The Welsh Pharmacy Student Leadership Award
I was awarded the Welsh Pharmacy Student Leadership Award for my contributions to improving the pharmacy student experience and also for my involvement with impacting the future of pharmacy in Wales by joining the Pharmacy Delivering a Healthier Wales (PDaHW) working groups.
Within my first year of my MPharm degree, I helped set up and establish the Swansea University Pharmacy Society and became Vice President. I decided to run for President and was successfully elected. For me, I am an avid believer of humility and service to others and ensured that my work as president reflected this. I focused my leadership on building a legacy for the newly-established society, by hosting the first ever Pharmacy Ball at Swansea University and facilitating the first ever Welsh Pharmacy Student football varsity between Cardiff and Swansea.
Aside from providing opportunities for students to express themselves as individuals, I installed the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and Education & Welfare officer. This provided students additional means to become leaders within the society whilst also ensuring the academic and cultural needs of my peers were acknowledged.
This award is an acknowledgement of all the work of pharmacy students and shows that in the earliest stages of our career we can impact the profession and our future colleagues. My award is a physical reminder that I have demonstrated leadership on multiple occasions and a testament of my hard work.
For me, it is even more special knowing that I received this award on Wednesday 25 September which is World Pharmacist Day 2024! It was an honour for my achievements to be shared in a room filled with trailblazers and pioneers within the Welsh Pharmacy community, but it was even more memorable to receive this award on a day dedicated to celebrating the work of the pharmacy profession in the wider world and healthcare.
Next steps on my pharmacy journey
The next major steps in my pharmacy journey would be to organise and host the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association’s (BPSA) Annual Conference happening in April 2025 in Swansea. I then hope to graduate in July 2025, begin my Foundation Training year, and become a qualified pharmacist! It is a bittersweet feeling knowing I am finishing my MPharm degree in the next year, but I am excited and look forward to what my future career in pharmacy holds!
My three tips for students beginning their pharmacy course
My tips for students starting their pharmacy journey would be:
1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or reach out for support! Back in my first year, my pharmacy programme lead told us something I would never forget, she said, “Never leave a lecture confused. If you don’t understand something, ask questions or send an email.”
This has stuck with me ever since and I strongly agree. We are at university to learn, but we are also paying approximately £9,250 a year in tuition fees (possibly higher for international students), so make sure to make good use of it! Additionally, the great thing about pharmacy (and university in general) is that you are never alone. As a student if you need help in a module or personal dilemmas you have a support system within the University staff team and fellow students who can offer assistance. Make sure to utilise these support networks!
2. Say yes to new opportunities! Getting involved with my university’s pharmacy society, the BPSA and PDA early on in my MPharm degree provided so many opportunities for me to grow as an individual whilst also increasing my passion for pharmacy. Being open and saying yes to opportunities allows you to develop new transferable skills whilst increasing your professional network and development. However, make sure you do not take on more than you can handle! Being aware of your capacity and learning to say no when saying yes is just as important!
3. Rest! As enriching as the pharmacy degree can be, it can also be hectic and densely packed. Make sure you give yourself time to rest during the term and especially during the holidays.
All in all, make the most of every opportunity and enjoy your time as an MPharm student!
Becoming a PDA Student Rep and PDA student membership
The PDA is the official trade union for the pharmacy profession, representing pharmacists, trainees and students. I choose to be a PDA Student Rep as I witnessed the benefits from the work of the PDA and wanted to get involved. I believe it is important that students are aware of the support available from the PDA such as education and training as well as representation. For example, recently the PDA Student Rep community led a Fair Funding Campaign which saw pharmacy students lobbying for pharmacy students to access the NHS Learning Support Fund given to healthcare students. Being a PDA student member allows your voice to be heard and represented by the union and is one of the many reasons why I would encourage pharmacy students to become members of the PDA!
By Martina Aikon, fourth-year pharmacy student and PDA Student Rep
Each year, the PDA sponsors the Student Leadership category of the Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish Healthcare Awards
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Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists, and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
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