By Kelli Jo Welter

In celebrating the 50th anniversary of APhA–ASP, let us appreciate the work that has been done to allow the opportunities that we have today. The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined efforts of every individual. Long before our official establishment in 1969, passionate student pharmacists came together to push boundaries and pave the way for us to actively engage in APhA–ASP today. Many of these leaders are still involved in shaping the future of pharmacy; they truly display the promise for advancing the profession that we make when we first put on our white coats. 

And so it begins

The American Pharmacists Association (then the American Pharmaceutical Association) was founded in 1852. In 1921, Dean C. B. Jordan at the Purdue University School of Pharmacy proposed the formation of student branches of APhA. The University of North Carolina organized the first student branch in 1922. Other schools and colleges of pharmacy followed suit; they attracted the attention of the APhA president, and a committee was formed to examine the possibility of establishing student branches at all schools and colleges of pharmacy. After deliberation by this committee, the APhA Bylaws were amended in 1931 to include student branches as part of the organization. 

As student branches were formed across the country, student pharmacists informally met at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition; these were the first instances of policy discussion like we see at Midyear Regional Meetings and the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition today. After 3 years of petitioning, a single seat in the APhA House of Delegates was granted to a student in 1954—our voice was going to be heard! Linwood F. Tice was the chairman of the APhA Committee on Student Branches. 

Our time to shine

Student pharmacists in APhA–ASP have had many notable accomplishments since our official recognition as the Student American Pharmaceutical Association in 1969. The Student House of Delegates was established in 1973, the National Patient Counseling Competition began in 1983, and the New Practitioner Initiative (now known as the New Practitioner Network) was formed in 1992. 

Aside from the tangible events that have occurred, student pharmacists have been able to find a home within APhA–ASP. Often referred to as a “pharm-ily,” the connections that have been formed through APhA–ASP have assisted us in personal and professional growth as we journey through pharmacy school.

In becoming more involved in APhA–ASP, I realized that I wasn’t just working toward becoming a pharmacist, but that I was becoming part of something much bigger than myself. 

The future is bright

Pursuing excellence is not a one-time task. It’s a collection of small events that become a habit, and then a collection of habits becoming a culture. Student pharmacists involved in APhA–ASP have been pursuing excellence for more than 50 years. We instituted student chapters, we petitioned for representation in the APhA House of Delegates to have our concerns addressed, we created our own APhA–ASP House of Delegates so our voices could be amplified, and we established patient care projects to impact individuals on a local level even before we graduate. 

The culture of student pharmacists being fearlessly authentic in our passion for advancing the profession of pharmacy and serving our communities will continue for years to come.

On behalf of the Academy, I cordially invite you to attend the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Seattle, WA, from March 22 to March 25, 2019, to celebrate this special milestone of APhA–ASP. See you there!