As a recent graduate, this will be the last time I write an article from the perspective of a student. I will use this opportunity to discuss networking. It is a topic that I
believe is extremely important, but something that many students do not fully understand.

During my time in school, it became very apparent that the job market and residency programs are increasingly competitive. No longer does receiving a Pharm.D. degree guarantee someone their dream job or residency.

What I witnessed from the 2018 graduating class is that those who spent their time in school building a network of professional contacts and mentors were more likely to get the job or residency they wanted.

Networking is much more than attending a conference and collecting business cards from the booths you visit. Networking involves building relationships. These relationships are what will not only help you achieve your own personal goals, but will ultimately strengthen the profession of pharmacy. That is why “relations” was included as the “R” in the SPARx (Student Pharmacists Advocacy and Relations) Program, which is designed to help students learn the importance of advocacy and building relations.

Before you attend your next conference, reflect on the following questions and see what you can do to better build professional relationships:

• Are you spending most of your time with friends from your own school, or are you branching out to meet students from other schools?
• Are you introducing yourself to both the experienced pharmacists and new practitioners?
• Are you planning on following up through email or social media with the people you met?

Good communication and follow-through are the foundations of networking. Without them, professional relationships and mentorships are almost impossible to form. Attending a conference is great, and if you list several on your CV it may look like you were involved, but it probably won’t be the deciding factor on whether or
not you get a job or residency offer.

What could help you, though, is meeting someone at a conference who can open up a new opportunity about which you were previously unaware. Pharmacy is a small world, and the more you are connected with other pharmacists, the more you will realize this. Not everyone will be able to help you get the job or residency you want, but just being around other pharmacists can provide a great support system. It is nice to be around people who have similar struggles and goals.

One of the benefits of TPA membership is that it provides a network for all pharmacists to come together. As a student, I took full advantage of my membership and discounted conference registration fees.

When I went to conferences, I made sure to meet fellow students from different schools, because if we are the future of pharmacy, then it is important that we start meeting each other today. I also made sure to talk to experienced pharmacists who attended the conferences. I was able to learn from what they told me, and I met several who have become my mentors.

TPA’s motto is “Together Pharmacy Advances,” and I believe that includes all pharmacists from all fields and generations. The more united our profession
is, the more we will be able to achieve individually and collectively. One of best ways to achieve this is through networking.

Every two years, students and pharmacists get an exciting opportunity to meet at the Capitol in order to represent and advance the profession of pharmacy. For most students and some pharmacists, it will be their first time to visit the Capitol and to speak to thier representative or senator which can be nerve wracking. During my first visit, I overheard several questions such as “what do I say” or “why am I here?” The SPARx program is a great way to address these concerns and instill confidence to future pharmacists. Too many of us complain about the issues, yet either do nothing or do not know where to start. The regulation and legislation workshops are a great tool for educating students on how government works, the current issues in pharmacy, and how to take action.

Recently, I was at a residency mentoring social which consisted of at least 150 students and pharmacists. When the speaker, Dr. Anjanette Wyatt, asked the audience how many people know who their representative or senator is, less than 5 people raised their hands. These people are the movers and changers in our field, yet less than 1% could identify their legislator. I expect that this will change after the SPARx Program and that we can produce more active and passionate pharmacists. Moving forward, I hope we can all come together as leaders in the community, in order to change the profession of pharmacy to how WE see fit, so patients are able to receive the best care at the end of the day.

Hundreds of exams. Countless quizzes. Endless late nights and early mornings. Every pharmacy student has been there. We are hard workers and silent strategists. We take pride in understanding medications and their disease states, and we love our kinetics.

As a current fourth year student in pharmacy school, I feel as though I have been able to immerse myself within my profession. I have learned so much throughout this journey and I have waited for this moment for such a long time, to be in my final year. The excitement rolls in and reality begins to quickly set in. Within this territory of being so close to graduation, I am consistently being asked about my plans in regards to pharmacy practice. Regardless of what my response is, I already know that at least half of the individuals asking the questions will tell me that I am making the wrong decision. I understand that these types of sentiments are most likely commonplace regardless of the profession, but in the practice of pharmacy, we tend to take it a step further.

For those not familiar with the profession, pharmacy practice allows numerous opportunities in several different types of fields. Residencies, fellowships, community practice, pharmaceutical sales, consultant pharmacy, and independent pharmacy are all options, just to name a few. One of the main reasons why I chose to become a pharmacist is because I like having options, and I like knowing that regardless of what I choose to do, there is always opportunity to expand and learn about a new part of my profession.

Currently, depending upon where a pharmacist practices, some are unable to fully utilize their doctoral-level skills due to different laws across state lines. Again, as this may be true for several professions, with the profession of pharmacy, the difference in law is prominent. Numerous data is available indicating how beneficial pharmacists are when integrated within the healthcare team and the tremendous cost-saving healthcare outcomes we provide when working alongside other healthcare professionals. The laws are adapting and the profession continues to expand and develop.

Despite the laws that may currently tie our hands, I firmly believe that we as a profession are our biggest hindrance. We are segregated within our own lines of practice. We believe that what we are doing is the most important thing for the profession and have lost sight in what makes our profession so unique in the first place. Retail pharmacy practice is just as important as critical care pharmacy practice. Independent pharmacies are vital for our communities. Pharmacists are needed in field of industry for continued growth and development. All of these roles were established because they are needed.

We are there during medical rounds. We are part of the healthcare professional team. We save lives. We are there, but to some extent still invisible. We roll our eyes when someone asks if we actually have a doctorate degree, and we become frustrated when the medical resident ignores our input. We become frustrated when we have to convince everyone else of our value, so why do we do it to each other? I have worked alongside brilliant pharmacists in every aspect of the profession. I am in awe of how much opportunity and growth my profession allows, and I hope that my fellow colleagues see this as well.

When you choose to make a condescending statement about an area of practice that differs from yours, know that you made a decision, and that you chose against the profession. I know some people might be thinking, “Why such a bold statement?” Well, because I am tired, and I know that many of you are too. One area of practice is not greater than the other. We all work to contribute to health and wellness by providing exceptional patient care. When we lose sight of this vision and start repeating this sentiment of, “Mine is better than yours”, we are enabling and teaching the next generation of pharmacists to do the same, and are doing a great disservice to ourselves.

Many other healthcare professionals practice in different areas depending upon their interests. Although they may have different opinions, they are still working together as team and supporting each other. The urologist, neurologist, plastic surgeon, and even the “doc in a box” are on the same team. They are politically active by joining associations and staying vetted in their similar interests, together.

I recognize the importance of diversity and skill set within our profession, as do many of my colleagues. However, we should utilize this diversity to support each other instead of breaking each other down.

My hope is that one day when we student pharmacists transition into preceptors for the next generation of students, that we can teach this same philosophy and continue forward into growth, and onwards into positive change.

Yasmine Alhasan is a fourth-year student pharmacist at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, in Dallas, Texas, and is president of the TPA Student Board of Directors.