V21e1 by EPSA

EPSALETTER

NEWS

bringing pharmacy, knowledge and students together Volume 21 | Edition 1 | October 2013 www.epsa-online.org

Mobility Explore your possibilities this newsletter is produced by EPSA and is distributed to all EPSA members, national pharmaceutical students’ organisations, faculties, ofﬁcial bodies and partners

Public Health Campaign Students counseling outside the pharmacy, on the Croatian beaches

Science Day Students presenting their university work

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

Table of contents Presidential Words

EPSA Team

Annual Congress Catania 2013 8 ‘a place of vulcanic eruptions’ EPSA Science Day 10 IPSF Euroregion

Best Member Of The Year

Mobility 18 Chat with professionals

Leadership Summer School 23 Insight to this year’s edition of LSS SSFB Summer School

Summer University Zadar 2013

Public Health Campaign 27 Skincancer campaign on the Croatian beaches Members’ Page

Event Calendar

Contact Info

30 2

Editor’s words Dear readers, It is my great pleasure to present you the EPSA Newsletter Volume 21, Edition 1 on behalf of the whole European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association. Right now, you’re holding the first Edition made by the EPSA Team 2013-2014 in your hands. It is supposed to give you an idea of what we have already achieved in the four months that we have been in charge, what we are planning to do and what you can expect - only in a few of the many areas we, as an association, deal with. Furthermore, we took a look at what our members are doing on a national and local level, giving just a small glimpse of the diverse activities made by pharmacy students all over Europe. In this edition, you will find four elaborated articles. The science department within the Educational Board of EPSA will be shaped strongly this mandate, so we gave special attention to the Winner of the EPSA Science Day that took place in Catania, which provides an idea of what is planned for this mandate in the area of student science. When you take a look at our website, you will also find the new EPSA Student Science Publication, showing the scientific aspect of life as a pharmacy student. As the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) decided to strengthen the European Region within their organisation, I am glad that the Chairperson of the new “EuroRegion”, Ms Parand Akhavan, kindly provided us an article on her view of this exciting establishment. Mobility is one main focus of EPSA and therefore deserves lots of space in this edition of the Newsletter. Rita, our Vice-President of Mobility,

wrote an inspiring article about her vision of this area in our association. The following event after the Annual Congress in Catania was the Summer University in Zadar. We will not only give you a report about what happened there - or, if you were one of the participants, bring back memories about this amazing week. Also, we used our presence on the Croatian coast to create a Public Health campaign about skin cancer, supplying a whole beach with sun screen and information about this disease. Monica, the EPSA Training Coordinator, gives an overview about this performance. Despite the close looks those articles provide on activities, we also compiled other articles for your interest, as well as a hint into our partners’ activities. I hope you enjoy reading this edition of the EPSA Newsletter and find inspiration. I would like to close these preliminary words by thanking all the persons involved for their great effort in making this magazine happen. Yours in EPSA,

Stefan Rack EPSA Vice-President of Public Relations vp.pr@epsa-online.org

Special thanks to: Svenja Laarhuis - Design and Editing Maria Pace, Edel O’Connor, Anne Downing, Robert Nobrega, Daniel Barreira, Amalia Stroescu Editorial Board

Presidential words Dear reader, EPSA represents over thirty European countries and at our next congress in Valencia we have three new countries applying to join our ever expanding family. That amounts to a hefty number of well over 160,000 pharmaceutical students, which is impressive – at least on paper! However, do we reach all of those 160,000 students? No. Do our members reach them all on national level? No. This brings us to one of the core purposes of the existence of our association. According to article 1.4.1.1 of the EPSA Terms of Reference and Standing Orders (TORSO), in order to fulfill the objectives of the association, its activities should include (and this is the one mentioned before anything else): “Maintenance of a permanent contact and exchange of information for and between pharmacy students and their representative organisations.” EPSA exists also to perform higher-level objectives such as collect and advocate for a European-wide opinion among pharmacy students, represent on European level, address questions specific to our continent and engage in dialogue with instances and professional bodies correspondingly working on European level. However, this is all secondary, if the basis of the system does not function to its full potential. It is like having thousands of muscle cells in your body without a connection to the nervous system - we cannot perform together to our maximum if those connections are not there.

sentative on national level, as increased national engagement and awareness improves all our activities on European level resulting ultimately in a stronger European pharmaceutical profession. We are as strong as our members are. I was visiting the French national pharmaceutical students’ congress last weekend in Dijon, and I was incredibly impressed how well the French have managed to organise the communication between over twenty faculties of pharmacy in their country, involving and engaging students, also informing them about opportunities on European and international level. And what I kept thinking was: how can we share this with our other members? Also, on the other hand: how can we bring what our other members have found useful and practical in activating their students, to the French so that they can become even better? There is a lot that EPSA can provide to support members in order to reach more of their students, to have a stronger impact and voice on local and national level. There is also a lot that all of our members can do to support each other. We already have some ideas on how to work on this, however it is something we need to address all together - in order to get those muscles moving! Yours in EPSA,

EPSA is a network, where we can share and learn from each other. It is in our interest to support our members to become stronger and more repreTiia Metiäinen EPSA President president@epsa-online.org 4

EPSA Team 2013/2014

Katarína Lihocká Social Services and Public Health

Marina Knezović Educational Affairs

Rita Figueira VP of Mobility

Diogo Viana Professional Affairs

Executive Executive

Jorge Batista VP of Education

Pedro Barroca Immediate Past President

Education

Executive Executive

Executive Gabriela Valentová VP of External Affairs

Srđan Radak Treasurer

Education

Stefan Rack VP of Public Relations

Rui Saldanha Secretary General

Executive

Tiia Metiäinen President

Education

Executive

Meet the new team

Monica Luca Training

Willem Rauwé Committee Member

Public Relations

External Affairs

Parliamentary Council

David Preece Alumni

Svetlana Kolundžić Parliamentarian

Jarno Kotajärvi Committee Member

Svenja Laarhuis Design

Domen Kutoša Grant

Thijs Schaap Parliamentary Council Member

Miglė Škadauskaitė IT

Robert Zika Partnership

Timothy Robinson Parliamentary Council Member

Audit Committee

Sonia Colianni Central IMP

Mara Lefter Publications

Audit Committee

Education Daniela Kolberg Events

Mobility

Public Relations

Rebwar Saleh Science

Ioana Bogdan Committee Member

Annual Congress April 2013 Catania - A place of sun, sea and volcanic eruptions What could unite more than 400 pharmacy students and pharmacists together in one place for one week? The answer is the biggest and most exciting event in the EPSA calendar - The EPSA Annual Congress 2013, this year held in Catania. We each went to Catania in order to exchange our opinions and discuss one of our high-priority topics. In fact our most important topic: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the specialization and educational opportunities for pharmacistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which included how we, as students, could take part in it. For me, it was not in any way a simple task to get to the heart of Sicily. First, I traveled by train from Samara to Moscow and then I took two flights to arrive in Catania. Nothing could discourage a Russian on her way towards her dream: neither the absence of any familiar faces, nor the inexperience of never having taken part in such an event.

Everything started in Original Cucaracha. Participants arrived from across Europe and I felt the initial experience as a daunting one. I had only spoken to a few individuals previously via Facebook or e-mail, but the majority I had never seen before!

The point of departure was this Congress Opening Ceremony. Everybody was wearing their fancy suits and dresses and chatting, but that was only the beginning. Surprisingly, all of them happened to be kind and open-minded people. Of course, the point of departure was this Congress Opening Ceremony. Everybody was wearing their fancy suits and dresses and chatting, but that was only the beginning. There were so many things to do! The majority of people formed so many professional and intercultural friendships during this congress. Without a doubt, a major part of the annual congress was that of an educational nature with the inclusion of Educational Symposiums, workshops and lectures. There is a high importance of educational opportunities for students as pharmacists and specialists. The one thing that surprised me most of all is the fact that experienced pharmacists from International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) have strong collaboration with us students. Moreover, their lectures were, in my opinion, incredibly beneficial for each participant.

It is worth noticing that all events organized by the EPSA Team were on a high professional level and brought us even more knowledge and experience than we anticipated. Despite of this, the most important event for me was General Assembly. It started early in the morning and went on until the late evening. Of course for Russia it was a special day, since it was the day that Russia entered its HCCM application to become a new member of EPSA. I still remember those sleepless nights, with a lot of stress and hard work, before the presentation. Finally the warm words and applause came at the end of our presentation: “Russia is a new member of EPSA, welcome to the EPSA Family”. I felt relieved and happy. The feeling of the EPSA spirit spread all over, from the top of my body to the tips of my toes… an unforgettable feeling. A feeling that I expect was mutually shared with Slovakia and Georgia too.

countries and nationalities. You could taste all the different national drinks and foods which people brought to the congress (I hope everybody enjoyed the Russian part and our special spoons)! The end point of the congress was marked by the amazing Gala night. It was great fun with boys dressed in their smart suits and ties, and the girls in their best fancy dresses. However it was a night of mixed emotions as everyone knew it was time to say goodbye to all our new friends and colleagues whom we had met at the congress. I believe the night ended with the perfect surprise when the Etna volcano erupted! It was my first congress and I’m sure I’ll remember it for many years to come! Many thanks to the great Reception Committee and all participants. You’ve made dreams come true! From Russia with love,

The hard work had only just started but now it was time to party. There was the Italian greenwhite-red night, the body painting party, the Spring Carnival and of course the International night! The international night embraces different cultures,

Polina Afanaseva Samara State Medical University, Faculty of Pharmacy Russia LS of HCCM hccmru.ls@gmail.com

5th EPSA Science Day Report and interview with the winner: Srđan Radak For the 5th time, during the 36th Annual Congress (AC) in Catania - Italy, the EPSA Science Day was successfully organized with a touch of improvisation from both participants and the jury members. For this year, the members of the jury were none other than, the current EPSA Vice President of Education (VPEdu), Jorge Batista, and Professor Clive G. Wilson from the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS) who was also one of the most interesting and activating speakers for the Symposium days during the Annual Congress (AC). During the Science Day, students and recent graduates had the opportunity to present their research and share their newly gained knowledge from their study to other students who could ask questions and get inspired for their own works. Also, the participants were fortunate to have an excellent question and answer session with Prof. Wilson, who gladly shared his knowledge and expertise on the different fields within pharmaceutical science.

Some of the participants may have come for the competition, whilst others, surely looked at the event as practice for the future. Some of the participants may have come for the competition, whilst others, surely looked at the event as practice for the future. Either way, one can safely conclude that none left the Science Day without

having gained something beneficial for their future. As many know, the Science Day is a forum for sharing knowledge and experience, but it is also a competition that aims to motivate students to do their best during planning, organizing (poster and/or PowerPoint), and executing the process. Therefore,

as mentioned there was a jury which evaluated all participants based on three criteria; 1- The presentation’s content, 2- The participant’s performance during the presentation 3- The structure and overall impression of the presentation. These criteria were applied both for poster and oral (PowerPoint) presentations. The winner of the 5th EPSA Science Day 2013 was Mr. Srđan Radak from the Medical Faculty of the University of Novi Sad, Serbia. His presentation was brilliant, and one could clearly see that he managed to catch the audience’s interest and attention. Following, you can get an insight into what his research was about, and also, some of his thoughts on both his research and his experience related with the EPSA Science Day.

Abstract: Name and affiliation: Srđan Radak, Medical Faculty, Department of Pharmacy - Novi Sad, Serbia Title of presentation/poster: Determination of nitrogen and Organophosphorous pesticide residues in foods of plant origin method validation Introduction: Combination of QuEChERS method and gas or liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry has enabled pesticide residue analysis in a wide analytical range with high selectivity and sensitivity. These analytical tools have become a mainstay in most laboratories for pesticide monitoring in order to meet global standards.

the limit of quantification at the lower level and 500μg/kg as (for) the upper level (one). At 10μg/ kg fortification level, 63% and 76% of analytes showed acceptable recovery values in potato and carrot matrix, respectively. At 100μg/kg fortification level, those values were 76% and 74%. Pesticides with good recovery values were also characterized by (with) good precision. Evaluation of expanded measurement uncertainty showed that this parameter was below 50% for all pesticides meeting (which meets) the validation criteria. Conclusion: Validation study and evaluation of measurement uncertainty confirmed the quality of multi residual QuEChERS/GC-MS method for the analysis of selected nitrogen and organophosphorous pesticides.

Goal: Validation of QuEChERS/GC-MS method for analysis of selected nitrogen and organophosphorous pesticide residues and evaluation of measurement uncertainty. Material and methods: Validation study was conducted on organically grown potato and carrot, fortified with standard mixture of nitrogen and organophosphorous pesticides at two concentration levels, prepared by QuEChERS method and analysed by GC-MS. Results: Limit of quantification of(for) analytical method of 10μg/kg reached 63% of target compounds in both examined matrices, and additional 21% compound in just one. Estimated limit of quantification of instrumental method was below, or at the level of 10μg/kg for 89% of analytes in both matrices. Matrix-matched calibration curves were constructed in the range defined by

Questions and Answers with SrÄ&#x2018;an Radak: Can you, in simpler words, explain what your research was about? A validated method for determining any product is something that every laboratory must have. Our laboratory for food control in the Public Health Institute of Vojvodina has validated many methods. One of them consists on the concentration determination of some group of pesticides in food, in which I was involved. What made you decide to do this type of research? Analytical chemistry is my favorite field within the pharmaceutical sciences. I have had the opportunity to use analytical instruments such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) since the 2nd year of studies. How did you experience your research? The topic is quite complex, but I had a great opportunity to learn and work with Ass. Prof. Ljilja ToroviÄ&#x2021;. She is an expert and one of the greatest professors in our faculty. I think I have just scratched the surface of analytical chemistry so that now I am seeking for more knowledge. What did you learn from the research, in terms of personal skills? I learned how to make long term plans, be patient and hardworking. What was the most challenging part of the research? Choosing preparation steps for our samples and reading results from graphs. Now letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about the Science Day, what expectations did you have for the Science Day? This was my first science project that I presented and also the first Science day that I have attended. I got what I expected; competition, fun and new friends!

What made you register as a participant of the Science Day? And what did you learn from it? I wanted to present at least one scientific project before finishing my last year of faculty. It is good practice for PhD studies, which will be my next step. I have met creative professors, faced a full room of people while presenting my project and gained confidence for further science events. Would you recommend other students to register for the Science day, and what should they focus on while preparing? From my perspective, Science day was the best day of the congress. I would recommend it to every student with enthusiasm for science. The audience of the Science day consists mostly of undergraduate students and the topics are usually very specific. Find a way to explain your work, make a transparent presentation and poster and practice your speech and body language. Make it simple. Any other comment? I was interested in PhD before, but after Science day my decision to be involved in science got much more stronger. Therefore, I find this event extremely valuable so that I am expecting its development in the following years.

Rebwar Saleh EPSA Science Coordinator science@epsa-online.org

AWARD Are you a pharmacy student who has been involved in interesting research? Don't miss this golden opportunity to present your research at an international conference for Hospital Pharmacy, to be published in a peer-reviewed journal and potentially succeed in winning a prestigious award!

What is the EAHP-EPSA Student Award? During the 19th Congress of the EAHP, 26-28 March 2014, to be held in Barcelona, EAHP will announce an award to one (or several) European Pharmaceutical Student As Association sociation (EPSA) members, recognising and honouring the best research article authored by a pharmacy student. Why should I submit my research for this Award? In addition to having their research appear in the EJHP (the official journal of EAHP published by BMJ), the first author of the winning article will receive one free registration to the 19th EAHP Congress in Barcelona, along with a prize of â&#x201A;Ź500 to cover travel and accommodation to the congress. The winner will be officially recognized during the EAHP Congress closing ceremony on Friday, 28 March 2014.

Will my research be eligible? Any research which you have been involved in can be submitted as long as it is relevant to hospital pharmacy and is primarily written by students. The research paper can be anything ranging from original research, case reports and scientific commentaries to review articles. Any EPSA member who is an undergraduate student or has graduated within two years may submit an article following the EJHP Guidance for Authors. The articles shall be submitted to Jennie.DeGreef@eahp.eu by 15.1.2014.

Questions? Please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to contact epsa@eahp.eu for more information!

Read the complete instructions at http://www.eahp.eu/about-us/students http://www.eahp.eu/about

IPSF Euroregion European Regional Office Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my pleasure to introduce you to the European Regional Office (EuRO) of the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF). Let me first tell you who I am: my name is Parand Akhavan and I am the Chairperson of IPSF EuRO 2013-2014. Last year I was part of the K.N.P.S.V. Executive Board and some of you have probably seen me around during the EPSA Congresses in Sofia and Catania. Why the IPSF European Regional Office? I will try to shine some light on why EuRO was established during the 59th IPSF World Congress this summer. IPSF as a global federation comprised 4 Regional Offices, namely Asian Pacific, African, Eastern Mediterranean and Pan American, until this summer. The main reason for the establishment of EuRO was that the Chairpersons of the other Regional Offices became members of the Executive Committee with full responsibility and voting rights as of this year. This left Europe behind without a representative voice within the Executive Committee and the Executive Committee without full capability to execute global strategies and initiatives within the European region. While more and more responsibility was being delegated to the Regional Offices to allow the IPSF Executive Committee prioritise other tasks, this was not the case with the European matters. As one can imagine this structural gap made other regions suffer with the European one at the forefront! Therefore, a motion was put forward for the IPSF Executive Committee 2012-2013 to find a solution. They did by creating the proposal for EuRO that not only reflected on the European representation but also on numerous benefits that Europe and the

remaining regions could have from the full inter-regional cooperation. The role of IPSF Regional Offices The Regional Offices were created to moderate and help with the implementation and coordination of IPSF initiatives as well as representation on regional level. As cultures and needs differ, especially on global level, it is good to have a set of extra hands and brains within a region when working on projects or statements. During the Regional Assemblies and Symposia, IPSF matters are discussed and the input from the members of that region is received. The Chairperson of the Regional Office then transfers this knowledge to the Executive Committee to adopt, take in consideration or be aware of. On the other hand, the Chairperson actively assists with incorporation of the decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee in the region.

EuRO is about YOU! Many of you are, through your national associations, members of not only EPSA but also IPSF. An administratively stronger Federation - and this is the support EuRO gives to IPSF – can better address its members’ requests; and this means your needs. My and IPSF’s focus for EuRO lies within the scope of the Federation – representing the European region’s voice in IPSF’s globally performed activities. Through the European Regional Office, we make sure, that global statements on behalf of pharmacy students e.g. at the World Health Organisation, compile the say of all 5 regions.

Congress. Also on this matter we look forward to a fruitful collaboration with EPSA whether such events take place within or beyond Europe. I could go on forever but this is more space than I had been given. These few lines only open the list of amazing opportunities that await you with IPSF in Europe – what really counts though is that with EuRO all of them are now closer to you than ever. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at chairperson@euro.ipsf.org.

The main advantage of having the Regional Office is a possibility to tailor what the Federation delivers to different regional circumstances. The main advantage of having the Regional Office is a possibility to tailor what the Federation delivers to different regional circumstances. As such all our Regional Offices are just different. In EuRO we will not have a Regional Symposium whereas the Regional Assembly will take place during the IPSF World Congress each year. The collaboration with EPSA is high on the priority list for this Office. Together with Katarina Lihocká, EPSA Social Services and Public Health Coordinator, I am looking for the possibilities and themes for a joint public health campaign – impactful and relevant for the region. We are hoping to finalise the details at the EPSA Autumn Assembly in Valencia and from there start the in-depth planning. As of this year IPSF has launched the Trainers Development Camp (TDC) globally which aims to provide quality youth trainers from all 5 regions of the world for the 4 main purposes as to date: IPSF Leaders in Training, our newly established policy making training, member organisation development/ mentoring programme (still being investigated) and programming of our constantly growing World

Parand Akhavan IPSF EuRO Chairperson chairperson@euro.ipsf.org

Best Member Of The Year NAPSer When you join NAPSer, you are not only entering the student organization, but also a big, happy family. It is located in three cities in Serbia - Belgrade, NiĹĄ and Novi Sad. Last year we organized a motivational weekend in order to get new members in touch with each other, and after those few days we had NAPSer at heart. As every non-profit organization, NAPSer does willful, voluntary work. The fulfillment you get

The end of NAPSer year is marked with a proper NAPSer congress which is held every year in November on the mountain of Zlatibor. when you see those happy shining faces during TWINNET or when you successfully perform one of the numerous Public Health actions, when you help

students to get a closer insight to pharmaceutical practice through workshops, contests and various projects and when you realise you have an impact on raising the reputation of community pharmacies is utterly priceless. The end of NAPSer year is marked with a proper NAPSer congress which is held every year in November on the mountain of Zlatibor. Four days, ten lectures and workshops, three parties and more than 200 thrilled people represent the climax of a grueling, yet fun year; and the main reason for us to keep going is trying to be even better each year. Not so easy, but surely worth it!

Milica JovanoviÄ&#x2021; LS of NAPSer ls@napser.org

Mobility Discover your borders When I was asked to write about Mobility, I instantly knew what I was supposed to tell. I felt it in my skin, I knew why everyone should embrace a mobility project and just take the adventure! Even so, I am not here to tell you my story, I am here to convince you to pursue in telling yours some time from now... If I had to define mobility in three words, those would be adventure, responsibility but mainly self-awareness. Wondering why? There is no shortage of adventure because through mobility programmes you dive into a journey to the unknown: you don’t know in advance if you are going to fit in the culture of the host country, if you will make new friends in the near future, but especially how your daily life will be! Certainly different from what you are used to. Too many questions, too many uncertain answers. Do you remember the feeling of having butterflies in your stomach on your first day at primary school? The feeling is exactly the same when you are saying goodbye to your friends at the airport, before boarding on a new journey. You choke back tears, you know time is running out. This is the moment when you first realize that your life is about to change, an opportunity of a lifetime is calling and it’s up to you to take the initiative. Now you are already experiencing the weight of your duties. From now on, you only rely on your actions and your life. Every decision comes with responsabilities. Therefore everything leads to self-awareness, as you start knowing your limits and preferences experiencing a new, broader perspective of life. I have been involved with students’ exchanges for a

few years providing others with this experience, but 2013 was meant to be my turn. At the beginning of the year I took the chance, packed my belongings and flew to London. There I lived in the eclectic neighbourhood of Notting Hill and performed an internship at FIP Education Taskforce (FIP Ed) which is based at the London School of Pharmacy.

Life is meant to live outside of a nutshell. I’ve already cracked mine, what about you? I had the opportunity to learn new work methodologies, got an insight overview of working for a global federation, took part in meetings where the important decisions were taken and also extended my network. This was one of the most enriching experiences I’ve ever had, not only from a professional but also from a personal outlook, and now it is definitely a very appealing line on my CV. Employers are eager to have independent people and problem-solvers in their teams. Someone with good communication skills, who is not afraid to take risks and always challenge the rest of the team. If you have ever done an exchange, that line in your CV speaks for itself. The knowledge and skills you gain, alongside with the memories you keep, will improve your horizon in reference to the pharmaceutical business and not to mention yours. Life is meant to live outside of a nutshell. I’ve already cracked mine, what about you? Joana Carrasqueira

Can you recognize the mobility programme behind that story? You probably heard about it already, it is called Erasmus. This mobility programme was created by the European Commision in order to allow university students to study abroad in another European country. It collects in the same programme an academic perspective, where it gives you the chance to enrich your study experience, while exposes you to a fully cultural exchange. You can pack your bags and head for studying abroad or do an internship for a period between 3 and 12 months on the other side of Europe. The Erasmus grant will help you to cover the travel and subsistence costs. But if you are still not convinced that this kind of mobility project is the one for you, I can show you a lot more that will surely fit your profile. The Youth in Action Programme, for example, was created by the European

Commision thinking at those of you who wish to do volunteering in another European country or just to organize a cultural exchange. It is the perfect opportunity for you to become aware of what truly takes to be an european citizen, the problems of our society and the power of youth solving it. This project was meant for people who want to take a more active role on society and Europe in general. Youth exchanges under this project explore the culture and civilization spread around Europe and youth initiatives are a different side in which you can implement a project at a local or national level, increasing your creativity, enterprise and initiative. Under this project, you can also request funds for a volunteering opportunity in which you get on board and travel to another European country for up to 12 months. You are able to give your active contribution to a wide

variety of topics (cultural, youth, sports, social care, cultural heritage, arts, civil protection, environment, development cooperation) bringing rewards to local communities while developing personal, educational and professional skills.

Quite soon. And what I would like to ask you now is this: how will you remember these years?

This is the way Europe tells you that you can learn more, see more, experience more. There is always something else to achieve. Time to sit still at home is over, opportunity is just around the corner - you just need the courage to find it!

“traveling is the only thing that truly makes you richer”

If you are reading this article, chances are… you are a student. You are probably preparing yourself for a long year of studies ahead of you, enjoying your last bits of summer with the ones you love the most and charging up batteries for your next challenges. I have been there too – but for three years now I have been part of that dreadful part of the population called “active”. And so will you.

Sure, you will remember the university, the great parties, the not so great exams and sleepless nights

before the tests. You will remember when you left your parents’ place to explore a whole new world in university. You will remember the feeling of freedom. The feeling that, “from now, on I will live my life”. For me the best thing about those times was the understanding of how small the world is, how each corner of Europe can bring new friends, new experiences, new ideas. You see, chances are you were also born in the European Union, or at least in a time when we started to raise awareness that borders belong to maps. I was born in Portugal shortly after it joined the EU, so I can say I am a son of

Europe. That feeling grew with me along the years and in University I experienced what mobility is: I participated in IPSF’s SEP in Poland, then I went on Erasmus to Brussels and along the course I was involved in EPSA for a good while. Then came the “active” life: I managed to get my first international job in London in a EU Traineeship and now I am living in France, where I am working. Mobility is both a gift and a curse: how can you balance the enthusiasm of being a son of the World and missing those you left? How can you say you have to leave to those who can barely live without you? How can you cope with the feeling that nothing in your life will settle? But on the other hand, hardly something compares to the feeling of arriving to a new country, to start something exciting in such a mysterious environment, full of culture to discover, to meet new people, new colleagues, new friends, just like you, wherever you step. It is a sense of freedom so pure, so releasing that one cannot ignore the adrenaline shot it provides. It is a fantastic feeling to be able to travel randomly in Europe and at some point, at some remote location, a friend will always welcome you. Now as a professional, I value all these apparently loose bonds that these years brought me – and understand that they are mostly a very solid net of friendship, adventure and of life. I dare you to jump outside the box – the world is so vast, so rich that one cannot be genuinely happy knowing only what we know now. Travel, run, sightsee, float, fly, drive – as many of them say, “traveling is the only thing that truly makes you richer”.

Upgrading your skills is critically important when you are about to face every recent graduate main problem - the first job. Mobility experiences enhance your skill to adapt to change, making you employable and worth of companies’ and employers’ attention. In a time where the economic crisis has settled all over Europe, and in a rough social-economical environment for recent gradutes, it is crucial for you to stand out in a crowd. The European Commision is taking action against youth unemployment. It is -you- they expect to bring hope to the economical growth of the European Union. As future pharmacists we were given the chance to pursuit carreer opportunities in any member state of the European Union. Our diploma, as stated in the European Council Directives, is recognized within the European boundaries.

I dare you to jump outside the box – the world is so vast, so rich that one cannot be genuinely happy knowing only what we know now. All conditions are gathered to promote a more European-minded, flexible and mobile workforce among European pharmacy students, improving Europe’s competitiveness and innovation potential. Don’t be afraid, mobility is only the beginning of a staggering, eye-opening experience.

João da Silva Duarte

Rita Figueira EPSA Vice President of Mobility vp.mobility@epsa-online.org 21

Chat with professionals Take a Glimpse at your Future Do you know what you want to do as a Pharmacist or which field of work is appropriate for you? As Pharmacy Students, our job possibilities are diverse. So when they come about, how do we choose the best one? In EPSA we believe that being aware of the professional opportunities is essential in making the difference and selecting the best path for you! So if you want to choose right, you should start working on being as informed as you can be. And one way to do that is by attending our Chat with Professionals. The Chat with Professionals will explore different fields of work as a pharmacist. An invited Professional is interviewed each time, sharing their experience: where they work, what their job description exactly is and the most important: help us explore all tips and tricks on how did they got from being student to a successful Professional! So when the next Chat with Professionals comes around, if the topic tickles your interest, one you think you might like to work on but feel like you don’t know what it involves, or perhaps you just want to become more active, engaged and informed regarding your

work possibilities as a Pharmacist, then the Chat is the right spot! Don’t miss the live-streamed interview, ask the questions you always wanted to be answered and begin to understand better the life of a professional that might as well convey your future life!

The Chat with Professionals will explore different fields of work as a pharmacist. Keep an eye on EPSA’s media and don’t miss out your chance when the next Chat with Professionals is promoted. Your future is right around the corner! These Chats are a good opportunity for you to explore your options before you make the right choice.

Diogo Viana EPSA Professional Affairs Coordinator prof.affairs@epsa-online.org

Leadership Summer School LSS 2013, Sofia, Bulgaria “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” Do you have any idea what you get in response to your search »love my job« by hash-tag on twitter or instagram (#lovemyjob)? Posts by people who have creative jobs, who are helping others - people, animals or nature - or are doing something extreme - such as pilots, astronauts or researchers. It makes them happy and fulfills their life. In fact, you have to scroll down for at least 20 minutes in order to find the first picture or post regarding money. Let’s talk numbers first: 100 people, 27 countries, 32 associations, 40 hours of training sessions, 16 trainers, around 1200 flipcharts, 9 parties, 10 days, 216 hours - 36 of that sleeping and 180 being WIDE awake. And now different numbers: Uncountable number of hugs and teardrops of happiness, more than 20 bonds of true friendship formed, ideas measured in hertzs (x/sec) and infinite meaningful conversations bringing energy that would probably light up a few bulbs. Which number do you like better? Do you agree that the ones that matter most end up being uncountable? That’s what we mainly learned at LSS. It’s not about the numbers, it’s about the emotions. It’s not about how much you earn, but how you feel after doing something unique and how you interact with people. Take the example of how you see yourself: are you about 20 years old, weigh 70 kilograms and have a pulse of 70 beats/minute. Or is it more important if you consider yourself as an enjoyable, outgoing person who gives people useful advice?

It’s about the way you face life too. Are your challenges your problems OR are your problems your challenges? Do you go for it or do you let others tackle it? In his song, John Legend asks “If you’re out there”. He insists that the future is in our hands and tomorrow is starting now. So find something you would like to change and start working on it. And don’t think you are alone. If you don’t talk about it, you’ll never know who might be “out there” for you. So get inspired, share the view and take action on it! You see, it’s very hard to write about LSS. The best advice I have for you is: You have to try it (to get to genuinely know it). Follow your dreams.

Sara Zavec Participant of LSS sara.zavec@gmail.com

SSFB Summer School Behind the scenes The last days of July came with an excellent opportunity for pharmacy students all over Romania to get together for the fifth edition of SSFB Summer School. Since we started planning the event, the main goal was to find a topic both interesting and current, so that the participants’ curiosity and thirst for knowledge were satisfied. At the same time, we wanted to help them become better professionals and which can fit better in today’s pharmaceutical world; “Drug safety” was chosen. For me, this event was very exciting since it was the first summer school that I was taking part of, as the Reception Committee. Naturally, I was a bit scared that I would feel overwhelmed, but, once I got there all those feelings were gone in a second. As the sense of familiarity took over, I instantly knew that even at my lowest I could count on the fact that someone would help me snap out of it. The mornings came with a fascinating educational program, which brought together professors from our university, people who work for the national drug agency and those who work for pharmaceutical companies, thus we could get a holistic view on the subject. One of the most interesting presentations, in my opinion, was on counterfeit drugs as it really opened my eyes to the scale of this worldwide problem and its implications, which are truly shocking to say the least. For example did you know that 50% of all the drugs sold online are counterfeits? And, even though the matters discussed were quite serious and required your complete attention, in the end, somehow, you were left feeling not only curious

to find out more about the subject, but also refreshed and somewhat relaxed, in a manner of speaking. The social games created a buzz amongst the participants, who showed off their competitive side, as well as their artistic one. The photo scavenger contest required lots of creativity (luckily we had the creativity training right before that!). One of the tasks even involved proposing to a stranger, so the waiters in the restaurant received quite a few marriage proposals that day. I think they secretly liked it, even though it doesn’t show in the videos. The evenings were, of course, reserved for parties, and it was really amazing to see how everybody transformed. The serious faces you saw in the morning disappeared and the uptight bun was replaced by a pirate hat and was the sign you had to let loose, dance and enjoy yourself. For me, this whole experience was incredible! Not only for the program, but also for the people. One of the best parts was the participants’ enthusiasm which kept you going, despite of all the problems that constantly arose and the sleep deprivation which I think most of you are familiar with. When you saw the smiles on everyone’s faces, everything just went away and you couldn’t help yourself but smile too. All in all, I think that this is one of the best motivation exercises and the feeling of accomplishment you get in the end is just irreplaceable!

Raluca Radu LS of SSFB Bucharest ls.ssfb@yahoo.com

Summer University August 2013 Zadar Hot bright sunlight, warm sea breeze and the pleasant smell of Maraschino greeted us the moment we stepped from the airplane and found ourselves in one of the beautiful pearls of Croatia - Zadar! Last April it was chosen to host the 15th EPSA Summer University for enthusiastic pharmacy students from all over Europe. The conference lasted only seven days, but what a great week it was! Full of memorable events: from interesting educational seminars to crazy wild parties SU was full of surprises! It started off with the amazing opening ceremony and warm greetings from the Croatian Reception Committee (RC), where over 150 participants met each other, made new friendships and learned how to say “Cheers” in different languages. On the following day, the vast majority of us went to the seaside for a swim in the warm Adriatic sea (to get rid of the previous night’s hangover) and later in the afternoon we went on a group sightseeing tour around Zadar: admiring beautiful streets, architecture and listening

to the sounds of the famous Sea Organ. After Monday, our daily routine consisted of morning workshops, afternoon visits to the beach, evening sightseeing to watch the incredible Zadar sunset, and of course the great parties with different themes every night.

We were walking among the sunburnt public, offering them sun creams (while distracting their sunbathing) and telling them about skin protection against cancer Both social and educational parts of the conference were very well organised - every day EPSA trainers were running interactive workshops on various topics such as communication skills, decision making, body language, CPD, etc... They were really useful for participants, allowing them to learn necessary skills and work together as a team. The seminar on asthma was of a particular interest and was attended by many participants, where they learned about

The highlight of the conference was, of course, the day trip to the national park KRKA. It offered us the sensational views of waterfalls, lakes, forests, as well as showing us exotic animals including poisonous snakes. As we reached the waterfalls, we had a nice swim in the cool lake, took lots of group photos and had a great picnic on the bank of the lake. Overall the conference was a success (excluding few drunk incidents like a broken arm or falling on the steps near Sea Organ). It was one of the best EPSA events I have attended so far and I can’t wait for the next one! inhaler technique and how to counsel patients with asthma. Later in the week we even had the chance to take part in the skin cancer campaign on one of the Zadar’s beautiful beaches - we were walking among the sunburnt public, offering them sun creams (while distracting their sunbathing) and telling them about skin protection against cancer.

It was one of the best EPSA events I have attended so far and I can’t wait for the next one! The social programme was even more entertaining, including the infamous wild international night with a range of exotic (if not lethal) drinks, cultural food and music; beautiful Gala dinner and numerous parties on the beach bar where we never missed a chance of night drunk swimming.

So my dear readers, if you are new to EPSA and in doubt where to go on holiday, apply for one of the EPSA events and you won’t regret it, we guarantee you a lot of fun! And don’t forget, you will also get a certificate of attendance that will look great on your CV. From EPSA with love!

Sergey Evseev Participant from the UK sergevs89@hotmail.co.uk

Public Health Campaign Skincancer aware campaign on the beach Picture this setting: a sunny day by a wonderful beach, right in the centre of Zadar, Croatia’s piece of jewelry. Hot sand, crystal clear water, surrounded by tourists and around 100 pharmacy students. One would think this is the perfect setting for beach games, lazy sun-bathing, swimming, diving or just enjoying beer or ice-cream. But what do pharmacy students choose to do? Run a public health campaign about skin cancer! And it turned out to be indeed unbelievable. Katarina (SS & PH Coord): Summer time and vacations – sunburn is often part of this equation so a Skin Cancer Campaign proved suitable. Three weeks to prepare a campaign was only a short time, but everyone was supportive. There was brainstorming, cooperation, setting of milestones and delegation of tasks - project management at its best. Spread all over the tourist-full beach, pharmacy students took counselling outside the pharmacy setting and surprised people with the proactive attitude and professional advice. Using innovative ways of approaching children and adults, students explained the What, Why and How in prevention and treatment of skin cancer. Jorge (VP Edu): The whole Educational Board took over the counselling materials. Information was gathered, selected and carefully formulated in order to attract the attention and maximize the effect on the reader. Knowledge had to be spread in a

useful way so visual aids were crucial. A productive collaboration with the PR department ensured quality materials were distributed to tourists. We only realised how much the campaign appealed to Summer University participants when we saw how many joined us for the Project Management workshop that took place right before the campaign. With great enthusiasm, they exchanged last minute counseling tips, communication techniques and advice on how to lead the conversations. Robert (Partnership Coord): “What is counselling without follow-up?” Therefore we decided to integrate a solution for that in our campaign and we provided all participants with sun screen lotion samples. Activities became more dynamic and practical, especially when trying to convey the message to children. The “take home” message was bound to be successful. The impact that this campaign had on the general public is hard to measure. However people were engaging in conversation with students, they were asking questions regarding sun protection and prevention measures, they were curious about our materials and almost all tried on the sample lotions right away. Who will you be counseling outside the pharmacy next year?

Moniica Luca EPSA Training Coordinator training@epsa-online.org 27

Members’ page What’s going on in EPSA countries? During the FIP Congress in Dublin, Irish pharmacy students met the EPSA representatives to talk about future involvement in EPSA. Just a few weeks later, a national association of Irish pharmacy students was formed; covering all three faculties in the country, and the application for membership in EPSA was on the table - way to go!

What is fair is fair, but when it comes to one of the largest pharmaceutical trade fairs in Europe, Expopharm is the first that comes to mind! This year’s edition held in September (18th -21st) gathered more than 500 exhibitors and 25000 attendees, not to mention the interest of pharmaceutical students represented by BPhD Germany. Expopharm should definitely go on next year’s event calendar!

Switzerland was the proud host of the 5th World Healthcare Students Symposium this year between 8th and 13th September. The symposium gathered around 300 dental, pharmaceutical and medical students in the beautiful city of Lausanne, to compare, contrast and debate issues through an interprofessional collaboration of views and opinions from individuals ranging from many healthcare sectors.

On a more serious tone, this year’s EMSA General Assembly - held in Lisbon, Portugal (4th-8th September) has been efficiently compiled into 3 days of intense discussions, trainings, workshops and pillar sessions, that were also witnessed by EPSA representatives! Talk about GA efficiency or what?

What is the best combination between summer in France and a pharmaceutical students’ gathering? The answer is Rencontres Pharma d’Été – an event that brought together more than 500 French pharmaceutical students for 7 exciting days (30th June – 6th July) of Public Health discussions by day and unforgettable social activities by night. Thank you ANEPF France!

On 16th October, the Lithuanian Pharmaceutical Students’ Association was taking action on the Worlds’ Organ Donation Day front. It was their 4th time in organising this campaign and so questions on organ donation were proficiently answered and 31 organ donation cards got signed. Let’s save some lives!

Did you “Boost your immune system” this summer? Hope you did so by attending the 17th edition of the International Pharmaceutical Summer Camp Slovenia (IPSC). Organized by SSSFD Slovenia, the event took place from 13th to 17th July. IPSC emphasised the importance of a strong immune system in a summer environment, boosting spirits and enthusiasm in its participants. Macedonia and Slovenia came together in organising this scientifically mixed project that focused on the importance of Biotechnology in the development of modern science and its’ influence on biology, chemistry, pharmacy and medicine. This spontaneity aimed to connect Macedonian and Slovenian students together while creating an informative environment where students could exchange and broaden their ideas about the Biotechnological field. What more could a student want?

Read more about these and related stories on www.epsa-online.org/blog 29

Events page See what’s coming up the next months February Ball der Pharmazie

When? 01/02 Where? Hofburg in Vienna, Austria What? Pharmacists celebrate the carneval by dancing the waltz in three-quater rhythm, salsa and disco fox in one of the most beautiful locations in Vienna. How much? 30€ for students Contact? office@afoep.at

EPSA Annual Reception

When? End February/Beginning March Where? Brussels, Belgium What? The EPSA AR traditionally takes place in the rooms of the European Parliament. Together with representatives of pharmaceutical fields on European Level, we will discuss together with about a certain topic and share our visions and views about the section pharmacy of nowadays. Contact? www.epsa-online.org or Daniela: events@epsa-online.org

Europe. Students can apply with an own poster or for a fellowship program. How much? ~100€ Contact? www.diahome.org or Daniela: events@epsa-online.org

EAHP Congress

When? 26/3 – 28/03 Where? Barcelona, Spain What? The biggest event about hospital pharmacy in Europe with lectures about 15 different themes, a big exhibition to get more interested in the field and some student sessions only for you. Also possibility to add Student Networking Dinner and Accomodation to your congress package! How much? 90€ Contact? http://www.eahp.eu/congresses or Tiia: epsa@eahp.eu

March DIA Euromeeting

When? 25/3 – 27/03 Where? Vienna, Austria What? The DIA Euromeeting is one of the two big events which the DIA is holding annually on the European continent. Informative lectures, inspiring exhibition hall and meeting interesting people from many different fields make this event very interesting to attend for pharmacy students from all over

Get

Rencontres Pharma d’Hiver | Pharma Students Winter meeting

When? 29/03 – 05/04 Where? Puy Saint Vincent, France What? This ski event is inviting about 300 pharmacy students to enjoy a week full of ski, snow and social activities à la française. How much? ~300€ Contact? Lucas: vp-international@anepf.org

to know more about these events via

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EPSA Executive Contacts EPSA President Tiia Metiäinen president@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of Public Relations Stefan Rack vp.pr@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of Education Jorge Batista vp.education@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of External Affairs Gabriela Valentová vp.ea@epsa-online.org

EPSA Secretary General Rui Saldanha secgen@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of Mobility Rita Figueira vp.mobility@epsa-online.org

EPSA Treasurer Srđan Radak treasurer@epsa-online.org

EPSA Office Rue du Luxembourg 19-21, 1000 Bruxelles, BELGIUM

Have you enjoyed reading this EPSA Newsletter? Now you can subscribe the EPSA Newsletter and receive it, three times per year, at your home, as a an Individual Member! How to do it? Go to www.epsa-online.org/, “Members” and check out the page about the Individual Membership. Fill in the application form and send it to the EPSA Secretary General (secgen@epsa-online.org). You should also send the proof of payment to EPSA Treasurer (treasurer@epsa-online.org) Keep yourself updated!

EPSANEWS LETTER

bringing pharmacy, knowledge and students together Volume 20 | Edition 3 | April 2013 www.epsa-online.org

Patient/Student session EduProf Platform Get to know EPSA’s DIA EuroMeeting came with a special opportunity. newest tool for international collaboration. this newsletter is produced by EPSA and is distributed to all EPSA members, national pharmaceutical students’ organisations, faculties, ofﬁcial bodies and partners

EPSA House Take a look at what was going on in our casual headquarters.

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association