Following my first year serving as a leader in the 2021–2022 South Dakota State University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions APhA–ASP Chapter, I noticed the struggle of engaging our freshmen and sophomore members preparing for the PharmD program throughout the school year.

BUSOPPS welcomed its inaugural PharmD class in August 2017, and since then has significantly advanced its APhA–ASP Chapter through patient care outreach, policy and advocacy efforts, social media presence, professional development, and collaboration with internal student pharmacist organizations and external organizations throughout the Binghamton area.

Patient counseling is arguably the most important skill pharmacists need to possess. I currently intern in the outpatient setting, where consulting patients on their new discharge medications is part of my daily routine, so I decided to enter the 2024 APhA–ASP National Patient Counseling Competition (NPCC) in order to assess my consultation skills and look for areas where I can improve.