Pharmacy Education Newsletter, Issue 7

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PharmacyEducationNewsletter

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[email protected]://pharmacy-ed.ipsf.org

IPSF Pharmacy Education N

ewsletter | July 2014

Internships

Scientific PosterExhibition

UNESCOGeneral Conference

IPSF Young Reseachers’ Forum

Since establishment in 1949, IPSF now represents more than 270 000 pharmacy students and recent graduates in over 70 countries worldwide.

IPSF is the leading international advocacy organisation of pharmacy students promoting improved public health through provision of information, education, networking, and a range of publication and professional activities.

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Design & LayoutMr. Brian Wong

Deisgn and Creativity Committee

Assisted byMr. Khaled Mostafa

Chairperson of Media & Publications 2013-14

Proofread byMs. Asmaa M. Ismail

[Editorial Committee Coordinator]Ms. Sonia Lee

Ms. Amina NdopeMr. Mian Zhang

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Issue #7 , July 2014

Content

FIP Internship

Scientific Poster Exhibition

FIPEd-IPSF SLEQ

IPSF Young Researchers’ Forum

UNESCO General Conference

EMA InternshipPage 6

UNITAID Internship

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Pharmacy Education Newsletter

Disclaimer clause for translation of this document This publication has been translated by an International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) member organisation. IPSF accepts no liability for the content of this document after the translation and editing process by persons other than the IPSF Chairperson of Media and Publications, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in a written document by IPSF. Any views or opinions presented in this document are solely those of the author and/or the translation editor and do not necessarily represent those ofIPSF

3rd Global Forum on Human Resources for Health

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Ms. Leanne Oostwoud

Mr. Fahmi Fuady

IPSF Educational and Scientific Publications Coordinator 2013-14

IPSF Chairperson of Pharmacy Education 2013-14

This issue is presented to you by

Chairperson of Media and Publications [email protected] [email protected]

Cover PhotoTraditional Chinese Medicine Shop

Photo by: Jon Siegel

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Amber: Hello Mitch, thanks for joining me for this interview. I really appreciate it. It is our hope that your answers will help other students better prepare for the internships they want or already have set up.So first question, how did you find out about the internship?

Mitch: Thank you, Amber. Yes, I found out about this internship through a professor from the University of Toronto. She had knowledge of UNITAID as the Director of Global Health, and through mutual work that had been done in the past. Thus she was able to continue facilitating and coordinating student work.

Amber: Ah, and what was the application procedure like for you?

Mitch: Well, it was open to all students. The specified (preferred) requirements were to have “international, research and writing experience, to be enrolled in a relevant university degree, and to possess the ability to work independently without supervision.” The students who applied had to submit a letter of motivation, a CV, and communicate their understanding of how health commodity is used,

the idea of resource constraints, and familiarity with conducting literature searches. You can also check out their website for all the specifics.

Amber: Wow that sounds like quite a lot of requirements. What then, in your own opinion, got you this internship position? What were the skills in your portfolio that you think might have given you the edge over the other applicants?

Mitch: I think I fulfilled their main requirements through the coursework that I had already done, which included the pharmacy research project in the final year that developed my extensive literature search skills and improved my scientific writing. I was able to communicate these skills through my CV and motivational letter, in addition, I believe my past involvement with IPSF gave me the global perspective which they found noteworthy.

Amber: So with this exciting internship, did you have to sacrifice anything in the process? Change any plans in order to carry out the internship?

UNITAID Intership Interview with Mr. Mircea Eftimescua

Ms. Amber Liu Pharmacy Education Research Coordinator

Mr. Mircea Eftimescua shared his wonderful UNITAID Internship experience in Geneva with Ms Amber Liu.

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Mitch: Uhm, the interview for this internship occurred around the time of the year-end exams. That was quite stressful for me. In conjunction, I was in a rush to fulfill the required paperwork, safety abroad training coursework, and other medical requirements (i.e. submitting the vaccination documentation to make sure I am up-to-date with them). Also, in Canada, after 8 months of schooling we typically have 4 months of summer vacation (if you don’t need to repeat any coursework), and with the high tuition fees, it is typical for us to get a summer job, work full-time, just so we can contribute to the cost of our degree. Taking on this internship meant I was away for 3 months out of the four and unable to take up employment and balance my finances during that time.

Amber: Amber: Indeed, education is a business, eh? So with respect to this, do you have any regrets about taking on the internship?

Mitch: No, not at all. This had been something I wanted to do, and I think my experience would be highly useful in the future. So for me, I was committed to doing whatever it took to meet the requirements and deadlines.

Amber: Now, that’s great to hear! So tell me, Mitch, what were your expectations of this internship, and were they met? Mitch: My aim for this internship was to see how people with different expertise collaborate on the international level, and how this interplay works

out. It was great to network with other interns in a global setting and of course, it was a great opportunity to work alongside global experts.

Amber: It sounds like you had an amazing time! Did you have mentors? What were their roles and how did you feel about the mentorship?

Mitch: In terms of mentorship, my supervisor guided me through the work I was doing, provided guidelines, and answered my questions. She helped me settle in, and also painted a picture of the work being carried out by UNITAID at that time. The nature of my work was very independent once the layout had been set out.

Amber: Speaking of working as an intern at UNITAID, could you paint your average working day?

Mitch: Sure. Picture this, every morning I walk to work in the nice, sunny, and warm weather. It takes about half an hour to walk from where I lived in Geneva to work. The working days were largely similar. At the beginning of the internship, I had to read a copious number of background documents to catch up on UNITAID and their projects and activities. Some of the tasks involved editing a document of 100+ pages, scanning through articles for relevant information to incorporate into various documents, and organizing files on an USB. At lunch time, there would be “Experts for interns luncheons” – which are seminars designed to incorporate learning about various fields for the different interns there. Some of the topics included social media, communication to the masses, cancer research, pharmacovigiliance, and access to medicines. After lunch, I would continue to work on documents and any other activities that helped to streamline processes at UNITAID.

Amber: It sounds like you had a full docket of work! Well, let’s return to an earlier topic. You mentioned

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that you weren’t able to work for pay during the time you were on this internship. How were you able to financially support this undertaking? Geneva is an expensive city, how did you try to cut the cost down? Hopefully, you can give some ideas to other students who may be in the same boat.

Mitch: Yes, despite not having a job to help me financially that summer, my flight, rent and expenses were afforded through student loans that we all carry in Canada. My school had a programme that helped with reimbursing a portion of the total expense, for which I am very grateful. As for cutting the cost down, it was as simple as living outside the immediate city center, letting friends text you on the mobile instead, and making food at home instead of purchasing it at work.

Amber: Thanks for the tips Mitch. Now, what are some of the things you learned/experienced during this internship?

Mitch: I got to see how experts collaborated, how policy-making involves assessing other information comprehensively before putting forth a recommendation. It was very interesting to see how intentions of policies don’t always go according to plan when you are relying on so many sources on a global scale. Lastly, travelling in a different part of the world definitely made things stimulating.

Amber: You mentioned a lot of great technical learning points. What about personal learning? From my experience that can be quite life-changing.

Mitch: Yes, being in a different environment than you are used to, being able to learn how things function, and how things are different is an incredible experience. Simply seeing, and taking part in a different way of life, out of your home or comfort zone, and taking part in doing things differently really opened up my eyes.

Amber: and if you could do this again, would you do anything differently?

Mitch: I would try…well, it’s hard. Prior to arriving for my internship, I interviewed a lot of others, researched information and noted the experience of others. You really have to go and be there yourself. This learning experience means that the next time, I would try even harder to consider the aspects I didn’t before and just arrive even more prepared. The more prepared you are for an experience like this, the more you can capitalize on the opportunities that arise.

Amber: Truly great advice, Mitch! I agree with you, especially on that last point.

Mitch: Oh! And if you don’t know the language of the country, make an effort to learn and speak

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to a reasonable degree, it can greatly enhance your experience. For instance, knowing how to speak French helped me not get ripped off in hostels, overcoming car rental issues, and asking around if there was a problem. Some of the most helpful times were, after being completely lost, asking a random hotel security guard for directions, or talking to folks from small vineyards up in the mountains.

Amber: And now? How do you aim to use the skills/experience you’ve acquired?

Mitch: My internship diversified the work experience that I have, and at this point in time, I am unsure of what specialization of pharmacy I would pursue, but this has opened my eyes to what is out there. I am undecided about my future, the doors are open. Still, I would love to do something in similarly unknown conditions to find out where I would want to invest in terms of my long term career goals.

Amber: Fantastic outlook Mitch. Thank you for your amazing answers. Just to wrap up this interview, can you highlight some tips you have for other students?

Mitch: So, to my fellow IPSFers interested in doing amazing internships with great organisations and companies around the world, I hope you explore your options, get well-informed in what you would like to do, and never be afraid to ask questions.

Amber: On this note, thank you Mitch for joining me for the Q&A session. I hope this information would help others have great learning experiences like you did.

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How did you find out about this opportunity?I was studying at the Medical University of Warsaw at the time, and I came across the table for the European Medicines Agency while attending a career fair. Apart from promoting the EMA as a potential workplace for healthcare professionals, they advertised a traineeship for fresh graduates and encouraged students to apply. During my final year of studies, I focused on regulatory affairs and dedicated my master’s thesis to the EMA and FDA’s regulations for low molecular weight heparins. Therefore, when I graduated, it seemed like a natural choice to apply for a traineeship placement at the Agency.

How did you come to get the position?Although there are around 4000 graduates applying for a traineeship placement in about 40 potential locations every year, the selection procedure didn’t

seem very complicated. After sending an online form, I had two phone calls – one with my future management team and another with human resources.I believe that for filling out the application form and for the phone interview, the key is to be very specific about why you are motivated to spend 9 months at the Agency as a trainee. Also, it helps to demonstrate how your previous experience relates to the EMA’s activities.

Did you come across any obstacle to get this position? The main obstacle was the competition with many other graduates from all around Europe who were also applying. Other than that, the selection process went very smoothly.Also, if accepted as a trainee, it is necessary to move to London. This obligation could be seen as either an obstacle or a privilege, depending on the person.

What did you expect of it? The European Medicines Agency offers work in a multicultural environment, surrounded by the best healthcare professionals from Europe.Besides working on assigned projects, trainees have the chance to participate in committee meetings. These include CHMP (Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use), PRAC (Phar-macovigilance Risk Assessment Committee) and

Ms. Anna Perelka was accepted into an internship with the European Medicines Agency in London, an opportunity which gave her a first-hand experience with medicine Evaluation in Europe.

Ms. Anna Perelka Poland

EMA InternshipQ&A with Anna Perelka

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CAT (Committee for Advanced Therapies). It’s a valu-able chance for exposure to important discussions and decisions that determine whether a product will be granted market access in Europe or not.

What did you experience whilst doing your internship there? A traineeship at the Agency feels like prolonging your youth or student exchange before stepping into a big pharmaceutical world. There are around 40 young people who moved to London from all over Europe. They are in the same position as you and have similar interests, so the social aspect of traineeship is very helpful to get acclimatized to the new environment. All of my co-workers and managers are very helpful and approachable. Starting from the first day of our traineeship, everyone was organized and ready to welcome the new trainees.

“A traineeship at the Agency feels like prolonging your youth or student exchange before stepping into a big pharmaceutical world.”What have you learned/gained from it?As I’m done with 1/3 of my traineeship at the moment and will be moving to another department in the following month, I can say that I’m learning something new every day and I am very happy to face new challenges that are about to come.The Agency is a very special work environment with representatives from all the EU countries, so the experience of working in such a multicultural environment is very special and worth it. The Agency also invests in the self-development of its employees. Apart from trainings that occur on a daily basis at the EMA, we are able to enroll in the language course of our choice. The EMA puts a lot of emphasis on language abilities. For instance, a native

English speaker must prove to be knowledgeable in another European language in order to apply for a position at the EMA.

What is the most interesting thing about working in this position?Employees cannot reveal much about the Agency’s activities, but I can say that I have been very pleased with the last three months, which helped me to understand how the Agency works. I am excited about being able to transition to another position and continue to learn as much as I can during the entire period of the traineeship. I wish that every student finishing their pharmacy education in Europe could have a chance to gain more insight into the Agency’s operations, such as its current move toward a single medicines market in the European Union. If this becomes reality, it would make the EMA a very unique place.

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How to chellate the audience with your scientific poster Interview with the winner of Scientific Poster Exhibition - Ms. Tereza Hergeselova

Ms. Tereza Hergeselova Czech Republic

The winner of the Scientific Poster Exhibition, Ms. Tereza Hergeselová from Czech Republic gives us her story and tips to reproduce her success.

During the 59th IPSF World Congress in Utrecht organized between 30th of July to 9th of August 2013 the new Scientific Poster Exhibition was introduced with the theme “Global pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences”. Thirteen ambitious young researchers from the whole world took this capital event of IPSF to share their results with the pharmacy community.

Hi, my name is Tereza Hergeselová, I´m 4th year pharmacy student of Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. Utrecht was where I have firstly attended the IPSF World Congress (or any congress at all). Let me share with you my enthusiasm of the origins and surprising success of my first research project, which I presented at Scientific Poster Exhibition this summer in Utrecht.

It is not easy to sum up all my impressions and

new experiences gained in this year. Yes, you are reading right, I started my project just a year ago as a newbie of the biochemical sciences department of our faculty. At the beginning there was my thirst to understand the mechanisms of diseases origins, cancer especially, and potential therapeutics acting at the cellular level. This desire was awakened in me by the lecturer of molecular biology, my current diploma supervisor, and the newly elected dean, docent Pharm. D. Tomáš Šimůnek, Ph.D.. He introduced me to experiments with the cell line of breast adenocarcinoma called MCF-7. We have been evaluating the antiproliferative effects of the novel potential anticancer agents which were developed at the Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry of our faculty.

These molecules have chelating properties,

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stealing the iron which is needed for rapid proliferation of the cancer cells. By modifying the substitution on hydrazone bond of the model chelator SIH (salicyladehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone) we obtained more stable and effective molecules with which we are conducting the presented research. I am very glad that I could learn and I am still learning appropriate methods of cell-treatment and current experiments from my very patient tutor and my lodestar Eliška Potůčková , M.Sc..Thanks to our local pharmaceutical students´ association (CzPSA), I got a dreamlike opportunity to attend the IPSF World Congress 2013 – the most motivating event of my studies. I decided to make the best of it and try to present my very first research results in the form of summarizing poster –https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ykksxfxzs68sal/Poster_TH.pdf The Scientific Poster Exhibition took place during the Scientific Symposium. Each of us 13 “brave” participants had a very attractive topic, therefore the jury consisting of the speakers of the Scientific Symposium had very difficult task to award only one presenter. I was extremely nervous from the public presentation and based on that fact I am still astonished that I was chosen to be a winner. However, even if I had not won, this experience indescribably motivated me to continue in this scientific activity and currently we are evaluating our antiproliferative substances with the different methods in vitro in order to explain their mechanism of action.What were the gains from the participation more specifically?

- I had a chance to assess and train the crucial abil ity of every scientist – the ability to share the r esearch results in the digestible manner.- The feeling that somebody cares about my work.- Ideas what to improve and furthermore – other questions I want to seek the answers to.

I know, that every contest is specific with the participants, requirements and your research is unique too but let me share some tips I was following. I wish they will bring you your deserved success too:

1. Inspire yourself by the work of others – for example the posters decorating the walls of your faculty to get an idea.

2. Structure your work – elaborate the scientific abstract (introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion). It will come handy many times in the future.

3. Find out the poster format and size as soon as possible – you will prevent the problems with the space for your data.

4. Be different – with topic, graphics, and presentation style. However still inside the requirements of the contest. You might also take photos of your work.

5. Ask unbiased people for their feedback. Ask more skilled people in some area (for example graphic designers, or English editors and proofreaders) for help.

6. Adjust your presentation to the target audience – leave the observer enough time to scan through your poster and if he does not ask the expected questions, you might start giving the answers on your own. Learn, what is his background and interests then show him the connection between them and your work.

I strongly recommend everybody to not hesitate and grasp this opportunity – you will have a chance to proudly present your achievements and collect and develop new insights for your future (not only scientific) work.


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FIP InternshipThe Journey of a Lifetime!

Ms. Amber Liu travelled to the Netherlands to participate in an internship at the International Pharmaceutical Federation, an experience which helped shape her career path today.

My Background (as a Canadian pharmacy student at the time)The year was 2011. When I had time apart from student related activities such as attending class, sleeping, studying, and cursing the curriculum, I was very confused about what I wanted to do with my degree and with my career. I was in my third year of pharmacy, and I knew that I didn’t want a traditional career of working in the pharmacy. It didn’t matter which pharmacy chain it was or if it was in the hospital setting. I only knew that I felt the most in my element doing public health courses or engaging materials from health systems classes. Personally, the birds-eye view on systems in general is a far more appealing vantage point.

ApplicationAs usual, I sent out applications every year in the attempt to have an internship arranged at some organisation abroad that could give me a different

vision. I was quite frankly bored by the open-ended way pharmacy graduates were streamed into their respective careers, and the market really didn’t look that appealing (post our 2010 drug system reform). I applied for this internship on the recommendation from another individual. It was after a submission I made for a WHO internship application, that I also got the details of this internship, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) internship. At first glance, I didn’t really know anything about this organisation, much like I didn’t know anything about IPSF. It was right after my exam session in the spring time and to avoid the post-exam depression, I dived into doing this internship application which called for the following:- Motivation letter- CV- 2 Reference letters (one preferably from your professor at school)Well it was quite a bit of work, especially getting the reference letters. Hunting down professors during exams/post-exam time was quite difficult. I did speak with my professors as well, but it was strange. I always had hang-ups about requesting reference letters. It was hard to believe that they would remember specifics about you in a giant class of 240 students. The upside for me was that I always sat at the front, so I was lucky.It was around early May when I submitted my application and it was July when I got an email regarding their desire to have a Skype interview with me. It was very exciting for me at the time since

Ms. Amber Liu Pharmacy Education Research Coordinator

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I was abroad travelling. Criteria for the interview included good Wi-Fi connection, and ensuring both parties were on the same page about the time for the interview. I actually got that somewhat wrong since I “showed up” early.

SubsidyThere was no payment for this internship, but the rent was taken care of. At the time, all I knew was that I would be residing with other pharmacy students. I had no idea that the IPSF flat was going to be my home. As for living expenses, I managed that the same way other North American pharmacy students tend to – by dipping into student loans that we all had to take out.

“A year after my internship and jumping through an incredible amount of bureaucratic hurdles, I have returned to pursue a career where my passion lies.”Reservations/SacrificesI didn’t really have any reservations about taking on the internship. Instead of carrying out my pharmacist registration requirements (i.e. national exams, and registration internship) immediately post-graduation like most of my friends did, I postponed everything till after I finished my FIP internship. As far as I know, it didn’t really put me in a bad place – in fact, it was much easier for me to get a registration internship upon my return since everyone else had already finished theirs. I was able to have a chance to do my licensing internship with a really great team of pharmacists and mentors. The one thing I did give up on was the chance to go on a different internship in Costa Rica. It does make

me wonder if I would be in a different place than I am currently at, had I gone with that internship instead.

Expectations/mentorshipMy expectation for the FIP internship was to learn more about pharmacy in a global arena. As aforementioned, I did not know what I wanted to do and I wanted to gain different perspectives on what was available for pharmacy graduates. At my internship, I had three mentors who gave me directions on what tasks to focus on and interesting ideas to think about. One mentor gave me an introduction into the marketing area of pharmacy and helped me with adjusting to life in the Netherlands. The other gave me insight into the policy arena of pharmacy and the resources available to gain the most updated details on diseases in the global perspective. The third mentor introduced me to the media and publications that FIP focuses on. All in all, I am very grateful for their roles in sparking in me a renewed interest in pharmacy. Though I must say, everyone I met through this experience had a hand in mentoring me in some way.

Working day/tasksA typical working day for me looked like this:Waking up at the first ray of the sun (6am) because there were no curtains in my room at the time. Biking to work like the Dutchies do – which really gives you a sense of freedom. Walking into a beautiful office and after the morning greetings, settling down to my daily tasks. At the start of the internship, under the guidance of my mentors, I picked two areas to focus on which included policy work and aiding with building the database for pharmacy schools around the world. I was also helping with other tasks such as editing documents, office paperwork, preparing an interview with pharmaceutical scientist of interest…etc. I think the most challenging task was to analyse data from a policy oriented perspective. It took


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a while to get my thoughts acquainted to that frame of mind but it was very rewarding. The result involved me seeking additional reference materials in order to be as comprehensive as I could be, and that itself brought about a lot of self-directed learning. Like my university professors said, the best they can do is teach us how to learn.

The UnexpectedFor me the most unexpected thing that happened during the internship was my first attendance of the IPSF World Congress in Egypt. It was a very last minute decision, and it was on the advice of one of my mentors from the internship. To this day, I am very grateful for her encouragement in this respect. Two years later as you can see now, I’ve met and gotten inspired by IPSFers from all over the world. I am honestly very happy that I discovered IPSF when I did. I was amazed to meet young fresh minds with inspiring visions of the future. It was exactly the environment that I was seeking. Retrospectively, I wished that I participated in an IPSF World Congress in my first year of pharmacy school. It would’ve served as a treasure chest for motivation, and stimulated my own growth in taking the reins in shaping my own future much earlier.

Concluding remarksInterning at FIP was an extremely valuable experience. One that solidified my courage to go for what I wanted, even when it wasn’t considered a normal career trajectory by my Canadian peers. I’ve learned a lot from those whom I’ve I met and most of all, I’ve learned about myself. Four years prior to this internship, I had the desire to move to a different country and build a life and career from scratch. When I came to Den Haag for the internship, one thing I didn’t expect was that it would be the place I want to relocate to. Thus, if I had the chance to redo this internship, I would’ve gone into it with a firm vision of my future in mind and capitalized on all the opportunities that were available for me to establish myself here. Hindsight is always 20/20.

It gives a clear picture. A year after my internship and jumping through an incredible amount of bureaucratic hurdles, I have returned to pursue a career where my passion lies. It is a very exciting and scary time for me.

Being all so different from each other, with our own interests, priorities, and visions of the future, it’s hard to come up with tips or advice for anyone who wants to follow my trajectory. All I can say is; embrace your dream, and don’t be afraid to fail. Even when people tell you that something is difficult or if your chances of success are low, follow what your gut tells you. All the same, these are the things that many great people before me have already said. It feels very different to know the truth behind these tips. To quote someone who had profound impact on me while I interned at FIP, “there is always a creative solution.” The more I believed that, the more I saw these solutions, and coupled with persistence, I believe I am now on the way to a very satisfying career.

Should you have any further questions about my experiences or my internship, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].

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ORDERNOW!

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Ms. Naoko Arakawa Research Associate at the FIP Collaborating Centre

We Need Your Cooperation!FIPEd-IPSF Student Learning Experience Questionnaire

The FIP Education Initiative (FIPEd) and the IPSF are undertaking a collaborative global survey, the FIPEd-IPSF Student Learning Experience Questionnaire (SLEQ; http://www.codegnet.org.uk/moII_2013/), aimed at measuring and mapping global patterns of students’ learning experiences. Collected data will provide a key marker of the quality of current pharmacy education practices across nations and the findings of this survey will assist the development of global pharmacy education policy

recommendations.The SLEQ is a cross-sectional online survey, available in 7 languages (Arabic, English, French, Japanese, Mandarin-Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish). Students just need to go to the survey link (http://www.codegnet.org.uk/moII_2013/). It should take no more than 15 minutes of a student’s time. As of 3rd January 2014, 1564 pharmacy students have responded to the SLEQ on-line.

“ Tell us how you feel about your learning experiences and become change-maker! – Be part of the change you want to see!”

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We need your enthusiasm and cooperation! Once the FIPEd and the IPSF send the survey information to contact persons (CP) or project ambassador in each country, the CPs will send them to national member students or to their own network. If you are one of the member students, please reply to the survey and send/forward it to all your colleagues. This will lead us to reach general pharmacy students all over the world. Your participation in this survey is vital in providing evidence to assist in the development of policy

recommendations for pharmacy education globally. Please remember that your voice is the best evidence to inform the future of pharmacy education. Tell us how you feel about your learning experiences and become change-maker! – Be part of the change you want to see!

If you have any enquiries about this survey, please contact Ms. Naoko Arakawa ([email protected]) or Mr. Fahmi Fuady ([email protected]).

FIPEd

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Mr. Filip Blažević CPSA, Croatia

IPSF 1st Young Researchers’ Forum Mr. Filip Blaževic attended the 1st Young Researchers’ Forum, and was able to share his ideas on a future of IT in pharmacy and medicine with students from around the globe.This summer was very special for me; everything started with a simple lunch break between two lectures at my Faculty of Pharmacy. I was talking with my friend and colleague who attended the 58th IPSF World Congress in Egypt. She told me that attending an IPSF World Congress is a “must do“ while you are a student; so I decided to go to the 59th World Congress in the Netherlands.

Ten days of meeting other pharmacy students from all around the world, ten days of the best parties, ten days of exchanging ideas, ten days of learning new and interesting things. By going to the World Congress, it was the best summer that I have ever had, and I hope I can do this over and over again. The best thing about the Congress is that you can participate in a lot of activities during the day. A great number of them are competitions, where students can learn a lot of new stuff, try things that they’ve never tried before and attempt to be the best in the world.

During this year’s congress the IPSF 1st Young

Researchers’ Forum was held. It was an opportunity for pharmacy students all over the world to present their research, and allowed the exchange and discussion of new ideas. This year’s topic for the forum was “What does the 21st century pharmacist look like? “, which seemed very interesting to me, so I applied to attend. To be honest, my colleague from Croatia talked me into trying it out.

For my idea, I found inspiration in one of the elective subjects in my faculty, which was developing the idea of using IT in pharmacy practice. Also the fact that other student associations in my faculty started a cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing through different student projects motivated me, and I was able to get in contact with their students to discuss a future of IT in pharmacy and medicine.

I realized that pharmacists who work as part of public health care don’t really use IT as much as they can. I know that it isn’t their fault, but it

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depends on the condition of the Ministry of Health of each individual country. So I made a presentation of my view and how pharmacists should use IT to better themselves, and the overall care of the patient.

“Ten days of meeting other pharmacy students from all around the world, ten days of exchanging ideas, ten days of learning new and interesting things.”My idea was to use all the benefits of globalization, which are linked with development of IT, to deliver pharmaceutical care on a global level. We could use it in a way that makes it possible to communicate between pharmacists at different ends of the globe, and provide the best possible care no matter where the patient is. This approach today is primarily used to reach isolated rural areas with small populations , where its difficult to even provide basic health care to them.

However we should not forget about the part of the population living in the cities. Even in very densely populated areas, there are cases where there can be trouble obtaining necessary health care. I’m talking about the disabled and elderly people that have trouble getting around. They usually don’t want to undertake a trip to their pharmacist or doctor to ask questions since it may be very hard for them to do so. But those questions could be an important matter for the patient’s quality of life and chances of survival.

I thought of that while I was visiting a family member of mine in a nursing home, who is paraplegic. How will he be able to ask questions about his

medication, which he takes a lot of, if he lived at home alone? Today we have a large number of private healthcare companies that provide tele-pharmacy services for their customers. But for example, in Croatia, that service is very expensive because it isn’t financially supported by the Public Health systems.

Another use of tele-pharmacy, the ability to reach people on other side of the planet to ask for advice, can be easily seen in tourism. For example, Croatia is an extremely touristic country, especially in summer on the coast. In that time, you have a large number of tourists from the different countries of Europe and other parts of world. A large number of nations and races that respond differently to treatments. One person cannot possibly know all the unique characteristics of metabolism from different parts of world. But if we were able to reach a pharmacist from some other part of the world, quickly and conveniently, wouldn’t that improve pharmaceutical care worldwide?

I realize that my idea is very expensive and unlikely to happen in the near future, but it is a good start to have an idea that is more or less realistic. It is one of the benefits of participating in the World Congress and the Young Researchers Forum, to exchange ideas and views. Also to see what other people have done with their ideas, how they planned to carry it out from the start until it’s completion.

If you want to try something new and at the same time get some constructive criticism from more experienced people, on how to better yourself or just your presentation skills, the Young Research Forum is the right place to start.

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Ms. Zoi Maria Glarou FASFR, Romania

‘It is a once in a lifetime opportunity’, a good friend of mine and old IPSF executive told me that as soon as he heard about my future plans.‘You shouldn’t miss that chance. Who knows where you are going to be two years from now or how your priorities will be changed.’ And he was right, as those 10 days proved to be an unforgettable experience.

It was the beginning of October when I decided to apply to attend the 37th UNESCO General Conference and in less than 3 weeks time, it was going to start in the heart of Paris. The conference is an international event where government ministers, ambassadors and consuls meet up every two years and examine the global state of education, science, culture and communication.

More than 3,000 participants from 195 member states and 9 associate members were there to represent their countries and to determine with their vote, the future of UNESCO. Strong opinions were expressed and endless debates were argued during those 15 days. We witnessed adamant behaviors and continuous ripostes that reminded us all of the similarities and differences amongst the nations.

New policies were set, the biannual expenditure plan for the budget was approved, and the main lines for new goals for the next 8 years were voted.

Apart from the decision making body, other members of the UNESCO were also invited to participate and contribute their work in special organized sessions. They were dubbed the observers, such as the non-Member states, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like IPSF and other foundations.

Since August 2006, IPSF holds a Consultative Status (CNS), meaning that the Federation can have useful contribution in one or two areas of UNESCO’s jurisdiction. Currently focusing on education, IPSF is using one of its longest-run campaigns not only to increase awareness and disease prevention on HIV/AIDS but also to educate the public and health-care workers against discrimination and stigma. Another project that runs in collaboration with UNESCO and FIP is the Moving On III as well as the Leaders in Training program which until last year was funded by UNESCO.

37th UNESCO General ConferenceMs. Zoi Maria Glarou attended the 37th annual UNESCO General Conference, and was able to witness policies and goals being set which would influence the organisation for years to come.

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I still remember my first day there as it if it were yesterday. I arrived early at the UNESCO headquarters, a magnificent building located just a few blocks from Ecole Militaire and twenty minutes away from the Eiffel Tower. I didn’t want to miss a word from the morning sessions. When I finally managed to get inside after a detailed screening and security check, I saw an incredible array of colours. So many colors beyond my eyes’ view.

“It was a rewarding learning experience that was based on respect, dialogue and development. An experience no one should miss.”You see, I was expecting to see everyone dressed officially, in suits and formal dresses until I saw the charming national attire of people from Africa and Asia. Even their shoes looked like pieces of jewelry or something more casual, but traditional. I have to admit that I was a little confused for the first two minutes looking around, until I realized that this is the true meaning of culture and respect towards other nations.

The plenary room was already full and people were going up and down with anxious steps. Some of them were chatting with each other while others were leaning over packs of paper, reading and taking down notes. I went to the space reserved for NGO’s and sat there. For the next 10 days, I wrote down anything useful in the interest of IPSF or on any other health/education issue.

Their agenda was quite similar to ours and the preliminaries started with the opening session, establishment of the credentials committee, adoption of the agenda and the chairs. Each speaker from a member state had six minutes to make a responsible national statement depending on the topic, while observers had only three minutes.

Parallel to the plenary session, other meetings would take place simultaneously. They included commissions’, committees’, working groups and information meetings all organized around one of the main themes of the Conference. The official languages were six –English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic- and the commissions were – Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Communication and finally Finance, administration , program support and external relations in addition to the general questions.

And since we’re talking about a cultural agency, heritage events weren’t left off the agenda. Only 20 people out of 3000, myself included, were able to visit the Hôtel Matignon. Don’t be fooled by the name. It is neither a hotel nor a historical place for visit, but the official residence of the Prime Minister of France; opening its doors only to guests of high importance and political leaders. It surely isn’t open to the public, so I must admit that I felt quite noble going there.

Everyday, sessions ended at 6pm and luckily, we were free to enjoy the rest of our time in the city of light, if we weren’t too exhausted. Old IPSF friends were there to welcome me and warm me up with hugs as well as show me some of the best places in town for dinner, drinks, shopping and of course cultural events. Every night was a special one, as those mutual attitudes and smiles reminded me of how lucky and grateful I am to be part of IPSF.

I left few days early so I didn’t get the chance to see the closing ceremony. A minor loss, as what I gained during my whole stay there was more than enough to add another milestone to my life. It was a rewarding learning experience that was based on respect, dialogue and development. An experience no one should miss.

Viva la Pharmacie.Yours in IPSFZoi Maria Glarou

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Ms. Bárbara Scoralick Villela Regional Projects Officer for IPSF PARO

The 3rd Global Forum on Human Resources for Health

My name is Bárbara Scoralick Villela, Regional Projects Officer for IPSF PARO and Brazilian pharmacist. On November 9, 2013, I headed off to Recife/Brazil to attend the Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, along with a few medicine students from IFMSA. This edition of the Forum was organized under the patronage of the Government of Brazil, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

On the first day of the forum, I attended various side-events including those of FIP and IFMSA. I was very pleased to see the event hosted by FIP as it was one of the few moments during the 5-day conference that pharmacists and our role was actually discussed. Needless to say the aspect pursued in the forum was one of the low points of the conference for me as it didn’t focus on the Human Resources for Health event yet it highlighted more the roles done by Doctors/Nurses/Midwives for Health event. To be fair, some other professions were mentioned from time to time but, not nearly as much as I personally

hoped for.

The next side-event was hosted by IFMSA and it was also very informative and well presented. I was still not aware how great these students really were and how much I would learn from them in the days that were to come. We went out for dinner that day and it was our first chance to get to know each other. I believe that bonding moments within a delegation are essential as it will lead to commitment and a better understanding of one another. I can say that it was then that I started to see how these medical students were well informed and really passionate about their roles as healthcare professionals.

I was very interested in the opening ceremony as not only did we meet the Health Minister of Brazil, but also the Minister of Public Health in Cuba as well as the director of the Pan American Health Organization, among others. What stood out the most were the numerous compliments to the Cuban minister from all participants but

Ms. Bárbara Scoralick Villela, RPO of IPSF PARO, shared her experience with international officials after attending the Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in Brazil in November 2013.

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mostly, from the Brazilian minister. Currently, our government has implemented a new program called More Doctors that imports doctors from other countries such as Cuba to work in rural areas. The doctors in Brazil, in general, are against this initiative so this high-level round table stood out to me as very political. It would not be the last time I had this impression during the event.

“Victoria Saint from WHO said my notes were one of the best one’s including the technical staff. ”I guess it should have crossed my mind that these events are very political, but when I attended the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, a previous UN event which I attended in 2013, I did not get this impression. It took some words from Luc Besançon, FIP General Secretary, for me to really see this as it was, a political event. By talking to him and Andreia Bruno I also realized the importance of having members of our federation joining the future events along with the pharmaceutical delegation. They can provide us with insights to topics and a critical view that us, students, sometimes might not have. It is then up to us to take the information provided and to critically review them ourselves.

The rest of the event consisted of high-level roundtables followed by track sessions similar in topic. At this point I got a bit of an insider view as I volunteered as a reporter for a high-level roundtable and a track-session, an activity I encourage everyone to take part in. My job was to take notes of my assigned sessions, to summarize and to come up with the 3 major points discussed. That night we went out for dinner again, this time staying up until about 2am or so. So, after that, I went back to my little room with no internet to summarize and create the 3 points of the 2 sessions I followed as I had to send it in by 8am. Apparently, they liked my after-hours work as I was asked to do the same for a session the following day. After the event, Victoria Saint from WHO said my notes were one of the best one’s including the technical staff. So If I didn’t get the chance of having a future in pharmacy, I may consider growing up to be a note taker?! Overall, reporting was a wonderful experience even with all the work because I got to be a part of the forum and not just a viewer, to meet WHO staff, and it also helped me to see the sessions with a broader view, focused not only on the details but also the final message.

Overall, it is an experience I recommend to everyone. But make sure not to just attend: you have to participate, to be active, and to ask questions, to meet people, to make friends and never forget to have fun!

Ps: In case you want more information on different sessions organized during the event, I have also created a technical report. Please contact me at [email protected]

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Pharmacy Education Newsletter, Issue 7

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