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2022 Bill Burke Conference
2022 BILL BURKE STUDENT PHARMACIST LEADERS
IPA hosted 19 student leaders from Drake University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy for the 26th Annual Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference April 8-10 at Wildwood Hills Ranch in St. Charles, Iowa. For many students, it was their first in-person conference and large event since starting pharmacy school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference began on Friday afternoon with a motivational welcome from Dean Don Letendre (University of Iowa College of Pharmacy). Dean Letendre shared words of wisdom and key characteristics student leaders should seek to embody. Afterwards, students heard from Mike Pursel, owner of MERIT, LLC, who shared insights on how leadership opportunities, as well as barriers, surface throughout a career in pharmacy. The students spent the evening building connections and learning the importance of telling your personal leadership story.
On Saturday, Sara Ennis of SparkPoint, Inc. led the students through a series of interactive discussions on communication, helping the students develop skills for building relationships and empowering themselves and others to meet diverse needs. The students learned how to navigate conflict, adapt their communication style, and lean into difficult conversations. After lunch, conference participants completed a high ropes course, which forced them to navigate obstacles together and apply the communication skills they learned that morning. Later, the student pharmacists learned Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change and ways to apply the change management model to issues in healthcare.
On Sunday, conference attendees reflected on what they learned over the weekend. The student leaders engaged in focus groups to identify issues they will face as pharmacists in their careers, what the impact of those issues will be, and what they can do as soon-to-be practitioners to address them. The students regrouped for discussion and idea sharing to identify what actionable steps they can begin taking in their respective organizations and communities. Overall, it was a transformational weekend for the selected student pharmacist leaders. This event is made possible through a partnership between IPA, Drake University, the University of Iowa, and support from Main at Locust Pharmacy in Davenport, Iowa.
DRAKE UNIVERSITY Adrianne Bentzinger Nirjan Bhattarai Leah Bishop Megan Hartle Haley Pertzborn Isaac Ramos Braden Weiser Peyton Wood Caesar Yeaman THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA George Appleseth Tiffany Bui Riley Clark Jill Guetersloh Spencer Heggen Mark Nagel Emily Paulus Jose Rodriguez Sydney Ross Sidney Vancil
Due to a high number of P1 applicants this year, a unique one-day Bill Burke P1 Student Pharmacist Leadership Workshop was held on April 2 at IPA Headquarters. Five students from Drake University and five from the University of Iowa were selected to participate. Dean Renae Chesnut (Drake University CPHS) welcomed the students, sharing her career journey and the importance of leadership in pharmacy. The selected student pharmacists learned about the imposter experience, the importance of building confidence, and how to use John Kotter’s 8-Steps to Lead Change. In the afternoon, Benjamin Jagow, Clinical Services Advisor with OutcomesMTM, shared insights for overcoming barriers both in pharmacy school and as a new practitioner. Workshop participants ended the day with a team building activity to put their communication and leadership skills to the test. Overall, it was an inspiring weekend and provided several student pharmacists their first of many leadership experiences.
DRAKE UNIVERSITY Stacia Humphrey Anna Holden Austin Lampman Deena Alsabbah Paula Ornelas THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA Abigail Crowner Samson Bishop Emily Weyenberg Charlie Iles Sarah Hou
