Follow MPA on Your Favorite Social Media Sites!

If you haven’t joined the conversation yet, visit our Twitter page at www.Twitter.com/MIPharmacists and follow the Association today. MPA has a number of Facebook pages as well that have recently received a new look, as the social media tool moves to a timeline format. ‘Like’ MPA, Student MPA, the Michigan Society of Pharmacy Technicians, or the Association’s Cooperative Buying Group, Pharmacy Services Inc. Staying connected to the Association via social media ensures that you’re up-to-date on the latest in pharmacy, exposing you to information that may not be included in MPA publications and allows you to make connections with other pharmacy professionals, legislators, or members of the media and public. Join the conversation by liking our pages or following us on Twitter!

Ferris State University Unveils New Pharmacy Center in Grand Rapids

On Friday, Feb. 3, Ferris State University unveiled a new pharmacy center on the Medical Mile in Grand Rapids. The College of Pharmacy Center for Innovational Learning, located on the seventh floor of 25 Michigan St., aims to tap into the area’s bustling medical industry and create partnerships that would place students alongside professionals from throughout the medical industry. The 26,000-square foot facility provides new classroom and laboratory space for the college. Read more at www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/02/ferris_state_university_pharma_1.html.

Student Pharmacists Receive NACDS Scholarships

Student MPA members Elizabeth Kelly and Nicole Stone were recently presented with scholarships from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Congratulations to these two student pharmacists! The NACDS Foundation said a total of 58 scholarships were awarded, representing 42 colleges and schools of pharmacy. Click here to view a full list of scholarship winners.

Information for MPF Adopt-a-Student Participants

The Michigan Pharmacy Foundation (MPF) Adopt-a-Student program will be held at the MPA Annual Convention & Exposition Feb. 24-26, 2012, at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. The Adopt-a-Student program provides Student MPA (SMPA) members the opportunity to network with Michigan’s pharmacy leaders during the Annual Convention and at the Annual Banquet held Saturday evening. The Adopt-a-Student program has been successful in years past, and we anticipate the program growing larger each year. Take advantage of this unique opportunity! Students in all years of pharmacy school are welcome to participate.

Student Instructions for Adopt-a-Student Program
Please follow these steps to sign up for adoption through the MPF Adopt-a-Student program. You must register for the Convention. Register online; complete a printable registration form; or call the MPA office at (517) 484-1466. Registration for SMPA members is complimentary. After Feb. 16, registration is $10. Be sure to mark that you’d like to participate in the Adopt-a-Student program under “Special Events.”

You must provide the following information on your registration form:

• First and last name
• E-mail address
• College and year
• Practice area preference

Student pharmacists that sign up to be adopted will be provided with the name and contact information of their “parent” so that they can make arrangements to meet with them at the Convention. Your parent will provide you with a reserved-seat banquet ticket either in person, or they may leave it at the Ambassador Relations Desk for you to pick up. Students are encouraged to sign up before Feb. 3 to ensure that you receive the name and contact information of the pharmacist who has adopted you. If you register after Feb. 3, you will receive the name and contact information for your parent on-site.

If you have any questions, please contact MPA Member Services Manager Allison Drake at (517) 377-0241 or Allison@MichiganPharmacists.org.

Complete the 2011 Student Pharmacist Economic Survey

This year, the Michigan Pharmacy Economic Survey is once again short and sweet. Please take a few moments to anonymously add your responses, which will help provide pharmacy professionals and employers with valuable salary and benefit information.

To complete the survey, visit www.SurveyMonkey.com/s/2011MPAStudentEconomicSurvey.

Please complete the electronic survey by Feb. 20, 2012. Results will be published in the July edition of Michigan Pharmacist journal.

If you have any questions, please contact MPA at (517) 484-1466 or MPA@MichiganPharmacists.org.

Are You Staying Connected with MPA and Local Associations?

MPA and several local associations maintain Facebook and Twitter accounts to keep members up-to-date on the latest pharmacy news and events. Stay connected with these groups, network with other pharmacy professionals, learn of new continuing education opportunities and more. Be sure to provide feedback on MPA’s posts so we can continue to improve what information we’re sharing with followers. Click on the links below to connect with others in the industry and join the conversation! 

Facebook

• MPA
• Student MPA
• Michigan Society of Pharmacy Technicians (MSPT)
• Capital Area Pharmacists Association (CAPA)
• Kent County Pharmacists Association (KCPA)
• Southwest Michigan Pharmacists Association (SWMPA)
• Wayne County Pharmacists Association (WCPA)
• Western Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (WMSHP)

Twitter

• MPA
• Southeastern Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SMSHP)
• WCPA
• WMSHP

Take Advantage of Up-to-Date Law Resources Available from MPA

MPA offers a number of resources to assist members in staying up-to-date on the latest law changes that affect pharmacy practice.

Michigan Pharmacy Law: A Guide to the Statutes and Regulations, updated earlier this year, provides important pharmacy law updates, covering important terms and phrases, the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination™, general pharmacy practice issues, dispensing and prescribing regulations, controlled substances, and sanctions, disciplinary issues and disqualifications. Members can purchase this resource at a discounted price of $75 (nonmember price is $100). Student members also receive a discounted price of $35 (student nonmember price is $50).

In addition, MPA offers a Pharmacy Law Update Service (PLUS) CD-ROM that covers important changes to the Code of Federal Regulations, Public Health Code, Board of Pharmacy administrative rules, controlled substance prescribing regulations and more. The CD-ROM can be purchased for $100.

You also have the option of purchasing Michigan Pharmacy Law and the PLUS CD as a combination package. Members can purchase the combination package at a discounted price of $140 (nonmember price is $180), and student pharmacist members can purchase the combination package at a discounted price of $60 (student nonmember price is $85).

These great pharmacy law resources can be purchased from the MPA Online Store or by calling Marketing and Sales Assistant Cynthia Rowe at (517) 377-0222. If you’re purchasing online, be sure you are logged into the Web site to receive member discounted pricing.

Graduates Encouraged to Take Advantage of Complimentary MPA Membership

The transition from a student pharmacist to a new practitioner is not always an easy one; however, the Association aims to make it easier by providing newly graduating student pharmacists with a free MPA membership through the end of their graduating year. In addition, MPA offers two membership levels, Pharmacist Conversion Step One and Pharmacist Conversion Step Two, for new practitioners to take advantage of discounted membership rates the two years following their graduation from pharmacy school.

MPA wants to help student pharmacists and new practitioners be as successful as possible, so be sure to take advantage of all a membership in the Association has to offer! If you have any questions about your membership or would like to take advantage of this offer, please contact Member Services Manager Allison Drake at (517) 377-0241 or Allison@MichiganPharmacists.org.

Ferris State Student Awarded NACDS Scholarship

Jason Williamson, a student pharmacist at Ferris State University, was recently awarded a student scholarship from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). The NACDS Foundation Pharmacy Student Scholarship Program identifies and recognizes the next generation of pharmacy leaders during their pursuit of academic success and educational goals. Congratulations Jason! To view a full listing of scholarship winners, visit the NACDS Web site.

U-M Class of 2014 Student Pharmacists Describe Career Opportunities in YouTube Video

Student pharmacists from the Class of 2014 at the University of Michigan recently put together a promotional video discussing the versatility of the profession of pharmacy and the variety of career opportunities that graduates can explore. Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Fourth Year U-M Student Pharmacists Share Rotation Experiences

Fourth year student pharmacists at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy have been sharing their rotation experiences through a blog created to provide glimpses into life as a student pharmacist. The Experiential Training Program at the University of Michigan encompasses more than 450 practice sites nationwide. The blog is designed for students to share their stories and training experiences from different rotation sites around the world. Visit the blog online at http://umcop.blogspot.com/2010/10/part-of-community.html.

FSU Student Honored with NCPA Student Chapter Award

Ferris State University (FSU) College of Pharmacy student Jessica Long was recently honored with the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Student Chapter Outstanding Member of the Year Award. Thirty one student pharmacists were honored for their commitment to community service, recruitment of new members, promotion of independent community pharmacy and advocacy for legislative action. Award winners are nominated by peers and faculty at their respective schools. Congratulations to Jessica!

New Practitioners Attend Great Lakes Young Pharmacists Leadership Conference

MPA, in conjunction with Indiana Pharmacists Alliance and Ohio Pharmacists Association, held the Great Lakes Young Pharmacists Leadership Conference (GLYPLC) Oct. 15-17, 2010. Individuals were selected by MPA on the basis of several considerations to attend this event at the Maumee Bay Resort and Conference Center in Ohio. The goal of the leadership conference is to identify emerging leaders, enhance leadership skills of participants and provide motivation to seek greater awareness and involvement in issues confronting the profession. MPA would like to thank attendees for their participation in the conference.

Top row, left to right: Dianne Miller, MPA chief operations officer; Paul Jensen, MPA president-elect; Mike Crowe, Chris Munden, Ian Ross and La Vone Swanson, MPA associate executive director. Bottom row, left to right: Jennifer DeeWaard, Sarah Kirk, Harles Cone, Kierstan Hanson and Linda Stuckey.

University of Michigan -- Class of 2014

Check out this story on the University of Michigan Class of 2014.

Ferris State and U-M Student Programs Honored by ASHP

Each year, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) recognizes student organizations, or Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP) societies, across the nation. For the 2010-11 year, both Ferris State University (FSU) and the University of Michigan (U-M) were among the recognized student chapters, receiving official ASHP-SSHP honors. Student organizations that complete the required criteria for this program each year receive a certificate of recognition; awards for the incoming and outgoing president/officer for their SSHP; one complimentary ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Summer Meeting student registration; one complimentary ASHP publication; and use of the ASHP-SSHP recognition logo. For additional information on the program, visit www.ashp.org/sshprecognition.

Student MPA Facebook Group Transitions to a Page

MPA recently transitioned the Student Michigan Pharmacists Association (SMPA) Facebook group to a page to better serve student pharmacist members. Stay connected with the latest student events, state-wide networking opportunities and jobs.

The page will be frequently updated with information relevant to emerging pharmacy professionals, including opportunities for jobs and residencies, event information and news from MPA and the Michigan colleges of pharmacy and blog posts from the Pharm.D.(evelopments) student blog. Be sure to visit the new page today and click ‘like’ to continue following SMPA!

Task Force Meets to Discuss Student Pharmacist Involvement in MPA

by Claire Lee, P4 student pharmacist, Wayne State University

My name is Claire Lee and I am a P4 student pharmacist at Wayne State University. I am here at the MPA on rotation right now. I can honestly say I’m enjoying myself and that I’ve learned a lot about the MPA and the practice of pharmacy in general.

I recently had the opportunity to act as chair of the second annual Student MPA Task Force meeting. A total of eight students traveled from all three of Michigan’s colleges of pharmacy to MPA’s brand new building in Lansing. Topics discussed included student programming at the Annual Convention and Exposition, Pharmacy Day at the Capitol, general student involvement, and communication between MPA and students.

The meeting was highly productive and an interest was expressed on both sides for improved communication between staff at the MPA and student pharmacists at all three pharmacy institutions.

During our discussions, we realized that a lot could be gained through collaboration between students at Wayne State University, Ferris State University and the University of Michigan. By sharing ideas for patient care projects and resources for advocacy events, we can all work together toward a common goal. By working smarter through the sharing of information, the ‘re-invention of the wheel’ process can be reduced, or even eliminated in some cases.

Pharm.D.(evelopments) was originally developed as a place for students to blog. However, lack of interest has resulted in a transformation to a sort of student newsletter. Our new goal for this forum will be for student pharmacists to periodically post information about innovative programs taking place at their respective college of pharmacy. The hope is to work together to achieve the goals we have all set as individuals.

U-M Student Pharmacist Discusses Educational Experiences on YouTube

Watch this video from YouTube of P4 student pharmacist Kendra Yum discussing her educational experiences at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy.

Student MPA Volunteers to Help Plan the 2011 Annual Convention & Exposition

On Monday, July 19, Student MPA member volunteers will gather in Lansing to work on planning the student programming for the 2011 MPA Annual Convention & Exposition, which will be held Feb. 25-27, 2011, at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. Working with the students will be MPA Chief Executive Officer Larry Wagenknecht, MPA Chief Operations Officer Dianne Miller and other MPA staff members. A number of suggestions and ideas that were submitted by students following the 2010 Convention will be discussed and evaluated, as well some new ideas for making the upcoming event even better for students. If you’re interested in participating, please contact MPA Associate Executive Director La Vone Swanson at (517) 377-0231 or LaVone@MichiganPharmacists.org.

More Than 1,300 Attend 2010 Annual Convention

The 2010 MPA Annual Convention & Exposition, held Feb. 26-28 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, attracted more than 1,300 student pharmacists, pharmacists, technicians, academia and others. A variety of student events were held throughout the weekend, including the first Self-Care Challenge. Teams of three from each college of pharmacy competed in a Jeopardy-style game. The Self-Care Challenge winning team of Carrie Nelson, Valerie Franklin and Jessica Schultz from Ferris State University received a traveling trophy to display at their college.

On Saturday, the Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP) sponsored a student luncheon. A pharmacy leader sat at each table during the lunch to provide students the opportunity to network with professionals in the industry and ask questions about getting involved in the organization.

In addition, the Michigan Pharmacy Foundation hosted the adopt-a-student program once again, and is proud to announce that all 120 students were adopted this year. The MPA online forum was utilized to match up students with their “parents” prior to the convention, as opposed to matching them at the student social, which proved to be a successful change. Rather, the student social was a much more casual event, where students enjoyed light refreshments, mingled and played games.

A number of educational programming sessions were geared directly toward student members, including financial planning and the MPJE law review. Student pharmacists also assisted with presenting donation drive items to Mother Waddles Perpetual Mission during the convention’s Keynote Session.

If you attended the convention, please take a moment to complete a short survey online to assist MPA in improving student pharmacist activities at next year’s convention.

Also, check out this year’s photo gallery: