Sidrah Alam is a final-year PharmD candidate at the Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, and a 2021–22 APhA–ASP National Member-at-large.
Everyone has a lot of high hopes for 2022. This year, for me, is full of new resolutions as I transition from student pharmacist to pharmacist.
It was important to be home during the pandemic, but it’s really difficult to keep student pharmacists quarantined from patient care. Student pharmacists have embraced the virtual environment and pursued creative outlets to reach their patients, but despite these positives it has still been a struggle to coordinate and transition.
As we roll into February, is your chapter struggling with the transition and need a restart? Use this new year to recharge your chapter’s resolutions! Here are some ideas you can use to get started.
Previous events. Transitioning from being virtual to in-person can be difficult. Be creative and embrace the new normal. Don’t let it hinder you. It may be easy to recreate previous events, but adding a twist or trying something new can elevate your event and innovate your chapter.
Quality>quantity. The mission of APhA–ASP includes improving patient care, which emphasizes quality. The success of a chapter is not defined by the number of events hosted, but by the difference made and the patient care given by those events. Remember to prioritize quality over quantity when planning for events.
SMART resolutions. Make a SMART resolution for yourself and your chapter. Set meaningful yet achievable goals. Line up the Academy’s “why” with your chapter’s “why” to get the most fulfillment from these goals.
Self-review. Resolutions require reflection. Reflect on your chapter’s leadership and team skills. Reflect on all past events, not just the successes. Most importantly, reflect on your membership. Review feedback from all members and ask them what events they would like to see.
Elect and transition early. Transitions in leadership can be difficult regardless of the time of year. My tip is to hold elections by February 15 to start that leadership transition early, as well as to ensure newly elected officers can register for the APhA Annual Meeting by the student Early Fee deadline of February 17. Be sure to keep transition documents in a centralized location starting from day 1 to make that changeover seamless.
Resources. APhA–ASP provides invaluable resources for chapters to ensure their success. These are all available at pharmacist.com. Keep an eye out for the Chapter Executive Update and the Student Pharmacist Connection e-newsletters for more assistance. You can also follow us on Instagram at @aphaasp to get the most updated information regarding APhA–ASP. Networking with other chapters can help you brainstorm ideas and collaborate to come up with innovative events.
My resolutions are pharmacy-focused this year since this is the year I finally become a pharmacist. What are your recharged new year’s resolutions for 2022?