Shenin Anowar is a first year Pharmacist student who is this year’s University of Nottingham’s delegate at the annual congress, known as European Pharmaceutical Student’s Association (EPSA), in Hungary. Picked as the representative for Nottingham and as one of the 5 British students there, Her Campus talked to her about her experience this year.
So first of all, how does the EPSA work?
Each country has participants and delegates and the congress consisted of workshops, symposiums and training events. The main topic of this congress was about inter-professional collaboration between healthcare professionals and during the workshops. We worked in smaller groups so this was an ideal opportunity to voice our opinion regarding issues surrounding the pharmacy world.
Was there anything that surprised you?
For me, as a UK participant it highlighted that Pharmacy is very, very advanced in the UK. Surprisingly countries like Denmark and Norway are also still slightly behind.
Can you tell us a bit more about the difference between pharmacy in the UK and other European countries?
When asked to speak about role of a pharmacist in the UK, our social status and work with other healthcare professionals it was brought to light that we are very ahead and evolved. When this was highlighted, I was asked by many nationals and countries such as Turkey and Czech Republic on how to tackle issues and how to evolve the pharmacy profession abroad, which was very flattering as I’m only a first year student whilst many people were in their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th year!
How did this experience help you?
This whole experience made me realise how important the NHS is in terms of a pharmacist’s role being so broad and how we’re not seen as being beneath doctors due to working alongside them in the first semester first year! In the evening there were many social nights, such as animal themed parties, Hungarian night, opening ceremony and a GALA dinner. It is unbelievable how much I have learnt from this congress and developed my own skills and contributed to other countries in order for them to develop their curriculum.
What were the social nights like?
The social nights were very similar to freshers week. There were themes, usually a lot of alcohol for those who wanted it and it was a great opportunity to meet the people in a more relaxed environment than say in workshops and stuff.
How do you think this experience will help you in the future?
It was a great opportunity to develop communication skills especially with people from different countries and cultures; also it has opened my eyes to how pharmacy differs in different countries and issues surrounding it. So I think this will really help me especially I’d really like to work more internationally in the future, the event is also a great opportunity for different countries to come together, discuss pharmacy education issues in their country and try and work together to resolve it.