Principal Sponsors
President’s Report
DearNAPSAMembersandFriends,
AsIsitdowntowritethisfinalreport,Iam filledwithaprofoundsenseofgratitude andnostalgiafortheincrediblejourney we 'veembarkedupontogetheroverthe pasttwelvemonths.Servingasyour Presidenthasbeennotjustaduty,buta privilege-onethathasallowedmeto witnessfirsthandthededicationandpassion thatdefinesourassociation
Bano Serhan PRESIDENT
Together,wehaveadvancedcountlessopportunitiesforpharmacy studentsacrossAustralia.Throughinnovativeinitiativesandunwavering commitment,wehavestrengthenedourcommunityandempoweredeach othertoreachnewheightsinouracademicandprofessionalpursuits The successfulhostingofourannualNationalCongressinHobartstandsasa testamenttoourcollectiveeffortandteamwork Itwasmorethanjustan event;itwasacelebrationofoursharedvaluesandaspirations.
Iamhonoredtohavehadtheopportunitytoconnectwitheachandevery oneofyouduringmytenure.Thefriendshipsforged,theknowledge exchanged,andthechallengesovercomehaveshapednotonlymyown experiencebutalsothefutureofourassociation TheCharityCupfor Qendo,championingendometriosisawareness,andourinfluenceonthe globalstagethroughVampireCupunderscoreourcommitmenttomaking ameaningfulimpactbeyondourimmediatecommunity.
AsIpreparetopassthetorchtothenextgenerationofNAPSAleaders,Ido sowithabsoluteconfidenceintheirabilitiesandvision Thepassionand dedicationIhavewitnessedamongourmembersassuremethatour associationisincapablehands.Iurgeyoualltoextendyourfullsupportto theincomingleadership,astheynavigatethechallengesandseizethe opportunitiesthatlieahead.
Tomypeersandcolleagues,Iwanttoexpressmydeepestgratitude The memorieswehavecreatedtogetherwillforeverholdaspecialplaceinmy heart.Fromlate-nightplanningsessionstocelebratorymilestones,each momenthasreinforcedmybeliefinthepowerofunityandcollaboration.
Iwouldliketoparticularlythanktheeditorofthisesteemedpublication,Mia Avram,forallofherhardworkanddedicationtoensuringthatour magazineiscarefullycuratedtimeandtimeagain-youreffortshavenot goneunnoticed.
Inclosing,letuscontinuetoupholdthevaluesofNAPSA integrity, inclusivity,andexcellence asweworktogethertoshapethefutureof pharmacyeducationandpracticeinAustralia.Thankyouforallowingme toserveyou,forchallengingmetogrow,andforinspiringmewithyour passion ThoughmytermasPresidentmayend,mycommitmenttoour sharedgoalsremainsunwavering.
Withwarmestregards,
Bano
BanoSerhan NationalPresident2023/2024 president@napsaorgau
Placement Poverty
Whywe’refightingforyou
Pharmacywasn’tmyfirstchoiceasa degree,andtechnicallyitwasn’tmysecond Makingtheleapfromtwohumanities degreescenteredaroundgovernmentand politicswasnotaneasychoice,particularly forastudentwithnobackgroundinscientif subjectsathighschool.However,itwasthe rightchoice.WhenIwasinmylateteens,I experiencedthedeathsofmultiplefriendsf drugoverdose-bothfromillicitsubstancesand prescriptionmedicinestheyobtainedlegallythroughapharmacy.Itwas thisexperiencethatdrewmetostudyingmedications,howtheyworked andhowtheycouldbesopowerfulinbothimprovingandruininglives.
Sebastian Harper TREASURER
Whenthegrowingissueofplacementpovertybecameakeypointof advocacyforNAPSAsometimelastyear,Iwasremindedofoneofthese friends Hewasaqueermanostracisedbyhisfamily Hewaskickedoutof home,andbeingunder22governmentsupportpaymentswereahassleto secure.Hisgoalwastostudyphysiotherapy,butbecauseofhisfinancial situationtherewasnowayhecouldaffordmandatoryplacements.The lackofaclearpathforhim,combinedwiththeimpactofbeingleftbehind byfamily,ledtoaspiralandunfortunatelywelosthimtooyoung
IwasremindedbecausethisiswhyNAPSAcontinuestofightforyou,since theintroductionoftheCommonwealthPracPaymentfornursing,midwifery, teachingandsocialworkstudents.Ofcourse,notallthestorieswehearare likehis.Butwhatwedoknowisthatbyentrenchingthefinancialburdenof placementsinacost-of-livingcrisis,wearelosingvaluableAustralians fromtheworkforce
Queerpeoplekickedoutofhomeandstrugglingtoputfoodonthetable, FirstNationsstudentswhomightbethefirstintheirfamilytogoto university,peoplelivingondisabilitysupportpayments,andallthosewho wouldotherwisemakethepharmacyandalliedhealthworkforcemore diverseandequitable.
AttheBoard,wearecognisantofthefactthatstatementsaremeaningfulbutactioniswhatgetsresults Sincetheendoflastyear,wehave personallyspokenwithMembersofParliamentandSenatorsaboutthe importanceofeliminatingplacementpoverty.WhenthePracPaymentwas announced,NAPSAactedswiftlyalongsideourvaluedstakeholderstoget themessageoutthereforourmembers.Inoneofthebiggest-scaleacts ofadvocacyinrecentNAPSAmemory,our19branchesacrossthecountry personallysentletterstotheirrelevantMembersofParliamentonthe governmentbenchescallingforanextensionofthePaymenttopharmacy andalliedhealth.
AlreadywehaveseensupportinParliament.Membersaresympatheticto ourcause,andhaveadvocatedonourbehalftotheMinister.Butuntilour membersgetrealresultstoeasetheburdenofmandatoryplacements, NAPSAwillnotstopfightingforyou Ifyourfriendsandclassmatesaren’tyet membersoftheirlocalNAPSAbranch,letthemknowthisiswhat membershipgetsyou.Acommunityofthousandsofpharmacystudents acrossAustralia,hasanAssociationonlywiththeirbestinterestsatheart.
Ifyouwanttolearnmoreaboutourcampaignorallofourotherworkin advocacy,reachouttomeattreasurer@napsaorgau,orourPolicyand AdvocacyDirectoratpolicyadvocacy@napsaorgau
Yoursfaithfully,
SebastianHarper NAPSATreasurer2023/2024
ChairoftheCampaignCommittee
Branch Update
QueenslandPharmacyStudents’Association(QPSA)
Ohmy,2024whatayear!ItiswithgreatpleasurethatIgettoreflectonthe pastfewmonthsandhighlighttheachievementsofQPSAthusfar
TheUniversityofQueenslandMarketDaywasourfirstofficialeventof2024 andwasaremarkablesuccess.AsafoundationalNAPSABranch,our connectionshaveaffordedusanincrediblereductioninmembershipfees, from$15downto$2,greatlyreducingpreviousbarriersofentrytostudents. WewerealsohonoredtofindoutwearenowNAPSA’slargestbranch!
Ourmerchandiseteamhadawonderfulstarttotheyear,withnew PlacementPoloshirtsbeingamassivesuccess,aswellastherolloutofour summermerchline.Wecompletelysoldoutofstockinrecordtime!We alsohosted2024'sfirstInternationalStudentmixer,awonderfulafternoon meetingandsharingstorieswithUQPharmacystudentsfromacrossthe world Oureducationalteamhavealsobeenhardatwork,puttingonfive eventssofar,withthemesrangingfromdiabetestoasthma
WhilewedotakeourstudiesseriouslyoverhereinQueensland,whatis universitywithoutthechanceforagoodboogie!Thankstoourwonderful socialteam,andtheincredibleworkof9interdisciplinaryUQHealthclubs, wewereabletowelcomeover1000studentstoourannualscrubcrawl!
Finally,QPSAhavethejoyofbeingthe2025hostofNAPSACongress,and aftermanymeetings,registrationisnowofficiallyopen!Wecan’twaitto welcomeyoufromJanuary12th2025!
KeiraHiggins 2024QPSAPresident
NAPSA Education
MynameisJames,andIamtheNAPSA EducationChairfor2023/2024.Irecently graduatedfromJamesCookUniversity andamcurrentlycompletingmyinternship atLiveLifePharmacyinBowen Inaddition tothis,ItutoronceaweekinMackay, assistinginthedeliveryofcoursework, specificallyclinicaldispensing.Iamalso currentlyenrolledinthethirdcohortforthe QueenslandFullScopeofPracticepilot.
EDUCATION CHAIR
SteppingintothenewlycreatedpositionofEducationChairwithinNAPSA,I hadalotofflexibilitytoshapethepositiontowhatIfeltwouldbenefit pharmacystudentsthemost.Idecidedtousetheopportunitytoaddress areasofeducationthataren’theavilyfocusedonatuniversitytohelpfill thesegaps.
Toidentifythesetopics,Idistributedasurveytogaugewhatstudents wantedtolearn Fromthoseresults,myteamandIhavecreated, developed,anddeliveredaseriesofeducationalwebinarstargeting expandingandupcomingareasnotexplicitlycoveredinourdegrees.
Thesetopicsincludedtransgenderhealthcare,thetherapeuticuseof cannabisanditsroleintherapy,mentalhealthincommunitypharmacy, pharmacists’expandedscopeofpractice,and,hopefully,sun,skin,and spots,anddomesticviolencepresentationstothecommunity.
Sofar,thewebinarsthathavealreadyhappenedhavehadgreatinterest, withawiderangeofattendees-spanningfromfirst-yearstudentsto internpharmacists,andevensomelecturers!
James Oh
Toensurethequalityofthesewebinars,wehavecollaboratedwithmany talentedpharmacistsandhealthprofessionalstoprovidethemost accurateandup-to-dateinformationwecan.
Sofar,we’vehadsomeamazingguestslikeDr.SwapnaChaudhary,an early-careerpharmacistin2023andarecentPh.D.graduatewhohelped usoutlinesomevaluablepointsandpracticaltipsongivingthebestcare toourtransgenderpatientspresentingwithincommunitypharmacies
Then,wehadtheclinicalpharmacistandTasmanianearlycareer pharmacistoftheyearfor2024,MoniqueLicht,presentaboutthe therapeuticuseofmedicinalcannabisandhowapharmacistcanhelpour patientssafelyusethismedication.Additionally,wegainedabetter understandingoftheendocannabinoidsystemandallotherquestions revolvingaroundcannabis
InMay,wehadtheinternpharmacistoftheyearfor2022andsocialmedia pharm-fluencer,ShayleeMills,helpusbetterunderstandandtakecareof mentalhealthpresentationsincommunitypharmacyand,justas importantly,howtolookafterourownmentalhealthasweprogress throughourcareers
KeepyoureyespeeledontheNAPSAsocialmediapagesforupcoming eventsandwebinarsbeinghostedsoon.Andifyouhaveanyideasfor futurewebinars,pleasedonothesitatetocontacttheNAPSAEducation teamviaeducation.chair@napsa.org.au.
Ihopetoseeyouatthenextwebinar!
JamesOh NAPSAEducationChair2023/2024
Branch Update
WesternAustralianPharmacyStudents’Association(WAPSA)
Whatasemester!!
Asexamsareover,andmostofourstudentsareontheirmuchdeserved unibreak,nowisagreattimetositdownandreflectontheabsoluteblast thatthisyearhasbeensofar.
StartingoffstronginJanuary,9ofourstudentsheadedallthewayoverto Hobart,TasmaniafortheannualNAPSACongress.Ourbranchwasonthe smallerside,butohmy,weweremighty!Anincrediblearrayofeducational andsocialevents,weallhadsuchagreattime
Nextonthecalendarwasorientation,whichwasamassivesuccess!Our membercountsarehigherthanever,andIgenuinelyhavenotseenamore engagedgroupoffirstyearsinmytimehere.I’mconfidentthatourbranch willbeleftingoodhandsintheyearstocome Shoutouttoallthe committeemembersthatputinthehardyards,frommakingupover100 compoundingkits,tocomingupwithallthegamesfortheday
InMarch,wehadamovienightwithUWAMPS,sponsoredbythelovely TerryWhiteChemmart.Accompaniedbybucketsofpopcorn,wewatched thenewestKungFuPanda,afanfavouriteamongstourattendees.
Notlongafter,wehadaneducationsessionfromLaRochePosayand CeraVe,whereweallbecameskincareexperts.Wewerealsoluckyenough tohavetheteamfromActivatedProbioticsflyfromacrossthecountryto giveustherun-downofallthingsprobiotics-Ithinkmostofusagreethat welearntalotfromthesesessions.
NowhowcouldIforget,thefirstmerchandiseWAPSAhasseeninagood fewyears–ourWAPSAFrankGreencoffeecups!Endorsedbytheoneand onlyFeiSim,thesewereahitamongstourcohorts.Ourmerchandisechairs workedveryhardtogettheseout,andwhatasuccessitwas.
OurPharmacyAwarenesschairsworkedhardthissemesterwiththeirstalls andsausagesizzlesforQENDO,andnaileditwiththe‘Guessthelolliesinthe jar’stalltheyheldinthelibrary Whoknewoverworkedunistudentswould besokeenonajaroflollies?
Morerecently,wehadalovelyAfternoonTeawithPharmacy777,where internshipswerethehighlightoftheconversation.Withsomegreat presentations,followedbysomeevenbetternetworking,everyoneinthat roomlearntsomethingnewthatday
Andofcourse,oureventofthesemester,theAnnualCocktailnightwas heldtheweekendafterexamshadfinished.SponsoredbyChemist Warehouse,wewentallout-aphotobooth,adrinktab,andmorethan enoughfoodtogoaround!Afantasticnightwherewefinallygottorelax, socialise,andmostimportantly,dance.Ittoppedoffagreatsemester absolutelyperfectly
Withaverylivelysemesterallsaidanddone,it'stimeforourmembersto relaxandpreparefortheupcomingsemester.Ifyouthoughtthissemester washectic,waittillyouseeusnextsem!
AhugandakissfromtheseWestCoastpharmacists,
CasparTownsend WAPSASecretary2024
PSA Upcoming Events
FormoreinformationonanyofthePSA’sUpcomingEvents,checkout theirwebsite-https://wwwpsaorgau/networking-events/all-events/
July2024
Wednesday17thJuly-MMRcredentials&ACOPProgramrulesbriefingWebinar
Tuesday30thJuly-PSA&SAPSANetworked-At-First-Sight-Universityof SouthAustralia
August2024
Friday2nd-Sunday4thAugust-PSA24NationalConference-Sydney
Tuesday20thAugust-InsomniainAgedCareServices-OnlineWorkshop
EditedbyMiaAvram
NAPSAPublicationsChair2023/2024
Email:publications@napsaorgau