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.