Saturday, June 20, 2009

IPA Annual Meeting

I got to attend the Iowa Pharmacist Association Annual Meeting this weekend in Cedar Rapids, IA. I got to the conference early on Friday to help out with the golf outing fundraiser. I was too poor to pay the registration fee to play so instead I helped man the Drake Hole and raised over $450 for the college's student travel fund. I also got to meet some great people out on the golf course including numerous board members, pharmacists, and UofI and Drake faculty. It was hilarious to see how competitive pharmacy nerds could get over a round of golf and it was amazing to see how generous pharmacist are when it comes to supporting the future of their profession.

The Entrepreneurial program at Drake that I am involved through a grant paid for the rest of my weekend including the registration fees and hotel (including two nights in a king size bed...YEAH) The grant even paid for dinner at Biaggi's with the Dean and two associate Deans, for 6 of the intern members (me being one of them).

The conference itself was well worth it as I got to connect and network with great professionals from all over the state. At the exhibition portion of the conference I got to represent my employer, Walgreen's, while engaging in some great conversations with people I may have never have gotten the chance to meet if I had not been present. There were inspiring guests and innovative ideas. The delegation meetings and debates were very informative. I learned a great deal about the laws and rules that the profession is governed under and that are being pushed forward to assist the entire practice of pharmacy. I also got to see the passion that all of my future colleagues including many of the Drake faculty have for their careers through their involvement in every aspect of the conference. The weekend re-energized my spirit for the profession of pharmacy and my optimism for the future.

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