Student Involvement in State Pharmacy Associations
By: Savannah Cunningham
Student involvement in state pharmacy associations is essential to the future of pharmacy and of the association itself. The best practices for getting students involved in state pharmacy associations can be found below.
For Students
State Pharmacy Association Websites & Social Media:
For Pharmacy Associations
- How to increase student membership
- Consider joint membership with APhA-ASP chapters
- Negotiate automatic membership through Colleges of Pharmacy
- Low student membership yearly dues (states vary from free to $25/year)
- See what states are currently doing
2. How to create a student leadership structure
See what other states are currently doing
3. Examples of student representation
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- Board of Directors
- Ex-officio or Voting member
- One student per COP or 1-2 students on behalf of all students
- Committees/Task Forces participation
- Application/interest form
- Directly contact chair
- Appointment from within student leadership
- Board of Directors
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- Conference
- Legislative Day
- Other
- Mentorship Program
- quarterly dinners/social events
- patient care competitions
- on campus speakers
- leadership training
- poster presentations
- residency showcase
- health fairs
- NAPLEX/MPJE reviews
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- How administered
- Through COPs (lump sum given out or specific number)
- Application through association
- Typical amounts ($500-2000/student for 1-25 students)
- Conference discounts or scholarships
- Award recognition
- How administered
Student Leadership Structure Case Studies
1. California: https://cpha.com/membership/academy-student-pharmacists/
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- ASP BOD with 1 representative per school chaired by elected trustee
- 1 meeting/month
- Trustee serves on BOD
2. Tennessee: https://www.tnpharm.org/member-center/students-tssp/
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- 2 members at large from each school
- President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President
- 20 student seats in TPA HOD
- President is on BOD
3. Georgia: http://www.gpha.org
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- 2 junior members and 2 senior members from each school
- President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President
4. South Carolina: https://www.scrx.org/junior-board-members
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- Junior board of 12 people
- Meeting every other month
- https://scpa.memberclicks.net/assets/2016ElectionNominees/jbm%20program%20info.pdf
5. Texas: https://www.texaspharmacy.org/page/StudentCommittee
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- 2 directors from each school
- Chair & Chair-Elect
- Chair is on TPA BOD