APhA-ASP has done it again! Yes, the history books have been rewritten for a third consecutive year. This fall, six cities hosted thousands of student pharmacists for the 2013 APhA–ASP Midyear Regional Meetings (MRMs).

 

As planning began for MRM2013, multiple changes were set in motion to improve networking, professional and leadership development, and educational programming. Regions 1 and 2 merged, as did Regions 7 and 8, and pilot alliances were launched in Washington, DC, and Denver, CO. Prezi, an innovative Internet-based software, brought new life to the presentations, while the dynamic evolution and effective use of social media became the focus of our professionalism efforts.

 

Now, whether you have set your sights on scoring a residency, pursuing a postgraduate position, or simply continuing to grow during your remaining time in pharmacy school, the MRMs consistently offer unique opportunities for you to develop as a student pharmacist, and this year was certainly no exception.

 

At each MRM, Friday’s agenda included the new Chapter Executive Committee Workshop, a platform for current and future leaders to brainstorm ways to lead simply, and an always-exciting Friday Night Welcoming Social. On Saturday, attendees learned more about our Academy’s theme during the “Be the Change” Followership session and selected two breakout sessions from several options. Exploring Your Options: Pharmacy Career Panel and Navigating an Interview: The Road to Success, were among attendees’ favorites.

 

During the APhA–ASP Regional Patient Care Project Awards Presentation on Saturday afternoon, 2012–13 regional award recipients for Operation Diabetes, Operation Heart, Operation Immunization, and for the first time, Operation Self-Care, were recognized.

 

Your presiding APhA–ASP National Officer also shared a special announcement regarding the national awards presentation at the upcoming APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Orlando, FL. Because of the overwhelming success demonstrated by chapters,  APhA–ASP will recognize three national recipients for each of the patient care projects during the  APhA–ASP Opening General Session at APhA2014.

 

The MRMs concluded on Sunday following the election of the 2013–14 APhA–ASP Regional Officers.

 

It is always interesting to compare the experiences of a rookie and veteran following the conclusion of the MRMs. Garrett Berger, a first-year student pharmacist from the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, weighed in on his  experience. “The policymaking process at MRM was exciting and afforded me the opportunity to contribute my thoughts to proposed resolutions while also experiencing a mini democracy within my chapter during the Policy Proposal Forum. MRM truly reinforced my decision to become involved within APhA–ASP not only on a local level, but also regionally and nationally,” said Berger.

 

Justin Arnall, a final-year student pharmacist at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, said, “Attending my fourth and final MRM was a bittersweet experience. As always, MRM inspired me, specifically to ‘Be the Change’ in my community this year even while completing my Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. This year was different than others because I felt like I had become more of a mentor to many of the underclassmen that I met by offering advice and ideas on ways to become more involved with APhA–ASP. MRM2013 definitely motivated me to make the time as a final-year student pharmacist to remain active and embody the theme ‘Be the Change’.”

 

Each student pharmacist is an agent of change, capable of shaping the profession, and as you look back at MRM2013, I hope you will remember the experience as a time when you accepted and embraced change.