culture and pharmacy studies. After meeting the SEOs during the 61st IPSF World Congress in Hyderabad, India, I decided that I wanted to be more involved in the work of SEP. So here I am, joining the SEC Dream Team.

We have a lot of things to do, but with the team we have now, I’m confident that we can do so much more. We’re here to help you, so feel free to contact us if you need any help!

Have an amazing SEP year, everyone!

Shella Syafira Wijayanti SEO of BEM KMFA UGM 2014-2015 , SEC member 2015-2016 My name is Giulia and I am from New Zealand. I have been the Student Exchange Officer for New Zealand for the past year. I have just graduated with my Bachelor of Pharmacy degree and will be starting an internship next year in a hospital pharmacy. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, cooking and travelling (as I’m sure most of you do also).

I am very excited to be on your Student Exchange Committee for the 2015-2016 period. If you ever have any questions, don’t be scared to email me or message me on Facebook. I am always keen to help! Looking forward to meeting some of you in the SEO meetings.

Giulia Butler SEO of NZAPS-O 2014-2015 , SEC member 2015-2016 IPSF Newsletter

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Taste of GERMANY by

Andisyah Putri Sekar

What a wonderful experience in summer 2015!

Hi, my name is Andisyah Putri Sekar from Indonesia. In the summer of 2015, I had an opportunity to participate in a research program at the Universität Heidelberg Institut für Pharmazie und Molekulare Biotechnologie, Germany. The program started from June 29th and lasted until August 7th. I had been placed in the pharmacy biology division at Prof. Dr. Stefan Wölfl’s laboratory. I worked with another SEP student from Egypt under two supervisors. They were Hamed from Iran and Mohammad from Egypt.

It was my first experience in executing experiments in the biomolecular field. I had two projects which were separated in the first three weeks and the last three weeks. These projects were focused on cancer cell metabolism. Since it was my first time doing this research, I learned several important molecular and cell biology techniques, such as cell culture, western blotting and flow cytometry in the first three weeks.

The first project that we worked on was manipulated medium in the Hela cell which that was derived from cervical cancer cells. The purpose of this experiment was to observe the proliferation of the cell. In this project, I worked with Hamed as my supervisor. In the first week, Hamed taught me all of the basic techniques regarding cell culture. Furthermore, I had my own project, and I helped with Mohammad’s project while learning another assay. It was hard for me at the beginning because I needed to learn more about cell signaling, so I read a lot of papers to improve my knowledge.

Day by day, I improved my skills in running the experiments. Therefore, Hamed gave me another project, which was supervised by Mohammad. My project was

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about “The role of p53 in metformin-induced metabolic disruption in colorectal cancer cell.”

As a pharmacy student, I conducted my own experimental project utilizing metformin. Through scientific papers that have been reported, metformin could be applied in cancer therapy as an adjuvant drug. So, I developed this idea in order to learn how metformin works in inhibiting metabolism of colorectal cancer cells. In my working group, we had a routine seminar every Thursday, where everyone had a chance to give a presentation related to their project with a follow-up discussion with all of the group members. I had a final presentation as a requirement to finish this internship and presented in front of my professor and other group members. Moreover, I have developed a very good and productive personal relationship with my peers, colleagues, and supervisors.

Sometimes after work, I had a dinner with my coworkers, and we got to know each other and shared our experiences. I enjoyed my weekend with other SEP students from other countries such as Egypt, Serbia, Slovakia, Estonia, and pharmacy students from Germany as well. I had a picnic with them in Neckarwiese (a green area in Heidelberg). I explored Heidelberg with Karim, my lab partner, and Katharina, the Student Exchange Officer of Germany. I had an amazing summer of research, as well as unforgettable moments in Heidelberg, Germany.

Andisyah Putri Sekar ISMAFARSI, Indonesia SEP Development Fund Grant 2014-2015

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Taste of HUNGARY Broutin Manon

During my fourth year of pharmacy in Tours (France), I wanted to do a summer internship abroad for at least one month in a research laboratory. My country choices were first Hungary, then Poland, and the Czech Republic. The Student Exchange Program give me the opportunity to work with a plant biotechnology group in Budapest.

Concerning the internship, all was perfect. I worked with two PhD students on hairy roots. I spent between 4 and 6 hours per day in the lab to help them. They taught me how to work with hairy roots. We did a lot of root cultures on liquid and solid media. I also did some plant cultures and seed cultures on solid media. We also analyzed seeds and root contents. Most of time, the aim was to optimize the culture process of these roots in order to increase the production of specific chemicals. One time, I had the luck to collect some seeds in the mountains next to Budapest, while they taught me about a lot of plant species. I would like to thank them for this as enriching and unforgettable experience. Moreover, the life in Budapest was amazing.

I slept in a dormitory with the others SEP students. We had three in each room, and we spent most of our free

time together to visit the city, have parties, have dinner, do sports, etc. It was a good way to discover pharmacy abroad, to discover a lot of different cultures, to improve my English skills, and of course to have fun!

Hungarian pharmaceutical students were very nice with us: they helped us discover the city, find the best places to have parties and dinner, and plan our weekends next to Balaton lake, in Vienna, in Bratislava, in Esztergom, and in Visegrad.

Their advice was very helpful. Each time we needed help, there was somebody to take care of us. All foreign SEP students were like a family (we called it “Buda family”), that is why I think we will keep in contact.

Thank you so much to everybody for this wonderful month of internship. All was perfect! We really need to live such an experience one time in our lives. I will recommend it to everyone!

Broutin Manon ANEPF, France

Taste of SOUTH AFRICA by

Alhaji lina

My SEP experience was in the pharmacy at the hospital. I spent my time with the pharmacists. They explained the work in a South African pharmacy, and I saw the differences between French pharmacies. I saw different diseases, like the HIV which is not present in France, like in South Africa. I also took a course about HIV. It was very interesting.

I interned at three different pharmacies in the same hospital. I observed what the pharmacist did and how they dispensed medications to the patients. I understood the work in the pharmacy and how they managed the stock. The main pharmacist took me to visit

some places. I saw a wholesale-distributor, and I saw the unit for chronic diseases. It is so different from France as we don’t have the same organization. I had a clinical rotation in a pediatric ward with the doctors. I saw the role of the pharmacist outside the pharmacy. I met very kind people, and I bettered my English. I took some days at the end to visit the town with my family who joined me there.

It was an opportunity to discover a new country, to meet new people, to work in a new context, and to learn in the pharmaceutical domain. All those good things in the same experience!

Alhaji Lina ANEPF, France IPSF Newsletter

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Taste of INDONESIA

by Lukáz Zappe

When I was deciding which country I wanted to spend my SEP in, I definitely knew it must be Asia.

The mysterious continent I have never been to. Since I’m very keen on nature, Indonesia was my first choice; and now, one month past my SEP, I can tell you it was a good decision. I was expecting a whole new world full of volcanoes, local cuisine, friendly people and sunny weather. I experienced all of this and much more.

My first impression of this wonderful country was when I got off the plane at the Bandung airport and I realized that I was about 20 cm taller than local people (my height is 190 cm) and everyone was staring at me, because honestly, for most people we (Europeans) are quite rare phenomena.

When I stepped out of the airport, a local student from ITB (Institute Teknologi Bandung) was already waiting for me and drove me to my new home (very nice dormitories with European standards for a reasonable price). Driving through the city, I was shocked by the traffic in Indonesia, which seemed like total chaos for me. First of all, they were driving on the other side of the street (left), and second, I had never seen so many motorbikes zigzagging around. But after a few days, you will get used to it and consider it normal.

The same day, I met other SEP students, my supervisor for scientific research, and some of the local students which were taking care of us the whole time. All the stu-

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dents had done a remarkable job; they did everything what we asked them for and helped us with whatever we needed. We started with a small tour around ITB, the dormitories, and a moneychanger or shopping mall, where I ordered traditional Indonesian dish: Bebek goreng, tempeh, tahu dan nasi putih (fried duck, tempeh and tofu with steamed rice) and a coconut as a drink. Alright, maybe it is not the most typical dish, but how cool was it for me to order a coconut in the restaurant? If we are talking about food in Indonesia, which is typically rice (steamed or fried). Actually, their national dish is Nasi goreng, which means fried rice, and you can order it everywhere together with classical chilli sauce called Sambal. Yes, almost every meal here is spicy or in Bahasa Indonesia pedas, which is a very important word to learn if you’re not a fan of spicy food. Local people have this saying: “A dish without rice is not a proper dish and if you haven’t eaten rice that day it’s like you haven’t eaten at all.” But don’t be afraid that you will be sick of rice, well, you probably will, and then comes noodles (Mie) or soup called Bakso.

Although Indonesia is full of exotic food, there is more to explore: beautiful landscapes filled with volcanoes, mountains touching the sky, rice fields with local workers, tea plantations spreading to infinity, strawberry

plantations with fruit sweet as a sugar candy, cheeky monkeys who steal everything if you don’t pay attention, musical instruments made from bamboo, temples, churches and mosques or even dark caves from the 2nd World War. Every weekend local students organized a trip for us, so we could discover surroundings of Bandung city and relax after exhausting work in the lab.

Actually, it wasn’t so exhausting. I worked at the Department of Molecular Biology, which was exactly what I wanted. I have learned some new methods such as primer design, plasmid transformation, and the verification of the plasmid transformation, which I only knew in theory before then. Working at the ITB was very different from European universities, especially in the matter of laboratory equipment, which was limited due to the financial situation in Indonesia, despite the fact that people work really hard and do their best in the field of science.

Many pharmacy students and recent graduates from all over the world annually participate in the Student Exchange Program that is part of IPSF. This brings together students from different backgrounds and countries. Well, I got this opportunity and went for SEP in Egypt.

On August 29, 2015 at 11:35 a.m., I was seated in the Egyptian Embassy in Kigali waiting for a response about my visa request, since I was supposed to be leaving on August 30th. It was a short notice, but I knew someone else who had got their visa the day before leaving, so I wasn’t all that worried. I was daydreaming about doing the Usain Bolt pose with a caption “Flying to Pharaoh land,’’ until a guy in his mid-40’s broke this daydream and informed me that my visa had been denied; he was Rwandese so in his exact words “Sha Baguhakaniye”.

So, there I was, confused and disappointed to realize that I had no plans for the whole month in Rwanda, so I decided to re-apply immediately; and fast forward to September 15th,

inside IPSF

If you’re asking whether I would do it again? Yes, I definitely would.

Although I was there for 2 months, it was not enough, and I would like to visit this spectacular country again. If you are still hesitating whether or not to sign up for SEP, then don’t and just do it! There is nothing better than exploring foreign country with locals.

Lukáš Zappe CzPSA, Czech Republic SEP Development Fund Grant 2014-2015

Taste of EGYPT

by Mandela M. Elie

I was boarding a plane and taking off to Cairo.

I was at the Cairo International airport, it was beautiful, clean and far bigger than the Kigali airport, but I had a sinking feeling that it was too good to be true and something would happen to ruin it before I even entered Cairo (I get paranoid when I’m excited about something). I was anxious and kept expecting something to happen out of the blue, but my fear was assuaged when I reached the arrival gate, meeting Anas Eladawy, my host, and Tirza another SEPer from Indonesia, and finally my journey had begun.

appreciate its beauty in the end, when goodbyes turn into tears; friends have become brothers, sisters and even love interests. A lot happens in a short period of time, and you hope to do it all over again. It is rewarding and life changing.

Thanks to each and every one who made my SEP a reality!

Mandela M. Elie RPSA, Rwanda

SEP is wonderful, in its beauty you get to meet amazing people from different corners of the world, and experience different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. It is not only a professional development opportunity, but most importantly, a personal development in various ways. It is not always a bed of roses, especially when it doesn’t always go according to plan, but it’s worth it.

It gives you friends and family from different parts of the world. You IPSF Newsletter

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Taste of IRAN by

PIERRE-ALEXIS GOnTIER

I stayed 1 month this summer in Iran.

The first 3 weeks, I had my internship at the pharmacology and medicinal chemistry laboratory of the faculty of pharmacy of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). The lab team provided a very warm welcome; it was a great pleasure to work with them. I stayed around 5 hours per days at the lab, so it was OK to let me visit the city in the afternoon and in the evening, with the (amazing) welcome team of the SEP and the other foreign SEP students. During the weekend, I could go wherever I wanted to go, but I chose to be with local students: I went in the mountains next to the Caspian Sea. My accommodation was in the medical student dormitory, and it was a good way to meet other foreign students (from Iraq and Europe).

I met so many good people during this trip. My last week was free: I traveled by

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buses across the country and stayed in dormitory/hostels to visit famous cities: Kashan, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Persepolis.

Talking about security: a lot of clichés exist about Iran. A lot of people think that Iran is not safe for European visitors. This is false; I never felt in danger at any time (I mean I did not feel more unsafe than in the streets of Paris at 2 am). Of course you have to be aware of your surroundings, and you’ll have to respect some rules (scarf for women, no alcohol).

You are free to visit the places you want. Everywhere I went, I always was very well welcomed by locals (I’ve been invited to the wedding of the cousins of my taxi driver in Shiraz, and I had so many other experiences like this one to tell).

To conclude, I met so many amazing people during this trip! I came back to France with lots of new friends from all around the world. This is an amazing experience to discover different ways of life, culture, and to

practice pharmaceutical sciences in a different culture.

I would like to thank the local students who welcomed me; they all made me discover their country: the food, the sightseeing. I think this experience will stay as one of the best of my life!

I definitely recommend you to experience SEP in Iran, you definitely won’t regret it.

Pierre-Alexis Gontier ANEPF, France

by

inside IPSF

Taste of JAPAN Carolina de Carvalho Moore Vilela

My SEP experience started with my wish of going to Japan. I contacted the Japanese SEO â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Issei Sakata at the time, who gave me information about the program and kindly invited me to join the APS-Japan program in February 2015. I gladly accepted the invitation and began my application procedure.

Everything went fine and after choosing that I would participate in the Kansai area program, I was contacted by the SEP committe who helped me and guided me through the procedures. When I arrived in Kansai Airport in February, I had two members of the SEP commitee waiting for me, who were extremely helpful when I got the news that my luggage was lost. After that, we headed to the hostel were we (me and two other exchange students: Ondrej and Sunah) stayed during our 3 week exchange. We had a welcoming party, where we met all the other members and other students who joined us, which was great to meet everyone and exchange experiences and ideas with one another.

were able to grasp how the Japanese healthcare system works and how the pharmacists are included in it, as well as discuss it with other students and professionals.

For the next days, we had some cultural events; and afterwards, we started to have our pharmacy visits. Despite this not being an exchange program where we could actually work at a pharmaceutical company/pharmacy/hospital, I think it was an exceptional experience nonetheless. We ended up understanding that the Japanese healthcare system is difficult for us to practice in, and that the permitted visits were already special in themselves. The language barrier is a big problem in these situations, and I could say that I had an easier time getting by since I already knew some Japanese. In total, we visited 2 pharmacies, 2 hospitals, and 2 universities.

We participated in a Kanpo lab, a health food cooking class, and a workshop with other students, where we made a presentation about pharmacies and healthcare in our own countries. In these visits, we

At the end of the program, we had a farewell party, where many students came to say goodbye to us. Here, we also presented the differences we found in Japan compared to our home countries; and similar to the welcoming party, we were engaged in conversation with the other students we had met during this 3 week period.

Returning to Portugal, I bring with me my precious memories of all the places and nice people I got to meet, the knowledge of how a different country works regarding healthcare, and the will to continue to make my professional future as international as possible.

In conclusion, I wish to thank everyone who made this experience possible for me and many other students to come.

Carolina de Carvalho Moore Vilela APEF, Portugal

#xSEPloreTheWorld #SEPspirit #xSEPerieceTheCulture IPSF Newsletter

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inside IPSF

Ana

Chairperson of Public Health

Dear Readers, On the day I was elected by the General Assembly of the 61st IPSF World Congress, someone asked: “How do you feel--different?” I did not feel different; I still don’t. In my opinion, IPSF doesn’t change us, but we do change IPSF-- if we want to and if we are doing it for the right reasons. I applied for the position of Chairperson of Public Health 2015-2016 for the right reasons.

Everytime I talk about IPSF, I describe it as this wonderful thing that happened in my life and I have the feeling that, throughout my path, I’ll always remember it as this amazing experience. I’ve discovered new feelings, new tastes and new friends through IPSF and I’d only wish that this already big association was big enough to embrace every person that desires to work for it.

My journey with IPSF started before I realized it. Just like many other students who participated in the Student Exchange Programme, I had no idea I was participating in an IPSF project. Shortly after that, I got involved with the Reception Committee of the 60th IPSF World Congress, and even then I have to admit, I had not realised that my journey was starting. It took a while to hit me, and in fact I think it only did when the participants of the 60th IPSF World Congress started arriving to the Pharmacy Faculty of the University of Porto. Two months later I was selected for a position in the IPSF team, Public Health Advocacy Coordinator,

and I had the opportunity to participate in the World Health Assembly right beside one of the most amazing people that IPSF introduced to me, my predecessor, Ms. Bárbara Villela.

Being in such a position has its ups and downs--I realize that now. More than having to motivate others, you have to find new and creative ways to motivate yourself every single day. It’s not easy. Sometimes it becomes more challenging than the work itself. But every time you do the work, and when you do things right, you’ll get a fulfilling feeling of accomplishment.

You’ll share that feeling with the ones who surround you. Then your accomplishments will be other people’s accomplishments, and theirs will be yours. That’s the ultimate goal as a team.

During this mandate I’ll be working with a big and enthusiastic team that will face numerous challenges with me in order to bring you the best information and challenges regarding public health. Together we will ensure that pharmacy students and recent graduates around the world receive the best educational material and opportunities in order to help them grow as individuals and as health professionals.

As Chairperson of Public Health, I wish a great year for all IPSFers involved and interested in public health and to all pharmacy students and recent graduates who every day try to give something of themselves to others and to the world.

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Marko Kolarić »» Public Health Coordinator, CPSA Croatia

CPSoAp – (Hand) hygiene taken seriously from the earliest steps…

When you think of public health, what is one of the most important things to take care of?

What can everyone do on a daily basis to prevent diseases? How can a pharmacist teach people, especially children, what are microbes and how can they be dangerous to us? All these questions are leading us to a few answers and one that stands out the most is how to take care of personal hygiene and keep everything around you clean. After few months of preparation, in May 2015, a huge new project, CPSoAp (or CPSApunčić in Croatian) was organized by members of Croatian Pharmacy and Medical Biochemistry Students’ Association (CPSA). It was really a big, successful year as these were only the first steps in development of this important, still growing public health campaign.

CPSoAp is a unique public health campaign which involves pre-school children and is focused on hand hygiene as the basis of general health. The project is designed as a series of one-hour workshops in which Croatian pharmacy students volunteers work in groups with twenty pre-school children and present the importance of handwashing and body hygiene in general. The workshops took place in Zagreb’s kindergartens with the consent of the relevant responsible personnel. This allowed for everything to be made child-friendly.

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The task of these workshops is to introduce the concept of hygiene and its role in our lives in an appealing and approachable way to children, as well as to to explain in which cases it is advisable to wash hands. CPSA students created a game in which they “contaminate” children’s hands with cocoa powder and then make a small demonstration of proper hand-washing procedure. They talk about the world of microorganisms, of which children know almost nothing, in a simple way. Surely, not a simple task, but children’s imagination and creativity always find a way to surprise the ones who forgot to live life the simplest way possible, in this case, students. Through a series of interactive games children are taught the benefits of these simple actions that adults do every day, and the consequences of not doing them. In addition, the role of a pharmacist in modern healthcare systems is presented to them as a part of the program. Pharmacists always were and are the most accessible health care professionals in the medicine supply chain. People to whom both children and adults can turn to at any time with complete confidence.

CPSoAp’s primary goal is to educate pre-school children about the importance of hand hygiene and healthy habits in general. As pharmacists and health workers, we are aware that proper and

The idea for the project started almost from scratch, but from the moment it was â&#x20AC;&#x153;placed on the table,â&#x20AC;? its development was launched like an avalanche. The project concept and visual identity were designed in a very short period of time and new ideas were constantly

bursting from all sides. The basis of this huge success are the great effort and the goodwill of all the people who have been volunteering in the project since its beginning. But it all might have been in vain if CPSA had been alone in this. Since it was a pilot project, a large number of sponsors showed certain skepticism towards the project and the only company that helped initially was Saponia, a detergent and personal hygiene company with a 118-year-long tradition, from Osijek, Croatia. Their material donations, little liquid soaps made especially for children, surely exceeded all expectations.

inside IPSF

regular hand hygiene can easily and inexpensively prevent the spreading of many infectious diseases that can be transmitted by dirt. Such diseases include: the common cold, flu, infectious diarrhea and infectious jaundice. By doing this, children learn one of the basic values of civil society as we know it and therefore, we believe that we need to persist in doing this.

We also believe that this is a unique opportunity for our volunteering students to get in close interaction with children and by doing so, they gain important experience that can help them in further development of their career and personality.

Although the original project was implemented in only in a few kindergartens for now, CPSA points out that the health managers of the kindergartens, teachers, children and most of all CPSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dear volunteers were very pleased and happy with the performed job. The children loved the created programme and that is the most important thing in the whole story.

Besides involving CPSoAp in kindergartens, one version of the project was set at park Zrinjevac in the center of Zagreb as part of the famous Teddy Bear Hospital project. There, pharmacy students cooperated with medical students and got a chance to show the project to a wider number of people. Many children were happy to learn something new while playing games even though they might not have fully understood the enormous importance of the project for their future.

All things considered, this is a successful, praiseworthy campaign with a tremendous potential. Both kids and their teachers welcomed it with huge enthusiasm, which means that this year, CPSA bears an obligation to make it even bigger and better!

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N.Riziki Mulimba, RPh »» AfRO RPO 2015-2016, TAPSA

Armed They Are The year 2015 saw WHO launch a one week campaign on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Most of us came on board with this campaign to advocate for proper use of antibiotics to save ourselves from a greater threat they pose in the future. I, however. sit back and ask myself, how can small invisible organisms be so powerful? Who armed them? I say it’s me and you, perhaps indirectly, but we sure are involved. It’s about time for us to act and “fight” back.

war we are now fighting against AMR tells it all.

I am a pharmacist practicing in Tanzania, a country in the East of Africa. I am the 1246th pharmacist in the country, as of December 2014. Clearly with a population of over 50 million our numbers are wanting. However the future looks bright, the numbers are likely to increase as there are more institutions offering the degree and thus more graduates.

The result in this case is AMR, where we have a community continuously ailing from stubborn infectious diseases and due to lack of affordable medication as the new, strong antibiotics available are more expensive the mortality rates due to infectious diseases is still high.

There are three key fields of practice, hospital, community and industrial pharmacy. Of the three, hospital pharmacy is widely practiced. We do not prescribe medicines (as pharmacists in other countries do), therefore our main practice involves dispensing, patient counseling, and overall drug inventory control to mention a few. Personally, after completing the one year pre-registration internship at the national government referral hospital, I opted out. Not because I did not like the experience, rather I wanted to move outside the 4 walls of the hospital, to be closer to the people and become more involved in the drug related health decisions that they made. I wanted to practice community pharmacy. The drug of choice decision making process is not one to be taken for granted, as such “easy” decisions may not have an immediate negative outcome on one’s health now, but later they arise and become a challenge to us. The

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Here, most antibiotics are sold over the counter ‘OTC’. Despite the bold warnings found on drug packages that state “PRESCRIPTION ONLY”. So, how worse can it be that not only are these drugs sold over the counter, but also if there is no qualified personnel, in this case a community pharmacist, to advise accordingly about the proper use of drugs?

How then do we help the members of the community we live in make the right drug choices? It starts with communication. Standing behind the pharmacy counter it is our responsibility to not only sell the drugs and happily receive the money, but for us to be eager to share the knowledge we have rightfully acquired with the patient to help them understand that every drug they consume inappropriately will affect their health tomorrow.

That is one major way which we can continue the fight against AMR. Educating and informing the community why AMR is a challenge not only to us health professionals, but also patients.

It starts with me and you, we need to advocate for change from the community i.e. down-up. Let us not rule ourselves out as young pharmacists that we cannot contribute because we are not seated in a laboratory seeking a new drug, that’s not true.

As a matter of fact prevention is better than cure, making our input very important.

inside IPSF

Aya Khattab  Public Health member of EPSF

Public Health Nation Have you ever had those dreams about changing the world around you or leaving an impact in your society? Well, I had a dream!

I have always been dreaming of making a better society, better apprehension, and a healthy and safe world that surrounds me.

Seeing that by my graduation I

will get the chance to make those dreams come true. [ But unexpectedly by the age of 18 at my 1st academic year, I had the opportunity to make it. I had the opportunity to be a public health activist. ] One of the eternal queries is why wait until it's too late! I mean we

always keep suffering from serious, dangerous and most infectious diseases in our communities, but why do we not take the action as an early step?

Being one of Public Health (PH) Team members means to have the ability, capabilities and mentality to influence and to make a real and

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better world. EPSF gave me one of care of their health always if they these chances at the "Hepatitis C vi- want to be successful people in the rus (HCV) Campaign". future and also to tell their families so that we all get the benefits and This campaign was about a disease better care. widely spreading in Egypt. We actually broke the record in the highest percent of infections and deaths.

EPSF chose a little off track destination, yet it felt honestly that we are taking the right pass. Our distance was Al Eslah School. One of the hardest destinations for any campaign is schools in general because it acutely needs to be simplified with your speech and ways of communication. [ But once you did it, congratulations!

You influenced a whole generation.]

We started to talk with teachers there. At first they listened to us then they kept asking and asking for further information, till finally they felt much better because facts became clearer so they welcomed us to enter the classes. The 1st class I entered was full of cute children looking directly at me with fully respected curious eyes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Peace be upon youâ&#x20AC;? I said, continuing with telling them about an organ inside our body that is very important we can't live without using the most simple words and figures with a large materialized liver in my hands and candles to encourage them to react with us. First we started illustrating how one of us can get affected easily by using infected materials like shaving tools or needles, and also how to avoid them easily. Then after giving them new information, we asked them how to deal in specific situations similar to finding needles in the street or a toothbrush that isn't theirs to insure that we are on the right direction. At the end I told them not to forget this event we shared, to take

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ciation inside all EPSF entity! Can you figure out the sum of people get awareness only on a single day inside one local association! Or furthermore, the whole days of the campaign in the same local assoLet's now have a different perspec- ciation! tive, me giving that awareness! As I started I was focusing on my abil- If you think it's a large number, ity to keep their attention, and to what do you think about a whole make my speech seem just good campaign inside all EPSF, among and understandable. While after, I 31 local associations going into remembered how I myself care too streets, colleges, schools, clubs or much about that disease, how one even just telling their own famiof us feels on losing one of his dears lies? How Egypt is going to be afby such a way, and how we wished ter a single campaign or how many to take a step back to prevent it as souls - I wish - we save due to folmuch as we can, and that leaves a lowing our words. permanent effect inside us.

It all starts from here, from PH comOn the bright side, I thought how munity. And here we keep learning it's going to be if we managed to after giving it all to our society to protect these pure eyes now and leave our impact. That's our value, their future by our words!

PH leads you to the first steps and it goes on.

This all took seconds inside my head then I continued again my speech, but this time it was out of my head, and I was hardly looking to every single eye hoping they won't suffer neither now nor in their futures by any possible way. I truly wished the moment they saw our honest caring eyes will be the moment they're just listening to us, and will be the moment our words will last forever imbedded in their heads. [ Ridiculous - simple - as it may seem, it gave me a push forward and a spirit to the sky. Here I am a PH activist taking my first steps to influence my whole society. ] Now imagine with me, I am a single person in a single class in a campaign by a single local asso-

inside IPSF

Matthew Hung »» Université Laval (Quebec, Canada)

Public Health Perspectives for Future Pharmacists: Pharmacoepidemiology The role of pharmacists has admittedly evolved in recent years to comprehensive, patient-centered pharmaceutical care. Notwithstanding this evolution, the role of pharmacists continues to change as many pharmacy professionals now fulfill duties beyond their traditional role in community and health establishment settings. The role of pharmacists in traditional settings has always been of capital importance, which justifies how more than 70% of all pharmacists work in said settings according to the International Pharmaceutical Federation. However, it must not be denied that pharmacists have the expertise and potential to make significant impacts in numerous fields.

One less commonly ventured field is pharmacoepidemiology. The World Health Organization defines pharmacoepidemiology as “the study of the use and effects/side effects of drugs in large numbers of people with the purpose of supporting the rational and cost-effective use of drugs […] thereby improving health outcomes.”

In other words, pharmacoepidemiology studies the use of pharmacological agents and the impacts of their use in the health of populations.

the Université Laval Faculty of Pharmacy, and researcher at the Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit of the CHU de Québec Research Center (CRCHU). Her impacts in public health through pharmacoepidemiology have benefited health professionals, researchers, governmental decision-makers, and patients alike.

Dr. Guénette’s main work focuses on identifying factors associated with optimal or problematic drug usage in chronic diseases. Along with her research team, Dr. Guénette designed an integrated care project targeting patients with moderate to severe asthma or patients who displayed signs of impaired asthma control due to high doses of beta-2 agonist inhalers.

The project involved an interprofessional team who evaluated potential reasons behind the impaired control. The research team provided a new model of care to identify interventions to improve inhalation technique and asthma control, to reinforce patient education, and ultimately to improve patient adherence to their inhaled corticosteroids.

opportunity to intervene more significantly in public health and even in traditional practice. “Pharmacists regularly see their patients and can access information on medication usage which no other health professional possesses,” she believes, although citing insufficient psychosocial education in curriculum for pharmacists to more appropriately understand patient behaviour.

As the field of pharmacy continues to evolve, pharmacists will be further called upon to act in various settings. There is an increasing number of opportunities for pharmacists, like Dr. Guénette, to get involved in improving the health of populations by starting with their medication.

A special thank you to Dr. Line Guénette for her help and collaboration.

Dr. Guénette has made important Dr. Line Guénette, B.Pharm., M.Sc., impacts in public health through Ph.D., is a pharmacist-pharmacoep- her work, and she is firmly conidemiologist, assistant professor at vinced that pharmacists have the

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Sergio González »» IPSF Student Exchange Officer, EPSA National IMP Coordinator

Pseudoscience: The Role of Pharmacists in the Current Scenario Nowadays, pseudoscience, especially non evidence-based ‘medicine’ (also known as alternative medicine), is becoming a frequent issue in public health. We cannot ignore the fact that the amount of people who use this kind of ‘therapy’ rises daily, affecting the patient life quality or even risking it.

It is obvious that patients are paying for a placebo effect. Ignoring the debate on the ethical aspects of placebo, it is not ethical to charge absurdly high amounts of money to a patient for placebo. Furthermore, alternative ‘medicine’ may be understood as ‘substitutive medicine’ which could lead patients to quit their treatment to stick to an alternative one. Non evidence-based ‘medicine’ has no side effects which means it is not harmful, but quitting an actual treatment may lead to serious health issues.

There are several reasons which may lead patients to choose pseudoscience instead of evidence-based medicine. Finding the main reason seems like a difficult mission, but it seems obvious that the lack of information and their own ignorance plays a key role in this choice. This is where pharmacists are critical to persuade the patients not to use this kind of ‘medicine’ and encourage them to stick to evidence-based medicine.

The pharmacist’s role is currently changing to a new scenario where assisting the patients is a vital skill. Not only should pharmacists aid 60

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patients in community pharmacy but they also should have a formative role, reporting to society the risks of these ‘therapies’ and advising not to use them.

It is known that some of these ‘therapies’ have broken into community pharmacy, being protected by the law in some countries. As pharmacists we must press the governments to make the necessary changes to forbid these products in community pharmacies by changing the law, which will avoid misunderstanding by patients who will assume they are buying evidence-based drugs when they actually are not.

As a summary, pharmacists have an important role fighting pseudoscience. It is our duty, as pharmacists and members of the scientific community, to offer our patients a high quality treatment and to aid them to stick to their treatment preventing them from falling in the pseudoscience well, and it should also be our goal to press the governments to publish new laws in order to get pseudoscience back out of community pharmacies.

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Yehia Dogheim »» ASPSA Chairperson Of Public Health

ASPSA's Annual Breast Cancer Campaign scissors, glue, colored pens and pink ribbons. Seeing the happiness in the eyes of every student was the ultimate joy of every ASPSA member. Getting them to think out of the box and releasing their creativity was our aim on that day.

Once again ASPSA has excelled in its commitment and responsibility for spreading awareness about breast cancer. ASPSA has held it’s annual Breast Cancer Campaign targeting a new group which is school students. In our attempt to seek a new approach for our awareness campaigns, ASPSA has collaborated with one of Alexandria’s most famous centers for women’s health which is Alexandria Regional Centre for Women’s Health and Development. They provided us with specialized speakers and professional demonstrators.

I would like to thank each and every ASPSA member who participated on the day. Unleashing their potential, and giving them the chance to develop or even discover it, has always been the foundation of our association. None of this is achievable without an outstanding Public Health Committee.

It is an honor to work with such great minds.

ASPSA’s campaign took place in two different schools, where each campaign was divided into two parts. The first part was a scientific session aiming to provide students with simplified information about risks of breast cancer, maintaining healthy lifestyles to lower its incidence and how to detect and diagnose it.

The second part of the campaign was a workshop, where every third student present was teamed up with an ASPSAmember to come up with an artistic idea on how to spread awareness about breast cancer or even encourage women on early detection.

Each team was provided with cardboard, IPSF Newsletter

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Ms. Jelena Marić »» National Coordinator of Public Health for 2015 NAPSer (Serbia)

“When I grow up I’ll be a pharmacist” Baby Exit, a children’s festival at which youngsters are searching for their dreams and desires, where their dreams come true and happiness becomes a reality. Modeled after the Exit Music Festival, which has been held for years at the Petrovaradin Fortress, this great festival for children found its anchor at the same place, providing an opportunity for kids to enjoy what they love the most.

The Pharmaceutical Students’ Association of Novi Sad (PSANS), the local office of NAPSer, recognized the importance of this event. Our students tried to help the children to discover that perhaps they want to be “fellows in white coats” when they grow up.

provided us the materials and in that way, enabled us to properly introduce what a pharmacist is. The Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia helped us in educating children and their parents.

Education was conducted through an interactive game, that offered multiple options, and allowed children to adopt the mechanism of behaviour when coming into contact with drugs and the importance of not using the drugs without parental supervision. The next step of this game was conditioned by the children choosing the correct choice.

Older children were provided with the comic on the same subject. All this has contributed to the fact that we became one of the most visited and most interesting stand at the festival.

During these two days we tried to teach the children, through playing and in a fun way, who pharmacists are and what their task is. We had no idea that they would give us an even more important lecture,­you should nurse the inner child, believe in your dreams and always, but always love what you are doing, because only in this way can you be successful. By working with them in described methods, we eliminated their fear of white coats, and in return received great feedback from children, lots of smiles and uttered “I want to be a pharmacist when I grow up”.

We showed and gave the kids the possibility to make a syrup called Altheae radix and scented pellets for bathing with our help. We also had the demonstration products which were interesting for children in appearance and smell. The children were curiously asking about the Altheae radix, Ginseng radix, Cinnamomi cortex. Our faculty 62

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Eugénie Fita »» Public Health Vice President »» Association Amicale des Etudiants en pharmacie de Montpellier “AAEPM”

Doping Before Exams The amount of people consuming drugs is increasing exponentially every day, especially in an educational context. On one side, students take drugs to have fun, to get high, to experience something new and to feel “powerful” for one night. On the other side, they consume drugs during exam periods to keep up with stress and this side is probably even more dangerous than the other. Why ?

This is the worst week, the week before exams. We would say it’s actually worse than the exams themselves. Using drugs is the easiest solution, indeed, amphetamines help to stay awake, but what about legal drugs? For attention deficits and hyperactivity disorders, medication is the best way to improve concentration.

Inspired by the Bradley Cooper’s movie “ Limitless”, the Association Amicale des étudiants en Pharmacie” (AAEPM), located in Montpellier, France, takes care of the well-being of its students all year-long.

Since the association is charged of this mission, we have to prove it so we do an anonymous and voluntary survey. Our students may suffer from stress caused by difficult exams, which could lead to drug-and-alcohol abuse or physical illness. We don’t know how they manage this type of situation, do they take too much coffee? Do they ingest Ritalin or amphetamines? Or do they just drink a cup of relaxing infusion before going to sleep?

What’s the secret of their success? Isn’t it cheating?

The aim of this survey is to inform students of the side effects that drugs can bring and to prevent their use. The best way to do that is to give them some advice.

On one hand, we are obliged to teach them a lot of knowledge about the side effects drugs, such as nervousness, heart disease, stomach pain, or loss of appetite. We also asked stakeholders like pharmacists and experts in toxicology. On the other hand, eating a healthy and balanced diet, limiting caffeine intake, and getting plenty of sleep is the key to avoid temptation. Our program also had the possibility to create stress management programs such as yoga. We want to avoid dependencies and addictions problems because such behavior can lead to interpersonal relationship difficulties, depression and anxiety.

In a nutshell, it is important to know that there are many ways to overcome stressful situations that do not involve drug consumption, The stressful life of students has become a true public health problem, and it is a rising problem. We are all concerned because we are facing a crisis but we can fight it.

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HIRWA Brice »» RPSA Public Health, University of Rwanda

Diabetes and HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaigns by RPSA Diabetes is a dangerous scourge and a global challenge which causes a death every seven seconds, which is why the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association, chose to promote the importance of taking coordinated and concerted actions to confront diabetes. The other reason that pushed the association to make an awareness and educational program on this disease is an increase in cases of it in Rwanda, which is due to a change in lifestyle that is promoting overweight cases.

From November 12th to 13th, 2015, the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (RPSA), a full member of IPSF, in partnership with the Rwanda Diabetes Association (RDA) conducted a Diabetes Awareness and Education Program throughout the whole country. This diabetes campaign consisted of an overview of diabetes, its types, complications, prevention and treatments. The program also included the measurement of body mass index (BMI), blood pressure measurement, and of course blood glucose measurement which was followed by a counseling session.

This countrywide awareness campaign took place in 6 different campuses of the University of Rwanda, the Southern campus (Huye campus), the Northern campus (Busogo Campus), the Eastern campus (Nyagatare campus) and 3 other campuses (Nyarugenge campus, Remera campus and IPRC- Kigali) that are situated in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

A week before the campaign, the members of

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Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association were trained by the RDA (Rwanda Diabetes Association) trainers. The trainees gathered the necessary skills to perform all tasks that would be needed in the campaign. In fact 70 members of RPSA have been trained to well conduct the Diabetes Awareness and Education Program.

The theme of the campaign was: “Healthy Living and Diabetes”. The aim of the campaign was to improve public health in our community by advocating for diabetes education starting in the students’ community. The outcome of the campaign was spectacular as we screened 4000 people on all campuses and even after the campaign participants were still asking about the services that we were providing. “People around were so interested and even before the beginning of the campaign there was a very long line waiting to be screened, it was amazing to see how people wanted to know more about diabetes.” said ABIZERA Nadine, one of the RPSA members who was volunteering on the Northern campus.

Apart from students, lecturers, other campus’s employees also came to participate in the campaign and they have been treated in a professional manner, and praised the event. We discovered many new cases, some critical thanks to this campaign and we advised them to consult physicians before it is too late because many patients of type 2 diabetes became aware of the disease when they start dealing with its complications such as cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, erectile dysfunction, eye disease which lead to blindness, pregnancy

inside IPSF complications and chronic wounds in the feet that can lead to amputation.

The public health officer of the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association, Mr. Hirwa Brice, said that they have been satisfied with the impact of the campaign on the Rwandan community as it improved the knowledge of people with this disease and also helped them to know their life status.

However, it was obvious that we still need to expand this campaign or organize more of this. This is due to the importance of it and regarding the need and willing of people to be screened. A lot is still to be done by health care providers to stop this dangerous disease.

Furthermore, the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (RPSA) being an association that promotes sustainable health care through pharmacy practice and research as well as empower the Rwandan youth community about their reproductive, social and civic responsibilities through advocacy, conducted an HIV/AIDS campaign in one of the campuses of the University of Rwanda from the 1st up to the 2nd of December, 2015. The aim of the campaign was to put on an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, to conduct a free HIV test to participants and to dispense male condoms among students who live in the campus.

Rwanda is facing a challenge of a big number of people who are not aware of their HIV status, and consequently new HIV infections are still remarkable, which is why the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association conducted an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign among youth to tackle the disease.

the struggles she has been facing since that time.

She encouraged students to always protect themselves against HIV/AIDS, to never give up once they are found positive because life goes on and nowadays antiretroviral therapy helps patients to control the virus.

Pharmacy students who are members of Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association volunteered in the campaign. This noble action resulted in 300 people being tested, counseled, and 3 new cases were found.

On the day two of the campaign, a lecturer at the University of Rwanda who has had HIV since 1995, gave participants a testimony. She highlighted all

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Jerlin Jermae Dizon »» Notre Dame of Maryland University, USA

Food Deserts - Ensuring Access Today, 23.5 million people in United States currently reside in food deserts. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food deserts are neighborhoods around urban and rural areas without ready access to fresh, healthy and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options. The lack of healthy food access in these communities plays a role in the increase of new cases of diabetes, heart disease and other diet-related diseases.

While there are many people unacquainted with the issue of food deserts, we took it in our hands to make a change and increase awareness about its importance. We thought of starting locally to educate the public.

Our school chapter’s American Pharmacist Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists’ (APhAASP) Operation Diabetes partnered with the local organization Pigtown’s Food for Thought on a mural project. The purpose of the project is to create a mural that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating. The mural was created on a wall of a nearby basketball court around a community of

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The murals were designed by three talented high school students on what their interpretations of food deserts and importance of healthy eating.

The goal of the Healthy Eating Mural is to raise

Community garden for public to grow their own fruits & vegetables

The city of Baltimore has many food deserts where residents must travel more than one-quarter of a mile to reach supermarkets. The median household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. Over 30 percent of household lacks access to a vehicle. To further worsen the issue, the supply of fresh, healthy foods is low.

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Pigtown where most of the residents are low income. The target is to put the mural where many people can see it. Pigtown’s Food for Thought painted other murals all around the city for people to see.

awareness of the increasing dilemma of food deserts in public communities; thus, motivating people to think of innovative and creative solutions to the problem.

To celebrate the completion of the mural, we held a health fair expo at the unveiling of the mural.

We also introduced the public to the garden Pigtown Food for Thought created at the same location of one of the murals where people are given the opportunity to grow their own vegetables. At the event, we conducted blood pressure checks and educated the community on various disease states. For example, we taught how eating healthy and living a more active lifestyle could prevent such diseases as diabetes and cardiovascular dis-

inside IPSF

Notre Dame of Maryland University, APhA-ASP Operation Diabetes team

ease. We also intended a cooking demonstration where the public are taught recipes on how they can utilize the vegetables grown in the community garden. We also notified the public of the various programs Pigtown’s Food for Thought offer for the community, such as dry farmer’s market every Thursday of the week where trucks of local farmers bring in freshly harvested vegetables and fruits to the community as a means of healthy food access.

Food deserts continue to be an ongoing public health issue to our country and many others. Action needs to be taken to alleviate the detrimental impact that food deserts have on the nutrition of residents in these communities. Providing awareness about the importance of healthy eating and increasing access to healthy foods are some of ways to resolve this problem.

Odokonyero Kennedy »» B.Pharm IV Makerere University, Uganda, CP, MUPSA, Uganda

All About ‘The Difference’ at MUPSA Health Camp 2015 The difference that we empowered the community with the skills and knowledge on how to use medicine well. That they will recover quickly from an illness because they would have used their medicine well. That they will know when to self-medicate and when not to. That they will avoid use of herbal and conventional medicines concomitantly .That they will be champions in their communities for the fight against antibiotic resistance.

The difference that people tested for HIV and got to know their status. That the people who tested positive will start antiretroviral therapy earlier and hence prolong their lives. That the people who

tested negative will remain negative because they got the knowledge on how to remain negative.

The difference that units of blood donated will one day save a life.

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That they gained the skills of how to do a selfbreast examination. That they will seek medical help immediately if they see signs of breast cancer.

The difference that we sensitized the community on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) like hypertension and diabetes and that they had their risks assessed for CVDs. That a member of the community will not acquire diabetes because she knows the ways of preventing it.

The difference that our friends from the dental school educated the community on oral health hygiene. The difference that people that were screened for sickle cell disease, and that the screening that is usually shs.60, 000 was done for free.

On behalf of MUPSA, I would like to especially thank the following organizations and groups of persons who were very instrumental in making us create â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the differenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

1.

Leaders of Wakiso District 2.

Management of Wakiso

Health Center IV 3.

Abacus Pharma Ltd 4.

Rene Industries Ltd 5.

Pharmaceutical Society Of Uganda 6.

Ecopharm Ltd 7.

Aga Khan University Hospital 8.

Kiyita Family Alliance For Development 9.

Nakasero Blood Bank 10.

Sickle Cell Association of Uganda 11.

Uganda Public Health Laboratory 12. MESAU-MEPI 13.

Volunteers from MUPSA, Schools of

Medicine & Dentistry Most importantly the community around Wakiso Health Center IV and beyond who heeded to our call and came in hundreds. We hope we made a difference in your health.

To the executive of MUPSA; you made sacrifices, showed dedication and above all demonstrated teamwork. I am proud of the difference we created.

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Stephanie

Chairperson of Professional Development Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to believe we have already completed the first quarter of our mandate. 2016 will bring many exciting developments for the Professional Development (PD) portfolio.

Welcome to the first publication for PD in recent history. Through this section of the IPSF Newsletter we hope to update you on the latest projects and events, showcase how our members are working to promote the increasingly important role of the pharmacist, provide you with insight into pharmacy practice around the world and enhance your own professional development.

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I would like to introduce you to the current members of the team who have been working hard to make our projects possible.

I am so fortunate to work with such a passionate, hardworking and incredible talented group of individuals.

IPSF for a couple of years now, but being on the Professional Development (PD) portfolio this year, I believe have the ability to help and spread the knowledge of pharmacy clinical skills.

My primary role and goal for this year is to offer an innovative learning method that efficiently fills the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice.

Professional Development Team My name is Juliet Onyinyechukwu Obi. My main goals are to bring patient counselling to every member association of IPSF and ensure that everyone has access to information on how to organize an event.

Patient counselling is a crucial aspect of the pharmacy profession and every pharmacist must endeavour to acquire patient counselling skills as they progress into the profession.

This way, we remain relevant to the health care team. This explains my passion for the patient counselling portfolio and the professional development portfolio of IPSF. I have been in the Professional Development committee for two years and I am ever willing to spread IPSF and the Patient Counselling Event to every doorstep!

I am Clement, a French pharmacist and now a PhD student in pharmaceutical sciences and drug delivery at Queen’s University Belfast.

As a Compounding Event (CE) coordinator, I hope to engage with many fellow pharmacy students and young pharmacists from around the world to show them the importance and the necessity of compounding skills within the pharmacy profession. Feel free to contact me if you want to find out more about the Compounding

Event held during the 62nd IPSF World Congress or if you want to set up your own Compounding Event.

When not working in the lab, I enjoy learning languages (Spanish and Mandarin at the moment) and I am always planning my next adventure.

Viva le compounding, viva la IPSF, viva la pharmacie!

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Hello from Dallas, Texas. My name is Angel Acosta and I’m the current Clinical Skills Event (CSE) Coordinator.

Prior to the pharmacy world, I was a nurse for 5 years. During those 5 years I was able to see how clinical skills from different health professions played an important key in the patient’s overall treatment and care. I have been involved with

I am excited to return to IPSF as Professional Pharmacy Awareness Coordinator (PPAC).

In the past, my most active work in IPSF was though developing the regional offices. Now, I will be working alongside Stephanie, Chairperson of Professional Development, and Dayl, IPSF President, to drive progress in the pharmacy profession.

Some of our goals are to create complete resources for member organizations to utiI am Pratima Jain, the Coordinator of Training in IPSF Professional Development (PD) Team, from India.

I have always been a big believer in the power of training, because of its simplicity and ease of transferring knowledge in easy and customisable bites. All through my formal education I felt the need of such a learning mechanism, which motivated me to be engaged in trainings and later, be a part of the PD team as the Training Coordina-

lize to carry out widespread campaigns and also effectively promote pharmacy initiatives to the World Health Organization. I have high hopes that we will be able to accomplish laying a strong foundation with all of the seasoned members on board, and I look forward to working with many of you throughout this term.

Viva la pharmacie.

tor. I want to be able to impart as many skills and knowledge to students all around the world which would help them become better professionals in their lives through this portfolio.

Viva La IPSF!

Regional Symposia Reflections APPS 2-15 - Thailand PCE Beginner - Ms. Phakchanok Kulma (Thailand) PCE Advanced - Ms. Kanyphak Maitachak CSE Team Event - Thailand

1. Parinya Khinnongjok

2. Tantai Wilaiporn

3. Korakot Meejongmeesuk

4. Pipat Patcharapanukul

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AFPS 2015 PCE Winner - Amizero Delphine Rwanda First Runner Up - Njuguna Peter Kamau Kenya Second Runner Up - Michael Nyoroh Kenya

Compounding Event Beginner - Thirikan Pohpoach, Thailand Advanced - Bekah Simpson, New Zealand

Clinical Skills Event Beginner - Chloe Trudeau, Canada Advanced - Amelia McLeod, Australia

Patient Counselling Event Advanced - Christine Echtenkamp - USA Beginner - Bernice Leow Li Hsia - Singapore

Clinical Skills Team Event Team Canada - Cassandra Woit, Leah Hodgins, Marie-Lou Deschamps, Venessa Liang

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World Congress Highlights

Clinical Skills Jeopardy Team Australia - Amelia McLeod, Bec Pryce, James Buckley, Jess Thompson

Future PD Events The Professional Development team has been very busy planning some major events that will take place over the next few months including an online Patient Counselling Event (PCE), Trainersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Development Camps in two IPSF regions and Clinical Skills Event (CSE) workshops. This year the team has been working hard to host a record number of Professional Development events that will be taking place during all of the IPSF Regional Symposia. Lastly, we have been speaking with potential partners to obtain sponsorship for the IPSF Compounding Event and the Leaders In Training program at the World Congress!

Meet the Entire PD Committee

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»» Crazy Clinical Corner

Patient Counselling Tips for Pharmacists Counseling patients is a skill that can be acquired by pharmacists. Although filling prescriptions accurately and expeditiously is very important to the pharmacy profession, it is also important that we ensure patients understand how to use their medications to obtain optimum therapeutic results. Without pharmacists counseling the patient before leaving the pharmacy, the patient would leave with nothing more than the direction on the label and the information leaflet which the patient may not even read.

Some sort of tool can be used to help pharmacists remember to cover all the important medication counseling aspects of a particular drug. A good tool is the acronym DRUG as explained below: Dosage - Discuss the dose of the medication, how it should be taken, specific dosage timing issues, and what to do if the patient misses a dose.

Results - What should the patient expect while taking this medication? How is the drug working in the body, and how can the patient tell if the medication is working? It is also important that the patient understands the consequences of nonadherence.

Underlying issues - Discuss potential issues that the patient needs to be aware of when taking the medication.

Medications in Pregnancy Concern about medication use among pregnant women must focus not only on the pregnant woman, but also on the fetus, who is placed at potential risk for a wide range of adverse effects. Of course, drugs can be an essential part of medical treatment. But pregnant women may not be as cautious as they should be about medications. They might take for granted that if a drug was prescribed by their doctor, or is available over-thecounter, then it must be safe. But the truth is, there’s often

Some of which include: • Does this medication have any Black Box Warnings?

• Is the patient allergic to this medication?

• Is the patient taking any other medications that may interact with this medication?

• Does this medication have specific alcohol, grapefruit or sun sensitivity warnings?

• Does this medication have an effect on any other disease states that the patient may have?

• Are there any special precautions with the elderly, young, pregnant or breastfeeding patients?

• Are there any other medication specific cautions or precautions that should be discussed?

General Information - Assess the patient’s understanding of the above information. Discuss how to properly store the medication, what to do about refills, how to dispose of unused medications, and make sure the patient knows who to call for questions. As pharmacists, many patients rely on us for medication information and education. Therefore, we need to stay up to date on our understanding of the important counseling topics with each and every medication we dispense. It is also our duty to maintain our skills as patient educators so that we may convey such information in an appropriate manner to our patients.

very little evidence to back up that assumption. Pregnant women should never start or stop taking medication while pregnant without first consulting their healthcare provider. Some drugs are known to pose a danger to pregnant women or their unborn babies, and has pharmacists, we should know the following common teratogens:

ACE Inhibitors, Angiotensin II, Receptor Blockers, Benzodiazepines, Carbamazepine, Finasteride, Fluoroquinolones, Isotretinoin, Lithium,

Methimazole, Methotrexate, Misoprostol, NSAIDs, Paroxetine, Phenobarbital Phenytoin, Statins, Tetracyclines, Thalidomide. Topiramate, Valproic Acid, and Warfarin.

Photo credit: Retrieve from http://www.webmd.com/baby/look-your-best-duringpregnancy-13/slideshow-pregnant-beauty on January 17, 2016.

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Pharmacy Around the World »» The practice of pharmacy and the role of the pharmacist within the healthcare team is so incredibly diverse. Our profession is constantly evolving as our scope of practice is becoming more and more advanced.

“Pharmacy Around the World” is a new Pharmacy Profession Awareness Campaign designed to introduce our members to the varying aspects of pharmacy practice throughout all regions of IPSF. With this campaign

Uganda

By: Odokonyero Kennedy History The first Bachelor in Pharmacy (B.Pharm) degree was introduced in Uganda in Makerere University (MAK) in 1988. This makes pharmacy training in Uganda 28 years old. Two universities has cropped up over the years to start offering B.Pharm. This include Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Kampala International University (KIU). MAK and MUST are public universities while KIU is a private one. The duration of pharmacy studies in these institutions takes about four years.

Entry requirement.

There is direct and indirect entry.

Direct entry are for students from the entry level while indirect is for diploma holders. The requirement for direct entry is a principal pass in the subjects of biology and chemistry while for indirect is a minimum of a second class diploma degree in pharmacy.

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Curriculum The curriculum at MAK is divided into two blocks. Block I consists mainly of biomedical subjects like physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology etc. plus some introductory subjects to pharmacy like physicochemical principles of pharmacy. Block II consist of clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical biotechnology, industrial pharmacy, toxicology, pharmacy law etc. Block I is covered in first and second year while the last two years are for Block II. Internship After successfully completing the four year studies, one is required to do a yearlong internship. Internship is a partial requirement for getting a practicing license. Before joining internship, you’ve to pass the preinternship exams that is set by the professional body, the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU). Internship consists of nine months in a hospital and three months in the industry or regulatory body. The regulatory body in Uganda is National Drugs Authority (NDA). Upon completion of the internship, you have to pass the licensing examination that is also set by PSU, then only

you are issued a practicing license.

Practice Majority of pharmacists in Uganda are in community pharmacy practice and supply chain management.

Those in community work as directors of retail pharmacies while chain managers work in procurement bodies like National Medical Stores (NMS).

NMS is the body responsible for procurement drugs on behalf of the government. The four pharmaceutical industries in Uganda absorb few pharmacists. Other pharmacists are involved academia, research and hospital practices.

Challenges and way forward Uganda has about 800 pharmacists serving a population of around 35 million. Inadequacy of training institutions causes shortage of qualified pharmacists to meet the growing population of Uganda. Besides, there is need for other universities to introduce pharmacy degree. Postgraduate and master’s programs are also limited. Universities should explore training more pharmacist specializing in different fields such as clinical pharmacy, industrial pharmacy, radiopharmacy, etc.

inside IPSF weaim to explore the roles of the pharmacist within the healthcare team, describe the barriers aspects of pharmacy practice throughout all regions of IPSF. With this campaign we aim to explore the roles of the pharmacist within the healthcare team, describe the barriers to expanding the pharmacist’s scope of practice and brainstorm ways we can work together as a profession to overcome these barriers.

United States of America By: Angel Acosta

Pharmacist services have grown well beyond functions tied only to dispensing medications. Over the past few years, different states in the U.S. have given pharmacists an opportunity to expand their services. Pharmacists are now starting to provide advanced patient-centered services such as coordination of medications during care transitions, medication management, comprehensive medication reviews with ongoing medication monitoring, chronic disease management, disease education, prevention and wellness services, and patient education. States are now able to regulate pharmacist’s patient care services through “scope of practice” laws and related rules, including boards of pharmacy and medicine regulations. Depending on each state’s laws, pharmacists can work with other healthcare providers through Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs) to provide an array of patient care services. Two main ways pharmacists are able to

provide these services are by Collaborative Drug Therapy Management (CDTM) and Medication Therapy Management (MTM).

CDTM is a collaborative practice agreement between one or more providers and pharmacists in which qualified pharmacists working within the context of a defined protocol are permitted to assume professional responsibility for performing patient assessments, counseling, and referrals; ordering laboratory tests; administering drugs; and selecting, initiating, monitoring, continuing, and adjusting drug regimens. MTM is a distinct service or group of services that optimizes therapeutic outcomes for individual patients. MTM includes five core elements: medication therapy review, personal medication record, medication-related action plan, intervention and/or referral, and documentation and follow-up. A 2010 study done by Chisholm-Burns et al. found that patient health improves significantly when pharmacists work with doctors and other providers to manage patient care.1

tient outcomes for residents in the state of Ohio. Bill HB 188 will now allow pharmacists acting under a physician consult agreement to order blood & urine tests, analyze the results of those tests, and then to remove, change, or add new medications to the patient’s drug therapy regimen. Additionally, the bill also allows pharmacists to give patients who are out of refills (and if the doctor can’t be reached) up to an extra 30-day supply of medications (or the smallest unit of measurement possible), if the patient’s life could be adversely affected by not having the prescription.

As we move forward and expand our services, we, the future pharmacists, can improve patient’s health and the health care delivery system by being part of the patient’s healthcare team. Patient care services provided by pharmacists can reduce fragmentation of care, lower health care costs, and improve health outcomes. One way to meet this goal is not only by providing these services to patients but also by advocating for our profession and letting everyone know what Recently, last month, the State of pharmacist are capable of when it Ohio signed into law a new way and comes to patient’s health care and a major step forward to better utilize treatment. pharmacist services to improve pa-

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United Kingdom

By: Bethany Astbury and Jake Doherty Within the UK the role of the pharmacist can vary greatly. Once registered, pharmacists are able to work in many different sectors of the profession, be it in industry, community, hospital or academia.

The profession is pushing for more advancements in our role so that our knowledge can be utilised in the best way possible.

Every community pharmacy provides essential services such as dispensing medicines and appliances, disposing of waste medicines, public health, signposting and support for self-care.

Alongside these, pharmacies also provide additional services to ensure patients are taking their medications as prescribed. The New Medicine Service is a service which provides personalised counseling and follow-ups for patients receiving a new medication for conditions such as asthma, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. This helps patients to understand more about their condition and medication which improves patient compliance. Pharmacists also undertake Medicine Use Reviews which targets similar patient groups and assesses patient’s understanding and compliance annually. For younger patients, parents can use the Minor Ailments Service to access prescription medication for conditions such as hayfever and colds for children without requiring a doctor’s appointment.

The future of community pharmacy looks to pharmacists with a medical prescribing qualification to take patients from doctors who have long term conditions such as asthma which need continued support as the condition may require a number of treatment options to be explored. There is also now also plans for change so that pharmacists can access patient’s health records, making it easier for pharmacists to ensure that patients are being prescribed the correct medication which will expand our clinical role into the community.

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One of the main roles that hospital pharmacists perform daily is the reconciliation of patient’s medicines. This includes ensuring medicines prescribed correspond to those that the patient was taking before admission. Whilst doing this, pharmacists perform a clinical check to ensure medication prescribed is appropriate for the patient. Pharmacists can become involved in these prescribing decisions on ward rounds and multidisciplinary team meetings. Furthermore, pharmacists can undertake a prescribing qualification to enable them to prescribe medications within their scope of practice. This becomes very useful when working in pharmacist drug clinics. Here pharmacists perform consultations with patients with long term conditions, where they can prescribe medication and change doses after diagnosis.

The future of hospital pharmacy now looks towards pharmacists working in the accident and emergency department. Here pharmacists can stop adverse drug reactions which cause a large proportion of admissions to hospital and take over the care of patients with minor conditions. In addition, hospital pharmacists are now beginning to work in general practitioner practices where they can prevent admissions to hospital by reviewing medications and conditions of patients at high risk of admission to hospitals.

In conclusion, although pharmacists in England already have an extensive scope of practice, pharmacy is always looking to expand to fully utilise the skills that pharmacists possess and little the load of healthcare on other professionals. It is up to current students who are future professionals to ensure that the field of pharmacy expands to reach its full potential.

By: Pratima Jain Every 5th tablet, capsule and injectable in generics drugs consumed anywhere in the world are manufactured in India, every third vaccine administered anywhere in the world is manufactured in India.

And 30% of all the antiHIV drugs required globally are manufactured in India.

In the last few years, pharmacy in India has become very synonymous with manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, ‘industrial pharmacy’ as we know it. This brings us in the face of the fact that India is one of the largest producers of pharmaceutical medicines in the world, 3rd largest in volumes, to be specific. And that, essentially explains the largest scope of pharmacy in India.

The pharmacy education system in India is a little complex due to multiple courses available. A pharmacist in India is called an official pharmacist after undergoing one of the recognized programs in pharmacy from a college affiliated with a university (which is approved and accredited by central government bodies- Pharmacy Council of IndiaPCI and All India Council for Technical EducationAICTE).

Currently, there are more than 1500 institutions offering various pharmacy training programs across the country. The pharmacy degree programs offered in India include: Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharm), Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm), Master of Pharmacy (M. Pharm), Master of Science in Pharmacy [MS (Pharm)] and Master of Technology in Pharmacy [MTech (Pharm)], Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), and Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacy (PhD). Integration of two courses like B. Pharm + MBA or M. Pharm + MBA has also been initiated by some institutions. The specialties available for Master’s in Pharmacy include pharmaceutics, pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacognosy, industrial pharmacy, quality assurance, and pharmaceutical biotechnology.

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India

Most of these courses (except D.Pharm and the recent PharmD course), were designed to suit the requirements of the industry. A typical pharmacy professional would undertake jobs at all levels in the industry, via research and development, analytical department, clinical trials, manufacturing field, quality assurance as well as a medical sales representative (and managers) in the pharmaceutical companies.

However, the other aspects such as community and hospital pharmacy have been overshadowed.

Pharmacy stores are handled primarily by diploma holders and patient-pharmacist interaction is seldom present. The patients often have a perception of the pharmacist as a dispenser of medicine rather than a partner in health. To bridge this divide, the inclusion of courses designed for pharmacy practice including professional soft skills is needed in various undergraduate programs.

It has been identified that the graduates are much more in number than the industrial jobs available, and it is giving rise to unemployment for the pharmacists. The other reasons such as infrequent updating of curriculum, competition with pure sciences graduates, ayurvedic doctors, botanists and Doctor of Medicine (MD) Pharmacology graduates for a position in the chemistry and analysis, pharmacognosy/herbal and clinical research departments of industries respectively, lack of quality teachers as well as lack of communication & language skills.

However, the government of India is slowly realizing the importance of pharmacy practice and implementing measures to fill the lacunas. Recently, pharmacy was taken as a major field of focus in the ‘National Skill Development Program’. A pharmacovigilance program of India was established in 2010 to record all adverse drug reactions and program of Doctor of Pharmacy launched in 2008 was to focus on pharmacy practice in hospitals and community pharmacy. However, all these initiatives are in their nascent stage even now. The country needs a fast-paced approach from all stakeholders in order to integrate pharmacy education and practice into the overall healthcare system to achieve “A better tomorrow.”

References: Working group report, Planning commission of india, 2014. Thapprel, Pharmacy education in India: Past, Present and Future, Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Research, 2014. Basak and Sathyanarayana; Pharmacy Education in India, American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 2010, 74(4).

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Pharmacy Symbols from Around the World By: Guillaume Brun

Guillaume Brun is a 6th-year pharmacy student from France who took a break in his studies to travel for nearly two years with his motorcycle in order to meet pharmacists and pharmacy students from around the world and discover their daily lives.

He called his project “Ma Pharmacie du bout du Monde” or ‘My Pharmacy at the other end of the World’ and documented his adventures on social media: https://www.facebook.com/MaPharmacieduboutduMonde In the following article, he describes the different pharmacy symbols used around the world.

My time in Austria is a good opportunity for a small report about the symbols used to represent pharmacy.

First, who uses what?

In France, of course, the green cross is used. This symbol is also used in the United States, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Spain but also in Argentina, India and many other countries. You also know the pharmaceutical caduceus (the bowl of Hygeia and the serpent of Epidaurus) which is also used in the Netherlands.

In Germany and Austria, they use a stylized letter A in red. In the Netherlands, very rarely, you can observe a “Gaper” and in front of some old AngloSaxon pharmacies you can find a show-globe.

What are all these symbols?

The green cross: The cross is the symbol of rescue and of military and civil protection.

This cross, also called the “Greek cross”, has four equal arms and it has become a symbol of Christianity over time. The Crusaders, who had adopted this symbol as an emblem, propagated it.

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But, why a green cross?

Well, you have to know that originally this famous cross is red. The pharmacists borrowed this symbol from the international organization of the Red Cross, an organization created in the late nineteenth century. The emblem had been adopted by many pharmaceutical manufacturers who added it to their packaging. Pharmacists followed the movement by making their emblem of this red cross.

However, in 1913, the Geneva Convention prohibited the use of the red cross to pharmacists who, finally, adopted the green cross.

The cross: ok, but why green?

Some people mention the vegetal origin of many medications, others evoke the World War I. Indeed, at that time, doctors and pharmacists had to have the same uniform as officers, the only variable being the badges on the collar. It was then decided that doctors had to wear a crimson velvet collar and pharmacists a dark green collar.

Mortar and pestle:

The pharmaceutical caduceus, a snake hugging a cup, should not be confused with the medical caduceus, a snake wrapped around a stick.

The mortar and pestle are two tools used since ancient times by the apothecaries and pharmacy technicians to grind various products of the pharmacopoeia for pharmaceutical preparations and compounded products.

Now the business has changed and preparations are much rarer than before. This symbol is no longer used by pharmacists. Nevertheless, it is one of the most frequent symbol of compounding worldwide.

The snake symbolizes the healing art, fertility and life. The snake may symbolize the patient who has to choose to participate or not to the medicine and heal (take control of their own well-being by making the right choice). Finally, it is also the snake of Epidaurus Temple, a temple dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine. The cup is the one of Hygeia, daughter of Asclepius and Goddess of health, who used to drink to the snake of this famous temple of Epidaurus. The snake of Epidaurus hugging a cup appears, from 1222, in apothecaries of Padua (Italy) as a distinctive symbol of the pharmacy used as the main pattern of their banner.

The pharmaceutical caduceus appears in France in 1820 and will soar in 1942 when the Supreme Council of Pharmacy, at the request of the State Secretary for Health, decided to choose it as the emblem of the French Pharmacy.

The Rx symbol: This symbol is widely used in the Anglo-Saxon culture. It refers to a medical prescription but is also used as a symbol of pharmacy.

Rx is an abbreviation of presecription, from the latin recipere or recipe, it means « recipetake thou », i.e. “take it in the name of god”.

It also symbolizes the prayer to the God of medicine, Jupiter.

Other English medical abbreviations also use a ‘-x’: Sx = signs and symptoms, Tx = treatment or transplant, Hx = history and Dx = diagnosis.

In the United States, we find this sign on all prescriptions.

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The caduceus:

The red stylized letter A: This symbol is used by all pharmacies in Austria and Germany. It is also sometimes found in their European neighbouring countries.

This Gothic letter A on white background is just the first letter of the word “Apotheke” (Pharmacy) or “Apotheker” (Pharmacist).

The Show globes The “show world” is a glass globe of various shapes and sizes containing a colored liquid. It was used in England as a symbol of pharmacy from the 17th century and until the early 20th century in the United States. They were clinging on the front of apothecaries in the same way that the red and white bar of the barbers. Thus, the illiterate could easily locate those buildings. We find these colorful globes exclusively in Anglo-Saxon countries.

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The Gaper The “Gaper”, also called “Yawner” is a representation of a wood or stone head with open mouth.

This strange head more often takes the guise of a Moorish (North African origin person). The Gaper is used as a symbol of pharmacy in the Netherlands. This grimacing mask has always a mouth wide open and we can sometimes observe a capsule placed on his tongue. (Basically, this is not a guy who yawns but a guy who takes a drug!)

The person of colour apparently symbolizes the exotic origin of drugs. At the time, apothecaries roamed the markets to brag their products.

Their assistants, dressed as a Moor, swallowed a pill and suddenly felt much better (of course), so they performed a dance! Today, these symbols are collection objects that we rarely find outside of a museum. Less than 50 can be seen on buildings and some have now lent their name to cafes as “of vergulde Gaper” in Amsterdam. Here is an example with the pharmacy “De Groote Gaper”:

The salamander The salamander is a species of newt, which, according to the ancients, was able to live in fire without being burned. Indeed, It would have the ability to regenerate its organs. It is therefore a symbol of immortality used in the past by some pharmacies.

I saw a beautiful representation of salamander in the Pharmacy Museum of Bratislava, in Slovakia (unfortunately photos were not allowed). We can finally mention all the attributes that represent the art of healing such as the spatula, the spoon, the weighing scales and even Saint Nicolas, Saint Como, Saint Damien, the Virgin or Galen.

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The eye of Horus The eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian figure symbolizing protection, royal power and good health.

We find this symbol on protective amulets and as a medical measurement unit using the mathematical proportions of the eye to determine the proportion of the ingredients used for preparing of a medication.

Some say that this Eye of Horus is at the origin of the symbol Rx (which I mentioned earlier). Do not see the trick? Look closer at the picture, you’ll be able to see the R! In Egyptian mythology, Seth killed Osiris (who pass from God of the Sun to God of the Hereafter).

In order to avenge his dead father, Horus fought Seth during 80 days and lost an eye in the battle.

Seth dislocated this eye in 6 parts. Thoth found the pieces and re-associated the eye by magic. When the eye came back to him, Horus gave it as a present to his father. Thus, the eye became a symbol of healing (Rx) and of respect for the parents. On an amulet, it protects the dead by helping them to reborn into the light and drive away the “evil eye”.

On the bow of ships, it protects of the dangerous hippos.

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world congress 2016 HARARE,ZIMBABWE 29 July 2016 - 08 August 2016

WORLD CONGRESS ZIMBABWE

2016

- $ 450 * 1 April - 31 May - $ 500 * 1 June - 10 July - $ 550

* 11 January - 31 March

registration opens january 2016 @ ipsfwc2016

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62nd ipsf world congress 2016 zimbabwe

ipsfwc2016@gmail.com

www.ipsf2016.org

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Chello Chairperson of the 62nd World Congress Greetings from the motherland Africa. First l would like to thank you all for electing us as your host for IPSFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important event. My name is Mitchelle Masuko, Chairperson of the 62nd IPSF World Congress Reception Committee. I am a recent pharmacy graduate from the University of Zimbabwe and have been practicing for a year now.

My team is dedicated to give you all a breathtaking experience at the 62nd IPSF World Congress in Zimbabwe, a responsibility we pledge to undertake with diligence and commitment. I hope to see you all in my home country for a great Congress, as we have fun whilst translating ideas into meaningful practice.

My experience with IPSF started in 2013 when l was the Contact Person for ZPSA (Zimbabwe). l must say I was deeply infected with the IPSF spirit. :) Since then my passion to bring change to the health sector through my profession has increased with all the activities IPSF offers, both educational and professional.

Viva la Pharmacie!

After attending the Regional Symposiums and World Congress, the great experiences l have had, the knowledge and the special friendships l have gained, are insurmountable. With this said, my hope is to get someone to get the same feeling l always have at these gatherings.

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WHAT IS IPSF APRO?

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IPSF APRO

Founded in 1999, the IPSF Asia Pacific Regional Office is the oldest Regional Office and the 1st Regional Symposium, known as the Asia Pacific Pharmaceutical Symposium or APPS was held in Singapore in 2001. Within the Asia-Pacific region, we have a wide range of diverse cultures, languages and pharmaceutical societies which includes a total of 12 countries, 19 associations and approximately 55,000 members. More than 8 different languages are used to teach pharmacy within the region.

In APRO, a functional extension of IPSF on a regional level, we focus on some IPSF objectives to suit the needs of our region.

Therefore, we have a Regional Working Group (RWG) and portfolio subcommittees to help carry out APRO projects and activities. The RWG consists of the Chairperson, Secretary, Regional Media and Publications Officer, Regional Projects Officer, Regional Relations Officer, Chairperson of APPS and the Immediate Past Chairperson.

We also have a Design Subcommittee, Editorial and Translation Subcommittee, Regional Projects Subcommittee and Regional Relations Subcommittee.

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Janet Chairperson of IPSF Asia Pacific Regional Office To all my dear IPSFers, My name is Janet Mirzaei. I am honoured to serve as Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Regional Office for 2015-16. I first heard of IPSF in March 2014 when I was in the middle of my pharmacy degree and wanted to make more use of my time instead of solely focusing on the academic side of pharmacy. I saw an online post about APPS Malaysia 2014 and decided to take a chance and registered for the event. As I sit here, writing this introduction after attending eight IPSF business trips in the span of one and a half years, I can safely say attending APPS 2014 was the best decision I have ever made. I have met many incredible people along the way and despite coming from different backgrounds, our passion for improving health care and promoting the skills of our profession to the wider community is what unites us, no matter where we are in the world.

The Asia Pacific Regional Office has a long history with its establishment in 1999 and its first Symposium in Singapore in 2001. Since then, we have had incredible growth, now representing nearly 20 as88

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sociations and about 55,000 students. Our primary objective as the Regional Working Group (RWG) is to promote the objectives of IPSF on a regional scale. This includes providing a platform for pharmacy students and recent graduates to exchange knowledge, experiences, and ideas; providing opportunities for professional development and international exchange; and, participating in advocacy for improvements to pharmacy practice and health systems.

Members in Association:

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S UP IPSF APRO?

IPSF APRO MEMBERS In APRO, we promote public health campaigns that cover a range of health topics, including antimicrobial resistance, diabetes, anti-tobacco, and many more. Regional newsletters are also published to inform students about the latest APRO news.

We also decide on APRO focus projects that suit our region each year such as the Patient Counselling and Clinical Skills Events, as well as organising the Good Pharmacy Practice Education Programme (GPPed).

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Full Members:

WHAT IS GPPed?

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IPSF APRO created the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Good Pharmacy Practice EducationProgrammeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (GPPed) in an effort to propose a comprehensive structure for pharmacists and national organisations to work towards expanding the role of pharmacists in patient care settings and utilizing their skills and knowledge in the field of pharmaceutical care and medicines management.

The Good Pharmacy Practice Education Programme was first established in 2012 in Taipei, Taiwan and is based on the joint FIP/WHO Guidelines on Good Pharmacy Practice which provides a structural framework for professional organisations and pharmacists to use as a guide to implement high standards of pharmacy practice within their society. As students, we look at each of these components in depth and analyse the strengths and shortcomings of pharmacy practice in our own country to determine where improvements can be made and of which the action plan will be based upon.

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IPSF EMRO What is it?

The IPSF Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (IPSF EMRO) was founded in 2008 after being approved during the 54th IPSF World Congress General Assembly held in Romania.

It represents pharmacy students and recent graduates from the Eastern Mediterranean region and is run by the Regional Working Group (RWG) that consists of six members including the Chairperson, Secretary, Regional Media and Publications Officer (RMPO), Regional Relations Officer (RRO), Regional Projects Officer (RPO) and the EMPS Chairperson.

EMRO Associations:

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Asma

Chairperson of IPSF Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Dear IPSFers from all around the world, It is with huge pleasure that I present to you as IPSF EMRO Chairperson and member of the Executive Committee for 2015 - 2016.

To begin, let me introduce myself. My name is Asma Sellami and I am from Tunisia. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing my internship to become a pharmacist after that. Being in IPSF since 2012, I was always wondering what it would be like to write these few lines, and I can tell you that I feel now more than ever the huge responsibility and faith all members put in me.

As I discovered IPSF within an EMRO country, during the 58th World Congress in Hurghada, Egypt, I immediately fell in love with this region and the warmth of its people. I decided last year during the 4th EMPS 2014 to join the ride and be a part of the team. This is how I became secretary. Last year was very enriching for me. I worked with amazing people which gave me the need to do more and continue the work we have done.

After many months of hard work, I can proudly say that the EMRO team will bring good things to you and that EMRO will have its say--so stay tuned. I am looking forward to meeting you all in Egypt and Zimbabwe!

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Did you know...

Introduction to IPSF Awards: The IPSF Annual Awards includes the Sidney J. Relph Award for the Overall Best Performance and the Otto Föcking Award for the Best Performance as a New Member.

QPhUS, Qatar was Awarded for the Best Performance as a New Member 2009/2010 “Otto Föcking”

EPSF, Egypt was Awarded for the Overall Best Performance 2010/2011 “Sidney J. Relph” EPSF Hosted IPSF 47th & 58th World Congress in Cairo EPSF Contact Person 2013/2014, Lina Salama, was awarded as the best CP of IPSF

ASEPA, Algeria was Awarded for the Best Performance as a New Member 2011/2012 “Otto Föcking”

ATEP, Tunisia was Awarded for the Best Performance as a New Member 2010/2011 “Otto Föcking”

JPSA, Jordan was the first association to host the Eastern Mediterranean Pharmaceutical Symposium SPSF, Sudan was crowned IPSF EMRO Best Association 2014/2015

FPSA, Person Jamal, as the EMRO.

Sudan Contact 2014/2015, Aya was awarded best CP of IPSF

And more is yet to come......

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What’s UP EMRO

JPSA, Jordan holding “ Ask Your Pharmacist ” Campaign January 20, 2016

ASPSA, Egypt. Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign October 29, 2015

IPST, Iraq. Personal Hygiene Campaign February 15, 2016

LPSA, Lebanon. Celebration of World Cancer Day on February 6, 2016

ARPEC, Algeria. Visit to the children protection center December 8, 2015

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What are we up to?!

If we were to speak about all of the new things that the regional working group is implementing this year, it would probably take more than two columns, so just sit back and enjoy reading a part of the drawing that the EMRO RWG are painting.

What is Asma Sellami, EMRO Chairperson, up to?

Asma is adding to the EMRO two characteristic topics which are the Archives and Partnerships.

Archives: The history of IPSF EMRO is one of the

key elements that will push us forward, so Asma is gathering and organizing every piece of information that has ever been created or transitioned within the office.

Partnerships: Relations with multinational organizations is her priority for this year. She has successfully made a partnership with DUPHAT and we are on the way to a partnership with WHO EMRO. Building these relationships is accomplished via collaboration with the Chairperson of External Relations.

What is Meryam Hassine, EMRO Secretary, up to?

Meryam Is working this year on enhancing the communication in general within IPSF EMRO through preparing monthly updates to keep the Contact Persons informed about our progress. She is also working on projects including a presentation about IPSF which aims to teach members of the region the real meaning of IPSF. Additionally, she is having monthly meetings with the EMPS secretary to obtain updates about the symposium.

What is Ahmed Ali Awed, Regional Media and Publications Officer, up to?

Ahmed is working this mandate on changing the concepts concerned with the Media and Publications in the region which will brighten the image of IPSF EMRO and its local associations. He is working on implementing a Training Program.

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This program aims to teach and help certain members in the region to gain the concepts and skills necessary to successfully work on Media and Publications, so that all of the associations can have a strong M&P in years to follow.

What is Aya Jamal, Regional Relations Officer, up to?

Aya is trying to solve a problem that the EMRO associations have encountered over the years, which is the Student Exchange Programme, by investigating more into the causes and experimenting the solutions.

What is Omnia Hamza, Regional Projects Officer, up to?

Omnia is trying to implement the Vampire Cup event (Blood Donation awareness campaigns) into the region as a focus project.

What is Ibraam Saad, EMPS Chairperson, up to?

Ibraam is trying this year to establish a new look for the EMPS so that it is a logical format that highlights the unique characteristic of our region. To know exactly what do we mean by this point, CHECK THE NEXT PAGE...

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Chris

Chairperson of IPSF European Regional Office Dear IPSF family and friends from all around the world, It is with immense pleasure that I introduce myself to you as the IPSF Chairperson of the European Regional Office [EuRO] and member of the IPSF Executive Committee for the term 20152016. Once again, I would like to thank all of you for the faith and trust the 61st IPSF General Assembly (GA) taking place in Hyderabad, India has put in me.

But--who am I?-- you may ask. My name is Christian Roth - mainly called Chris - I am 24 years old, and from Germany. Currently, I am a 4th year pharmacy student at the University of Regensburg, Bavaria (Germany) on my way to university graduation in the form of the federal state exam.

Whilst writing these lines to you, I clearly remember my first contact and involvement with both IPSF and its European Regional Office.

It was in 2013 at the Summer General Assembly of BPhD, Germany, my national association, when I met Ms. Parand Akhavan (IPSF Chp of EuRO 201314; IPSF President 2014-15) and Ms. Angela Sester

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(IPSF Secretary General 2013-2015; IPSF HLM) in Frankfurt. Both generated my interest towards the Federation and student advocacy, and so I handed in my application for the IPSF Contact Person of BPhD, Germany. A decision and experience I will never regret! Since then I have represented BPhD and the German pharmacy students at several congresses and general assemblies of both IPSF and the European Pharmaceutical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association (EPSA). The latest was at the IPSF World Congress 2015 in Hyderabad, India. Inspired and driven by the IPSF spirit and all the great people I met via IPSF, I felt the need and urge to take the next step and get involved even more.

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Luka Šrot »» EuRO Regional Relations Officer 2015 - 2016

Managing Regional Relations – A glimpse into the work of a Regional Relations Officer Dear fellow Pharmacy students from across the globe, My name is Luka Šrot and in the year of 2015/2016, I hold the position of a Regional Relations Officer (RRO) in the EuRO – European Regional Office of IPSF. The aim of this short contribution is to briefly outline some duties and challenges that are part of a RRO's weekday. It is not my intention to go into too many details of the portfolio, but rather provide an insight into the most important part.

The first and foremost duty of a RRO is to its member associations, mainly through communication with their respective Contact Persons. Whenever a piece of information or a request pertaining to the formal relation between IPSF and its members needs to be relayed, it often goes through the RRO – this includes both EuRO-specific business as well as that of IPSF as a whole. Generally, this is performed in cooperation with the EuRO Chairperson and the Chairperson of Internal Relations, to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Given the EuRO is a fairly new Regional Office and is in fact the youngest one, we are also concerned with how we can improve EuRO as a whole, which is not the easiest task. This means we are still establishing our presence on various social media, setting up events that we would like to see become organised regularly in the future and reaching out to our Contact Persons to get a picture of what our members expect from EuRO. For this purpose, we also try to hold regular Skype meetings to discuss recent events and developments.

I am also responsible for maintaining an up-todate database of EuRO members, such as their contact information and the current status of the member-IPSF relationship, which can sometimes be quite difficult as you often have to go through other (informal) channels to obtain this information or get in contact with an association's representatives. This task is also related to IPSF Internal Relations and an exchange of information.

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Jorge Chairperson of IPSF Pan American Regional Office Dear Mates, My name is Jorge Anibal Schlöttke and I am from San Luis, a little province in the center of Argentina. I have been involved in IPSF since 2012 when I discovered the Federation. Ms. Dayl Eccles, our current president, was my first contact and the person with whom I shared my motivation to bring Argentina to the Federation. With a group of students of the Universidad Nacional de San Luis we created the Asociación de Estudiantes de Farmacia de la República Argentina -- AEFRA. Our association became a Member in Association in 2013, and this year became a Full Member. We started working at my university with nine people in October of 2012, and today AEFRA is working in five universities with more than 170 members. This growth was amazing. Now I want to transfer my experience in Argentina to PARO, and I will do my best with the PARO Regional Working Group to ensure this.

To introduce myself I can tell you that I am a pharmacist and that I graduated from the Universidad Nacional de San Luis in August. I am 26 years old.

I had some previous experiences in IPSF. I participated in the LIT and World Congress in The Netherlands in 2013, the 8th IPSF PARS in Brazil, and was part of the IPSF delegation that attended the World Health Assembly in 2015. Regarding my

work experience in IPSF, I was PARO Regional Relations Officer 2013-2014 and Chairperson of the 9th IPSF PARS in Argentina 2015.

During my last period in the Regional Working Group of PARO, I felt motivated and supported by the rest of the Regional Working Group. For this reason, I finally applied as possible Chairperson of PARO for the period 2015-2016. Our Regional Assembly agreed with my postulation and then the General Assembly in India too.

Now I am in a place that is an honour for me. I am willing to give my all to continue the growth of PARO, working hard with the Regional Working Group to improve the campaigns, the publications, our symposium (that the next year will have its 10th edition and will be in Barranquilla, Colombia), and of course, to bring more countries to IPSF. I want to take this opportunity to invite you to join us in the 10th IPSF PARS next June and if you cannot come, I hope to meet you in Zimbabwe!!!

Viva la pharmacie!!

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International Pharmaceutical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Federation Andries Bickerweg 5 2517 JP Den Haag the Netherlands Tel: +31 70 302 1992 Fax: +31 70 302 1999 Email: ipsf@ipsf.org Website: www.ipsf.org

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0

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