IPSF Newsletter 99

IPSF Newsletter | December 2012

International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation

ISSUE

NO.

99

all around, all the time IPSF Newsletter Executive Team 2012-13

PAGE 1

PAGE 2

Editorial Greetings to all of our dear IPSF members and friends from around the world!

Radoslaw Mitura IPSF President 2012-2013

With immense pleasure, I am pleased to write the editorial to this edition of IPSF newsletter. On behalf of the Executive Committee of the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation, I would like to offer you our warmest greetings and wishes from the four corners of the world. Being elected during the past 58th IPSF World Congress in Hurghada, Egypt, for all of us it has been a humbling and exciting opportunity to meet and represent pharmacy students from around the world.

In this newsletter, you will meet closer each and every single of the enthusiasts serving the Federation for the purpose of its every day smooth running. 15 people, several backgrounds, countries, hopes, beliefs and finally personal stories: all eventually leading to the same point.

For all of us, let this point be Utrecht, the Netherlands where we will meet in July 2013 to celebrate another great year in IPSF history. I hope to see you there running for positions and consequently your appearance in this newsletter next year!

Having this said, enjoy your reading.

Viva La Pharmacie!

content President Secretary General Treasurer Chairperson of Professional Development Chairperson of Student Exchange Chairperson of Media and Publications Chairperson of External Relations Chairperson of Public Health Chairperson of Pharmacy Education Chairperson of Internal Relations Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Regional Office Chairperson of the Pan American Regional Office Chairperson of the African Regional Office Chairperson of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Advisory Board

publication team Design & Layout December 2012

5 7 9 11 12 14 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26

ISSUE

NO.

99

Alexandra Marques Proofread by

Yuqian Liu Jason Hong Hannah Svedlung Ranveer Bassey Neo E On

publications@ipsf.org editor@ipsf.org

PAGE 3

PAGE 4

Radek President Hello everybody around the world!

My dearest friends from around the globe, My name is Radoslaw Mitura, also known as Radek, a 24 year old pharmacy student at the Medical University of Warsaw and I have the pleasure to serve all of you and the Federation as its president 2012-13. On behalf of the current IPSF Executive Committee, I would like to extend my greetings to all IPSFers worldwide from Warsaw, Poland – the city of astonishing features that never ceases to amaze you with its question marks to be discovered.

This issue of our Newsletter got me thinking: how it all started? And although this all might have been a big coincidence I still remember May 2010 and our crazy decision: we are going to Slovenia for the 56th IPSF World Congress! So now sit back, relax and try to imagine the magnitude of my expectations… and guess what?

I did not speak English that time, neither did I understand the running of the General Assembly or what it was all about, but I found out myself pretty convenient. I made more or less 300 new Facebook connections, some lifelong friendships and eventually IPSF has paralysed me with its openness, tolerance, broad thinking and attitude to welcoming newcomers. At the end of that congress I knew that there were many more to come and since then I have kept the countdown to see again some of the most impressive people I have ever had opportunity to deal with.

IPSF changes people’s lives and I am not the exception. Without IPSF several things that I consider being crucial for my future and life would never have happened. But they did… last time in Hurghada, Egypt. Now imagine attending the last

congress with having said to yourself that no matter what you would not run for any position and eventually you would have ended up gotten elected for the president’s office. This is my case and this is how addictive IPSF can be. Here and now, otherwise: never. Nothing else matters – although you have thousands of doubts, you know that you are ready to handle it.

You might want to ask: how this experience has been so far?

Last week I had a chance to deliver a training session and I asked the participants about the biggest challenge in their lives. In the meanwhile, I was thinking what actually was mine – despite there were many of bigger and smaller ones: IPSF is the one. A challenge, reward and honour. Compromising multiple tasks and being present in several separate parts of the world within 24 hours can indeed be challenging, but the precious people you meet and memories you make are worth every effort. This is truly an honour to represent such an organisation of dreams and hopes that reaches pharmacy students in all the corners of our planet.

Angela, Veronika, Dayl, Maroua, Hager, Alexandra, Joana, Van, Eric, Marouen, Anas, Diallo, Geoff and Thomas: thank you for trying to meet even the hardest of my expectations! When I wake up every morning, I think of you and I know why I am doing it. I hope one day I could pay you back your support and contribution.

Welcome to the Federation that changes your life on a daily basis.

Vive La Pharmacie!

Radoslaw Mitura IPSF President 2012-13

PAGE 5

taken on a train in the Netherlands PAGE 6

Angela Clinical Skills Event Winner

IPSF World Congress 2012 (Hurghada, Egypt)

Secretary General Dear IPSFers around the globe, Around my laptop, the desk is covered with to do lists, weird I am Angela Sester, and I am a 5th year student in Germany, currently doing a six months internship in a community pharmacy. If you meet me nowadays, in any conference the chance is high, that you find me in front of my laptop: Busy answering

notes, and now and then I find emotion cards from Egypt’s GA turning time back to Hurghada. These remind me of the IPSF spirit, which inspires and motivates me, since my first IPSF Congress in Slovenia 2010.

emails, preparing sponsorship support letters, invitations for meetings, setting agendas. The IPSF Official Documents are my favourite reading now and my google calendar is always at my hand: You never know, when anyone asks you about sym-

I look forward to work with all of you this year and to meet you at the 59th IPSF World Congress 2013 in The Netherlands!

posia dates or an interpretation about this writ.

Vive la Pharmacie, This is how my life changed since August, when I was elected to the position of Secretary General.

PAGE 7

Angela Sester IPSF Secretary General 2012-14

PAGE 7

Use this page

to advertise for your SEP location

PHOTO CONTEST Send in your SEP location photos to publications@ipsf.org by the 25th of December 2012 and the best photo will be published on the next IPSF Newsletter.

IMPORTANT: this competition is for Associations who are IPSF Full Members or Members in Association who participate in the Students Exchange Programme only. You may only participate if you represent an Association who is interested in promoting SEP at a local or national level.

All photos must be original.

PAGE 8

Veronika Treasurer

Dear IPSFers and friends of the Federation, dear readers, Hearty Greetings! My name is Veronika Sochová. I’m 25 years old and come from central Europe. I was born in Slovakia, and now I am studying and working in the Czech Republic. I have almost graduated from the Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové. Currently, I am working in community pharmacy as a Pharmacy assistant.

It has been a very humbling opportunity and honor to be the Treasurer of IPSF for 2011-12.

I am very glad that you trusted me and this year will be my second year holding this position. My main duty is to keep the balance between incomes and outcomes. I have to admit that today the economical situation varies and it is very complicated, but I will do my best to keep it stable and in balance.

Looking back, my first involvement with IPSF started five years ago, when I was elected as treasurer of CPSA, Czech Republic. I was totally infected by the IPSF spirit during 56th IPSF World Congress in Ljubljana which was the first IPSF congress I attended. Many people say that your first con-

gress is the most memorable, and that is true for me as well. I have had the pleasure to meet a lot of new friends, and to see some of all the opportunities that IPSF is offering to us. As I got more involved, I saw new doors opening and offering me even more. With the great support from my good friends who give me courage to participate more in IPSF, I decided to run for the position of IPSF treasurer again in 2012.

I write with great excitement to belong to the IPSF executive family for another year. I have to say that being part of the executive board, this group of unique people, is truly a rewarding experience. To be involved in IPSF does not only mean getting to know colleagues and coworkers but also and mainly meeting new people, making good friends and being positively infected by IPSF spirit. Work and responsibilities will be forgotten but the memories, experiences and good friends will remain.

Let’s be infected by the IPSF spirit together. I am looking forward to meet you and cooperate with you.

VIVA LA PHARMACIE!

Veronika Sochová IPSF Treasurer 2011-13

PAGE 9

taken during EM1

(while Eric was giving out his report - notice the background)

PAGE 10

Eric Chairperson of Professional Development A cozy hot chocolate greeting from the wintry land of Canada, Greetings to all IPSF members and friends from around the world. My name is Eric So, the Chairperson of Professional Development 2010-2013, and also the Vice President 2012-2013.

For those who have not met me during my few years in IPSF, let me take the liberty to introduce myself, how I got involved in IPSF, and my thoughts looking back.

I am a recent graduate from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and currently I am a practicing community pharmacist. The first time I heard about IPSF was during the 3rd year of pharmacy studies. I just so happened to pass by classmates who went to the previous IPSF event, the 53rd World Congress in Taipei, sharing their pictures about IPSF and their trip. Back then, I was not involved in any student activities at all, but looking at the pictures I immediately knew that I was going to the next World Congress, which was the 54th World Congress in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. I had no expectation whatsoever, except it will be my first trip to Europe. Nonetheless, the experience in Romania really opened by eyes. People say that your first congress is your most memorable, it was true for me as well. In the 6 years that followed, I had the pleasure to meet the friends that I made during that Congress again year after year, or the extreme pleasure to be able to serve with them in IPSF. Although I did not plan it back then, the more I got involved with IPSF, the longer and more in-depth my participation in IPSF became, which I do not regret one single moment. The moment that I thought I could do something with my student life was during the final patient counselling event at the

end of the congress in Romania. I thought to myself, looking at the event that I can do it and make it better. From then on, I applied and eventually became the patient counselling event coordinator. Then I was asked to apply for clinical skills event coordinator, which back then had no event or form. So I stayed on another year to put in place the first clinical skills event for the 55th World Congress in Slovenia. By that time, I knew I wanted more, and I knew the dear friends I made during the first congress, will run to become the Executive Committee members of IPSF. So I took the initiation, applied for Leaders in Training, to get to know about IPSF more, and ran for the Chairperson of Professional Development.

Looking back at moments past, I must say that it has been, and shall continue to be an experience of a lifetime. Now that I am reaching the sunset of my involvement with IPSF, I truly wish to accomplish all that I can to move the federation towards a better future. A heartfelt thanks to friends, co-workers, fellow IPSFers who have helped me and worked with me through all the ups and downs. But as one poet may say, it does not matter how many ups and downs one faces, it is the friends you have that makes the journey all the better. IPSF has been for me a rewarding experience in challenging future pharmacists to be more competent and better, but also the quality of friendship, work ethic, unity in our passion for the pharmacy profession, that one may simply call the “IPSF spirit� that have made IPSF stands out above other experiences.

Be sure to check out what IPSF, and especially the Professional Development Team, will bring forward for this coming year.

See you at our Regional Symposia, and World Congress!

Viva la Pharmacie!

Eric So IPSF Chairperson of Professional Development 2010-13 IPSF Vice-President 2012-13

PAGE 11

Joana Chairperson of Student Exchange My name is Joana Carrasqueira and currently I am the Chairperson of Student Exchange. I am delighted to be here today writing to all my friends and pharmacy students that I like to think of as a part of my family. For those whom I haven’t met yet I will briefly describe myself. I grew up in a small village in the heart of Portugal, the westernmost country in Europe.

Portuguese are known for being one of the oldest nations in Europe with their desire of going abroad, discover new things and worlds, and this motivation remounted the XV Century.

I guess I inherited this passion from my ancestors, which leaded me to adventure myself in the IPSF world during my third year of studies. One casual day I decided not to go to a pharmaceutical chemistry class because at the same time my national association was giving a presentation about mobility programs in my faculty. Since I was a curious person, it caught my eyes from the beginning. After the presentation I was amused with possibilities I didn’t know we have had and with the feeling that I needed to do something new, not only for me but also for all students in my faculty.

worth to the students was very meaningful. By hosting and sending out students we have the possibility of touch their lives being just a provider of something better that they can achieve.

This year in Egypt, I had the chance to feel again involved by the “IPSF Spirit”, which for me meant getting out of my comfort zone to explore the opportunities. IPSF is clearly the Federation that makes possible the idea of a global village but focused on pharmacy students, letting us to broaden our own horizons. Personally speaking, I have had an amazing experience within IPSF, specifically as Chairperson of Student Exchange working on new ideas and projects for the portfolio, however implementing changes is not that easy and only all together we can achieve the goal. The lovely Student Exchange Committee is working hard to assure that SEP will run smoothly all around the world, and we are very motivated to work with the SEOs in order to increase the placements for next year to 1000.

Firstly I got in touch with the European associations through their congresses but as it wasn’t enough for me, I became a LEO of my local association. A few months later, I applied for going to the 57th IPSF Congress in Thailand and certainly it changed my life in a way that I could even imagine by that time.

If you ask me where I would like to see the programme in 10 years? On a fast answer I would say having 5000 placements per year and all the students covered by insurance. If I think this is possible? Definitely, we just need to start working today. There is a saying that states nothing of worth comes easy.

Those smiles that we see on people’s faces, that’s what truly matters at the end of the day.

Being able to meet people from all over the world, with different cultures and different perspectives of pharmacy education and life was an all-encompassing and fruitful experience.

What else can I say? I am dreamer, and I dream about an IPSF where we are cohesive, strong and united.

Viva la Pharmacie!

Just after the congress I became the SEO of my national association, and the feeling of doing something that would be

Joana Carrasqueira IPSF Chairperson of Student Exchange 2012-13

PAGE 12

takenOctober during EM1 2012

PAGE 13

Alexandra

Chairperson of Media and Publications Well, before I start, I would need to explain the photo. Some of you may not recognize me, since back then I had curly hair and... it wasn’t red. I was in Poland at the time, in the pretty little city of Poznan, participating in SEP. It was definitely not my first time travelling - since 2005 I got involved in any way I could with international exchanges and all sorts of projects which pushed me into the world of associations and federations. My first exchange was with Newfoundland, Canada - it was the best experience of my life and untill today I still have people there I have the privilege to call friends. That was all it took - a four week exchange and I was hooked for life! After I got into the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto, it didn’t take very long until my enthusiasm for the world was noticed and I was invited by my good friend Ms. Ana Tiago (who was in the position of International Affairs of our local association, AEFFUP, back then) to participate in a Quatrino project. I had an idea of what it was, but I didn’t know that what EPSA was. So,I didn’t begin to dream what IPSF was, all I knew was that if I helped, I would be doing an exchange with Bulgaria, Sweden and Turkey and that was all I wanted to know!

After that, a small help to our local and national organizations turned into a term as AEFFUP International Affairs in 2010. My one year term as an AEFFUP executive turned to two and next thing I know I was on the IPSF Executive Team of 2012-2013, and the 60th IPSF World Congress will be hosted by the Association that “gave me birth”, AEFFUP in 2014.

Everything has changed ever since that photo was taken in 2010, not just my hair. Had you told me then, I would be in the IPSF Executive Team in 2012, I wouldn’t have believed you.

PAGE 14

However, this radical change to my life can’t be considered to be lucky or magical - although there were a lot of huge steps taken , I know exactly how I got to where I am today. I won and lost, just like everyone. In 2010, before becoming AEFFUP International Affairs, I had decided to run for Liason Secretary (sort of like Contact Person in EPSA - the European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association) in APEF, our national association. I lost! Right after, I became CP! In 2011, we decided to run for hosts of the APEF Training Project (sort of like national Leaders in Training). We lost! One year after, we became hosts of the 60th IPSF World Congress. So, you see... things don’t show up in life, they are built. You make mistakes and you learn from them, you learn from your losses and you turn them into greater wins. If you want to be in the IPSF team, don’t give up! Don’t stop dreaming, but also keep in mind that dreams don’t come true if you don’t work for them.

Anyways, so now I’m Chairperson of Media and Publications and these have been crazy months! All the new plans I laid down for the year get postponed everyday, since there are always things showing up at last minute that I didn’t - and couldn’t - account for. The Media and Publications portfolio is a bit stressful because the other portfolios need you to give the finishing touches to just about anything - and when I say finishing touches I mean spend hours and hours making sure that every page of the million of documents is pretty and represents IPSF well. Still, although our lives are pretty crazy, none of us are super human, we just try to work as hard as we can on things we love. The fact that everyone on the team is so committed is basically what makes me wake up everyday

and glues me to the computer although I really want to stay in bed. So, I thank you dear wonderful IPSF Executive Team 2012-13 - for being there for me, and for pushing yourselves and me :) Today, I am truly blessed to say that I have friends from all around the world - and it was IPSF who made it happen. The greatest thank you is to the ones who crossed paths with me before this and that helped me get to where I am now - the wonderful people from my local association AEFFUP: Luís, José, Tiago, Carochinha, Rita, Catarina etc. etc. I can positively say without you I wouldn’t have accomplished what I had. I promise to keep on doing the best I can, everyday, in order to make sure the next “picture” I take will again not be recognizable in two years.

Alexandra Marques IPSF Chairperson of Media and Publications 2012-13

Van’s idea of a

“massage” taken during EM1 PAGE 15

Dayl Chairperson of External Relations Beloved IPSF members, Life has certainly changed for me after attending the IPSF World Congress in Egypt this past summer. I knew that by being elected for an Executive Committee position, so much of my life would revolve around working for IPSF. I was entering my final year of PharmD studies in the United States, and would be a licensed pharmacist by the time the next Congress in the Netherlands would take place. I was most excited about building closer relationships with my fellow Executive Committee members, the potential new members of the Federation that brought me so much inspiration to do more for the pharmacy profession, and our beloved partners that give us the resources to succeed.

Only after taking my position as Chairperson of External Relations, I began to realize just how much work it was to be a part of the Executive Committee of IPSF. The position not only focuses on maintaining our external partners, but also growing the opportunities for students with these partnerships, and recruiting more individuals and faculties to become members of IPSF. Balancing these large needs with obligations outside of IPSF is challenging, but is something I remain passionate about and driven to succeed in. I wake up to my phone beeping with Germans and Poles telling me to have a good night, and take quick naps before online meetings in the middle of the night where Portuguese and Tunisians joke and laugh.

PAGE 16

In regards to my work with IPSF, much of my goals for the first half of my year focus on establishing a good reference guide for the next Chairperson, so that work can be started right away after the General Assembly elections. Also, I want to utilize more of the Membership Promotion Committee to serve as the representatives of IPSF. We are currently working on gathering contacts from faculties across the world, and are updating our membership promotion materials and handbooks that have not been updated in six years. I am happy for their motivation, and they will be a great help to growing our membership.

My ultimate goal is to be able to focus on fostering more opportunities with our partners, particularly in the latter half of my term. I will be spending a month at IPSF Headquarters in den Hague, and another month in the east coast of the US. I hope to have the opportunity to see IPSF members in action in more than just my own home city during my travels.

Because I work for you, I hope that you feel no hesitation in telling me how I can improve your experiences with IPSF. I am here to serve IPSF and to serve your needs.

It brings me great joy to bring the spirit of IPSF to the entire world.

A million thank yous, and see you in Utrecht!

Dayl Eccles Chairperson of External Relations

Hager Chairperson of Public Health Hello to all IPSFers around the globe =) What an honor to be writing these lines and introducing myself to you! My name is Hager, I am a 24-year-old student in my 6th and final year of Pharmacy studies. I come from the beautiful country of Tunisia and I am having the best time of my life serving IPSF as the Chairperson of Public Health.

My first IPSF congress was 2010 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. That congress marked the membership acceptance of my national association ATEP, and the beginning of my journey around the beautiful IPSF planet!

People always say your first congress is the best. Well, that is not quite true; for me, it only got better from one year to another!

I was the IPSF Contact Person (CP) of my association in 2010 when I first applied for a Humanitarian subcommittee membership position. I liked it so much that the following year in Thailand, applied for Humanitarian coordinator. I felt that it was so inspiring to run and help running humanitarian campaigns for almost 2 years. At that time, I was also in charge of ATEP’s Public Health section, and worked on a number of Public Health awareness campaigns at a national level.

expand my knowledge and put it into practice, and I came to learn things you cannot find in books. I met interesting people who shared the same values as me and made many new friends. What I enjoy the most about Public Health? Being able to help people, empowering them and giving them the means to make the right choices for their health and their lives!

And here I am now seeking new ways to improve our Public Health subcommittee, implement new projects and spread the IPSF spirit!

It is a dream come true and I am doing my best with the help of the great team, I am blessed to work with.

I am looking forward to the next congress in Utrecht, to new friendships, bigger projects and an AWESOME congress!!

Yours in IPSF, Hager ben Mosbah Chairperson of Public Health

Public Health and Humanitarian work taught me many things.

I was looking for community service, and I found myself reaching out for people outside my own country! I was expecting to

PAGE 17

Marouen Marouen

Chairperson of Pharmacy Education Hi beloved friends, Let me first introduce myself: I’m Marouen Ben Guebila. Sometimes during IPSF meetings, people couldn’t remember my whole name, so my IPSF name is “Ben” !

I finished a 6-year pharmacy program in the unique pharmacy school of Tunisia and I‘m currently doing a master’s degree in Paris.

The very first time I heard about IPSF was through a brochure promoting SEP emailed to me by a friend, Bastien (Media and Publications Chairperson 2010-11) in the front page. The actual first opportunity was Slovenia congress. However, it was where ATEP lost the full membership five years ago. Hence, we were encouraged by Mehdi Zghal (Treasurer 2008-10) to apply again, but places were limited and I had to wait for Thailand congress : I registered on the very last day of the 3rd period.

Ask the people you know from IPSF and they will tell you that the first congress is the best congress. I enjoyed Thailand congress so much that I decided to get involved more in IPSF. The fact about IPSF congress is that you meet people with whom you will be very good friends like Ramesh, Chu Wei Hua, Shirley or people you will only meet once and you will never hear about again (but you will still remember) like Christian, Zara, Eric ; or people that you will rediscover like Ines (Media and Publications 2010-2011) who unequivocally was an inspiration.

I also attended Egypt congress, the African pharmaceutical

PAGE 18

symposium and World Health Assembly in Geneva. I was the Medicine awareness Coordinator, Design and Creativity Subcommittee member, former LITer and today Pharmacy Education Chairperson. I have to say that this step-by-step evolution helped me as an executive to understand better the challenges that IPSF is facing at present and in the future.

For this year, I hope that I’ll be able to work on ambitious projects in which I’ll try to get pharmacy students interacting more with each other. I’m also very polyvalent: I’m trying to help Dayl to attract new members for IPSF and I am involved with the regional offices for the organization of the symposia.

At the end, I have to say that IPSF changed my life and I hope that every pharmacy student on earth can have the same experience. I learned a lot from listening to students from different cultures and countries and I hope that all these ideas can crystallize into practice with the help of the wonderful executive team.

Marouen ben Guebila Chairperson of Pharmacy Education

Maroua

Chairperson of Internal Relations

Asslema from the sunny Tunisia

Relations and the EMRO Regional Relations Officer. I also got involved with IPSF subcommittees.

I’m Marwa ben Mbarek, IPSF Chairperson of Internal Relations.

I’m in my last year of studies and currently I’m doing my internship in a community pharmacy.

Before the 58th IPSf World Congress in Egypt, I decided to take it to the next level and run for the position of IPSF Chairperson of Internal Relations. As much I loved to challenge myself, I knew that this time I might loose, since I had 2 strong competitors.

My adventure in IPSF started in a corner of the GA room, passing the mic to the Official Delegates at the 57th IPSF World Congress in Thailand. I was the scrutineer back then. My main task was really simple (distributing and collecting the voting cards) but I have learnt a lot from it since I had to assist to most of the sessions . I really enjoyed every moment that I spent in that GA Room but during the last session,I ended up sleeping on the chair. I remember Jan, IPSF President saying :” scrutineer please pass the mic to KNPSV, the Netherlands …Marwa, Please “when I heard my name, I opened my eyes and I found that the whole people in the GA room were staring at me …

What an embarrassing moment..

My chances of winning was really smaller but I never lost faith in myself.

I hoped for the position and here I am now.

That was my story from a Scrutineer to an Official Delegate to a Chairperson…

Don’t rush up, Climb the ladder step by step and never underestimate of what you can do ;) Maroua ben Mabrek Chairperson of Internal Relations

That World Congress was the beginning of a long road trip…

Later that year I was elected as the Contact Person of ATEP Tunisia. My knowledge about IPSF started to grow faster as I was working closely with the IPSF Chairperson of Internal

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

PAGE 21

geoff Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Regional Office Greetings to all IPSF members from throughout the world, My name is Geoffrey Chai and I am the Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Regional Office at the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF). I was born in Australia but currently work in a hospital in Singapore.

My first contact with IPSF was actually from the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association Congress, also known as the NAPSA Congress in 2009. During the congress the NAPSA CP made a presentation about IPSF and I found the idea of connecting with other students throughout the world to be an adventurous idea which I wanted to try out. From there I decided to run for the position of CP of NAPSA and succeeded in obtaining the position. Throughout my year as CP I was exposed to a plethora of ideas, people and activities, which has given me the experience and confidence to move further in IPSF. I attended my first IPSF Congress and Asia Pacific Pharmaceutical Symposium in 2010; both were held in Ljubljana, Slovenia and Seoul, South Korea, respectively. From attending these events I saw the motivation and spirit that drives an association to provide better and greater opportunities to it members without hesitation. As a pharmacy student I was proud to have been part of discussions which shaped the future of an association as big as IPSF. At the 2010 APPS I also decided to run for the position of Secretary within APRO in which I was successful in electing for that position. Having prior experience as a Secretary in the Sydney Uni Pharmacy Association provided me with the advantage of being able to adapt to the position quite fast. Although I still asked for a lot of help from the immediate past secretary I

PAGE 22

was fortunate in the respects that I had nurturing RWG members and IPSF Executives who helped me through the term.

The two most important things I learnt as a secretary was that you have to have organizational skills and a good grasp of the English language.

While my dedication and motivation to contribute to the voluntary organization increased I decided to take on the role of Chairperson of APRO in 2011. At the 10th APPS in Yogyakarta, Indonesia I was successful in getting elected as the Chairperson. From the start of my term I tried in earnest to increase awareness of IPSF and APRO as well as provided advice to help the 11th APPS committee set up the event. The position of Chairperson was not a simple job and required dedication to discussions within the IPSF Executive groups, online meetings and also aid in CP activities. In addition to this, I was balancing work along with IPSF. Although I was unable to venture to many associations for IPSF promotion, I provided as much online communication and support as possible.

In the 11th APPS 2012 I reran for the position of Chairperson of APRO and was successful. I have created many projects for APRO and hopefully we will have a fruitful year in completing these projects.

If you would like to know more, feel free to contact me at chairperson@apro.ipsf.org Geoffrey Chai Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Regional Office

Van Chairperson of the Pan American Regional Office Greetings IPSF’ers!

My name is Van, and I am from California, USA. This is my second year as the Pan American Regional Office Chairperson, and already this term has been a memorable adventure. Recently, I traveled to three continents including Europe, South America, and North America for IPSF work so it has been quite exciting! In the Netherlands, I participated in FIP Centennial in Amsterdam and met with many pharmacy students and pharmacists from around the world. It was a special experience to witness the historic signing of the Student’s Declaration on the Future of Pharmacists. As a part of the FIP Student Package, I had visited University of Utretch’s campus, the same site where the next World Congress will be held. For those going this summer, let me tell you, you are in for a treat! I then joined the IPSF Executive Committee for our first meeting of the year at IPSF headquarters to start work with the new team to strive for our goals to advance IPSF this term.

After the Netherlands, I made my first visit to South America for ACEQF’s (Asociación Colombiana de Estudiantes de Química Farmaceutica) 13th National Congress. ACEQF’s Contact Person, Francina Soler, invited me to spread the IPSF spirit in Colombia since they recently became Members in Association of the federation last year during the World Congress in Thailand. Francina organized a radio interview to discuss IPSF, global pharmacy, and the future of pharmacy in Colombia.

We discussed the differences of pharmacy between Colombia and other countries that are more community based, and ideas were exchanged on how to improve pharmacy in Colombia in the future to enhance patient care.

Immediately after our recording, Francina and I took a flight from Bogota to the city of Cali, Colombia where the conference was being held. Along with ACEQF’s President, Alvaro

Torres, we gave a presentation about IPSF to attending members, and members and faculty showed high interest in our activities. ACEQF started incorporating a general assembly and public health campaign during their national congress after getting the ideas from IPSF in Thailand, and in Egypt, they brought fourteen members to World Congress in Egypt! I was honored to announce Alvaro Torres as the Chairperson of the PARO Pharmaceutical Tour and offer IPSF pins to both Francina and Alvaro for their excellent work for IPSF so far. After visiting Colombia, I learned how different pharmacy truly is across country borders and how much of an impact IPSF can have on changing pharmacy in a country through IPSF’s infectious spirit and the globalization of advancing pharmacy care.

My last trip for IPSF was to Anaheim, California to exhibit for IPSF during an APhA-ASP Midyear Regional Meeting. There, I met many of APhA-ASP’s local IPSF liaisons and educated more members about the benefits of being an IPSF member.

Good thing I brought back plenty of promotional materials from IPSF headquarters to pass out! IPSF has kept me fairly busy traveling and working with the PARO Regional Working Group and the Executive Committee whom I commend and respect for all of their hard for the federation. In the past month, I have been in three continents because of IPSF, and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience from the people I get to meet, the educational background gained on global pharmacy, and the impact I hope to have made. It is an honor to serve as the Pan American Regional Office Chairperson for a second term, and I hope that IPSF continues to grow throughout all countries because being an active member can have a great impact on not only the life of a pharmacy student but on the whole pharmaceutical care—our profession.

Van Duong Chairperson of the Pan American Regional Office

PAGE 23

Diallo Chairperson of the African Regional Office Dear IPSF’ers, It’s with a great pleasure that I greet you all! I am Afadhali Diallo, the Chairperson of IPSF African Regional Office (AfRO), an intern at hospital pharmacy from the National University of Rwanda. My venture in IPSF started in 2009 as a member at my university but was well involved since 2011 when I interacted with Pharmacy students in Kenya gathered by the first AfRO chairperson to which Kenya as the organizer, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Since the birth of AfRO in Romania 2008, our region has been growing and it now regroups Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Algeria, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Ghana, South Africa and a number of others have shown their interest to join us. The biggest event that we have is the African Pharmaceutical Symposium also known as AfPS which at the second time will take place in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania after its first occurring in Algiers, Algeria. We were and still are proud of great achievements mainly during the Leaders In Training and educational symposia.

This year, we have a goal of spreading the IPSF spirit more, enhance IPSF projects’ implementation and get more countries joining us. The focus project is HIV/AIDS and the world day was successfully conducted in our region. Student Exchange needs to be strengthened even though it is going well in some countries like Algeria, Ghana. Surely, Africa is a continent with a great potential but with many diseases, it needs is active people to save it from misuse of medicines and enhance their rational use and more through educational activities, IPSF’ers are a solution to it.

PAGE 24

Back to my experience as an IPSF’er, I have been the treasurer of my national student association in 2010-2011 and President and CP in 2011-2012. I have till now attended the Kenyan pharmacy conference organized by NUPSA at University of Nairobi, Tanzanian pharmacy conference in Dodoma at Saint John’s University of Tanzania (SJUT). Through IPSF, I have visited up to seven countries on two continents and there is still a long and amazing journey. Being involved in IPSF has been to me a benefit through the interaction with a larger group of people building a long-lasting friendship and getting to know and share more about pharmacy and leadership.

Viva La Pharmacie!

Brotherly, Afadhali Diallo IPSF Chairperson of the African Regional Office

Anas Chairperson of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Hello all, It’s with a great pleasure that I greet you all! I am Afadhali DiMy name is Anas Siddig. I’m freshly graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum. I was very active in my association Faculty of Pharmacy Students Association (FPSA). My Story with IPSF started on February 2009 when I was elected as a member of the FPSA twentieth council and then to be the Contact Person (2009-2010). I remember my hand over with the past CP Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Portsudan was very intense and it continued for 3 days. At that time I have no idea about IPSF so I started from zero reading IPSF constitution, Domestic rules, CP handbook and SEP rules. I was planning to attend the 56th WC in Slovenia but unfortunately due to my exams I applied for my visa too late and the embassy informed me that I would not get the Visa before the 10th of August 2009, which was exactly the time for departure from Slovenia. I stopped my visa application process. After the end of the term I had been appointed to continue as CP for the term 2010-2011. I was successfully being the Official delegate at the 2nd IPSF EMPS 2011 Doha, Qatar, followed by the 57th WC 2011 Hat Yai,Thailand and I organized a workshop in collaboration with Ms.Hager Ben Mesbah the current IPSF Chairperson of Public Health about field trips to rural areas in Sudan.

ganized one. In the last RA I was elected the 4th IPSF EMRO Chairperson for the term 2012-2013.

IPSF is a great federation which is well organized and I’m very happy that I’m belong to this federation.

To IPSF: viva la pharmacy!

Anas Siddig IPSF Chairperson of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office

During the 2nd IPSF EMPS our association was elected to host the 3rd IPSF EMPS 2012 Khartoum Sudan. Immediately after we returned the FPSA Executive board appointed me to the chairperson of the 3rd IPSF EMPS. It was a great and very or-

PAGE 25

ADVISORY BOARD

Ana Dear IPSF friends around the world, I’m Ana Babić, a recently graduated Master of Pharmacy from the University in Zagreb, Croatia. My IPSF story started in 2010, when I first got involved with the Croatian national association, CPSA. I developed an interest in the international work of pharmacy students and decided to run for the post of CP; for which I got elected and served as Croatian CP for the year 2010/2011.

The culmination of my interest for IPSF was at the World Congress in Slovenia, where I truly got infected with the IPSF spirit. The atmosphere at the congress was electrifying; I met a lot of people and met so many friends who made the year after the congress fly by in a wonderful collaboration. Soon enough it was August again, and the IPSF congress was in Thailand. Even though I couldn’t make it to Thailand, I decided I wanted to make a step up in the IPSF world, a leap even, and I ran for the Executive board 2011/2012; for the post of Chairperson of Internal Relations.

Working as an IPSF Executive is an experience that changed me in so many ways, but most importantly, it made me grow as a professional, as a person, as a pharmacist. No denying, working as an IPSF exec was pretty tough, but my team,

PAGE 26

my family and friends always supported me and made me push till the end. The end of my mandate was at the congress in Egypt, where I proudly watched a great new Executive Board step in.

My ties to IPSF were still too strong to abandon it completely, so I currently serve as a member of IPSF’s Advisory board, with my ex team members, Laerke and Zied.

Our job as Advisory board is to help the new Executive, advise them and chaperon their work through the year. We ensure that the Executive work is concurrent to the IPSF official documents, visions and values of IPSF. We are the Executive’s counselors and we work along to achieve the growth of the Federation. Together with the Executive, we work for the benefit of IPSF on behalf of all of its members.

Ana Babic IPSF Advisory Board 2012-13 IPSF Chairperson of Internal Relations 2011-12

Dear IPSF ‘ers around the

I am Zied Ghezaiel, a Tunisia as Advisory Board member fo was in 2010 when attending t nia among the Tunisian deleg ATEP (association Tunisienne amazed me and as we say in lose it. Once back from the con involved in such tempting uni Membership Promotion Subc

The passion for IPSF was simp gress I nominated myself for terranean Regional Office (EM feel more equipped to proce work as it was an amazing life

No words can express how th ported and trusted me to go and to all those I worked/am w

IPSF Chairperson of

ADVISORY BOARD

world,

Zied

an PharmD recent graduate and serving in IPSF or the term 2012-2013. My first contact with IPSF the 56th IPSF World Congress in Ljubljana, Slovegation applying for membership within IPSF for des Etudiants en Pharmacie). The whole concept n IPSF, once you get the IPSF spirit you will never ngress, I couldn’t miss the first opportunity to get iverse, and I was so enthusiastic when I joined the committee (MPC) 2010-11.

ply irresistible and after the 57th IPSF World Conthe position of Chairperson of the Eastern MediMRO) 2011-2012; a position that made me proudly eed and progress with my professional life and etime experience full of ready to face challenges.

hankful I am to all those who encouraged, supo for such enriching experience in the IPSF world working with.

Zied Ghezaiel IPSF Advisory Board 2012-13 f the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office 2011-12

Laerke

Hello from Copenhagen, Denmark!

I’m Lærke Arnfast, and I am studying for my Master of Pharmacy at University of Copenhagen. My very first introduction to IPSF was when I attended the 54th IPSF Congress in Romania in 2008 as an Official Delegate of my national association, Students of Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of Copenhagen (SOP). Instantly, I was infected with the so far incurable IPSF spirit, and when I left the Congress I promised myself that I would come back for another Congress. So far that has become 5 World Congresses and one Regional Symposium.

Before the 2009 Congress in Bali, I attended the IPSF Leaders In Training (LIT) programme, where I came to realize my intention to commit myself further to IPSF and SOP. Upon returning to Denmark, I was elected President of SOP, a position I held until I had the pleasure of being elected as IPSF Secretary General 2010-12 during the General Assembly in Slovenia. Being a part of the IPSF Executive Com-

mittee was a life-changing and very rewarding experience for me. During my mandate I worked with the Executive Committee on many issues, with a special focus on the strategic planning of IPSF, transparent communication with members, the development and integration of the Regional Offices and correspondent Regional Working Groups, and developing IPSF as an advocacy organization.

As a part of the Advisory Board, I enjoy seeing the enthusiasm and hard work of the current Executive, doing their best to advance IPSF and its spirit even further.

Laerke Arnfast IPSF Advisory Board 2012-13 IPSF Secretary General 2010-12

PAGE 27

International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation PO BOX 84200 2508 AE Den Haag The Netherlands Tel: +31 70 302 1992 Fax: +31 70 302 1999 Email: ipsf@ipsf.org Website: www.ipsf.org

PAGE 28