The American Pharmacists Association-
Academy of Student Pharmacists
Ernest Mario School Chapter

Congratulations to the new officers!!

See below link for more information on APhA Annual National Meeting

http://www.aphanet.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=APhA_Meeting_page

Minutes from 10/18/06

Dear Students,

APhA had its first general meeting which went over all the upcoming events and community projects for this semester.  Please contact the appropriate officer if you have any questions, or me and the committee chairs if you would like to be added to any of the committees.

- APhA Annual National Meeting 3/16 - 3/19, Atlanta, Georgia.  For those students who are attending, please beaware that reimbursement for attending depends on APhA's available funds and your participation in community projects throughout this semester.

- Resume Critique signup for Pharmacy career fair on Dean Nancy's Door.
It's Tuesday (2/7 ) from 5-7:15pm.  Four different Counselors from Career Services will be available to critique students in 15min sessions to help with student CVs.

- Pharmacy Career Fair 2/13 9-3:30pm.  So far there are 30-35 companies coming ranging from industry, hospital, managed care, mass merchandise, retail, etc. Interview on-site signup from 9-11am.  Please bring ID, resume, and dress professionally.  For those who would like to helpout at the career fair or have any questions, please email Suzannah Cox [ suzcox@eden.rutgers.edu].

- It's never too late to join APhA, membership forms are in the ASP mailbox in the pharmacy lounge. Please complete and return form to mailbox with check.  Please contact Vickie Laurent <vickie@eden.rutgers.edu> if you have any questions regarding membership.

Upcoming/Ongoing projects for this semester:
1. Operation Diabetes, 2/20 2-6pm.  Students who participate can choose to work either 2-4pm or 4-6pm.  It will be held at Walgreens in New Brunswick with all supplies provided by Walgreens.  Students will help with checking blood glucose, counseling and explaining results to patients.
Contacts: Tram Nguyen [tramn@eden.rutgers.edu], Anjali Belani [ angel03@eden.rutgers.edu]

2. Blood pressure/cholesterol, Date TBD
Students will be setting up a table at the student center to distribute BP/Cholesterol related information.
Contacts: Wilson Liu [ wilsliu@eden.rutgers.edu], Genie Suk [ geniesuk@eden.rutgers.edu]

3. Trooper Turtle, 4/27 Friday Morning. 
Event will be held at Grandview Elementary School.  Students will educate elementary schoolers on household solutions, drinks, and proper handwashing techniques.
Contacts: Neil Patel [n86patel@eden.rutgers.edu], Sirisha Kalan [ sirishak@eden.rutgers.edu]

4. Women's Health/Osteoporosis, Date TBD
Last year students went to Chandler Clinic in New Brunswick to educate and counsel patients on women's health/osteo issues, the place and content for this year will be decided by committee members.
Contacts: Arpita Y. Shah [ arpshah@eden.rutgers.edu], Jennifer Collado [ collado7@eden.rutgers.edu]

5.  AIDS Awareness/HIV, 4/15 Sunday
APhA will be having this event with SNPhA.  SNPhA is planning on hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament with students vs. faculty.  They are working on getting the men's, and women's basketball team as well as the football team to come to sign autographs.  APhA members will be helping out with making, distributing brochures, and selling ribbons at the event.  We are still looking for one more chair for the event and always more volunteers.  Please contact me if you are interested.
Contacts:  Katie Kumar [ktkumar@eden.rutgers.edu], Dalal Nesheiwat [ neshie44@eden.rutgers.edu], Tonia Nesheiwat [ neshi2@eden.rutgers.edu]

6.  Smoking cessation
Students set up two info tables this past Wednesday and Thursday in both Busch and College Ave student center.  Brochures were distributed along with free CO testing.  Thanks to all students who volunteered to helpout, and especially Tony Lin, See-Won Seo, Su Jung Hong and Sanam Jaswal for doing a wonderful job at coordinating the event! 

There is a possibility of visiting Piscataway HS to educate the health class regarding smoking cessation.  Please contact Tony <jhsiu@eden.rutgers.edu> if you are interested.

7. Heartburn Awareness, Ongoing
This project is a continuation from last semester.  Students under the guidance of Dr. Rupal Patel visit Pathmark pharmacies at a regular basis to counsel patients on heartburn awareness. 
Contacts: Tatyana Kovtun [tkovtun@eden.rutgers.edu ], Harshil Patel [ harshp02@eden.rutgers.edu]

Minutes from 10/18/06

APhA welcomed Laura Yelvigi who was a past National Member at Large to come speak to us today about APhA-ASP policy and advocacy.  She delivered a great presentation on how student pharmacists can become involved at the local, regional, and national level.  APhA holds over 57,000 members with 27,000 being student pharmacists.  It is crucial for student pharmacists to play an active role in influencing the future laws and decisions of the pharmacy profession.   Below is a basic outline of her presentation:

- APhA Structure
- Mission statement
- APhA-ASP policy process
- Policy & Advocacy on APhAnet.org/students
- Why should student pharmacists and pharmacists voice their opinion?
- Political advocacy
- Opportunity for political advocacy
- Educating and communicating with legislators
- Motivate your colleagues through Student Political Information Network (S.P.I.N.)
- Midyear regional meeting
- APhA 2007 annual meeting

If you are interested in becoming involved in the advocacy and policy aspect starting within our local chapter, please email me or Ken your contact information.  Be active, get involved!

Minutes from 9/20 meeting:

** If you still haven't gotten an APhA membership form yet, please take one from the ASP mailbox in the pharmacy lounge.  Have check made payable to Academy of Student Pharmacists.  You may either drop it back in the ASP mailbox, or at the busch post office addressed to Vickie Laurent,  23365 BPO Way by October 15th preferrably.  Later submission of form will still be accepted.**

We welcomed post-graduate fellows in the Rutgers Industry Fellowship Program tonight.  They came and delivered a wonderful presentation regarding the fellowship program.  They shared some of their own personal backgrounds, experiences, and answersed many of the popular questions regarding industry fellowship.  Below is a basic outline of the topics they highlighted:

Rutgers Fellowship Program
- History
- Curriculum
- Fellowship opportunities
- Program impact on pharmacy professionals
- Eligibility, benefits, and policies
- Application process
- Fellowship vs residency
- Q&A

Rutgers Fellowship Information Day - on Nov 17th, Cook Center 3:30-8pm.  Open to all current 6th year students who would like to findout more information regarding fellowships, and get a headstart on interviews.  For detailed information, please visit www.pharmafellows.rutgers.edu

** The next APhA meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct 18th 6:40pm in Ph-111.   National Member at Large Laura Yelvigi will be here to talk about policy and advocacy. **