University of Cincinnati Pharmacy Student Wins APhA Award

A 2017 PharmD candidate at the University of Cincinnati will be recognized at this year’s American Pharmacists Association (APhA) annual meeting for winning the Good Government Student Pharmacist-of-the-Year Award.

This award goes to a student pharmacist who has “successfully organized student pharmacist grassroots activity within their chapter and actively promoted the value of advocating for the profession,” APhA notes on its website.

PharmD candidate Hanna Burgin told Pharmacy Times that it was an honor for her to win the award, and the recognition meant that all of her advocacy work had truly helped advance the pharmacy profession.

“Receiving this award serves as a reminder that I am working toward reaching my goal of providing patient-centered care and becoming a better pharmacist while serving as an advocate for my profession,” Burgin said.

When she first started pharmacy school, the APhA-Academy of Student Pharmacists (ASP) stood out to her the most because of the opportunities to provide patient care, serve as an advocate, and network with pharmacists across the country. For the past 2 years, Burgin has served as the policy vice president for the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy APhA-ASP chapter.

In this role, she has organized events and prepared resolution proposals that helped her think outside of the box as she listened to the opinions of her peers. Being the voice of the chapter has been a positive experience because she can communicate the thoughts and concerns of student pharmacists to work toward a brighter future for pharmacy, she said.

Burgin has also interacted with legislators at the Ohio Pharmacists Association Student Legislative Day and APhA-ASP’s Summer Leadership Institute.

“From these opportunities, I have learned that many legislators are extremely interested in what student pharmacists have to say because we are the future,” she said.

Burgin is a champion of provider status for pharmacists. She maintained that such recognition would improve patient outcomes and quality of life, increase access to health care, establish more cost-effective policies, and implement interprofessional collaboration into all health care settings.

Burgin has also held the position of student trustee on the Ohio Pharmacists Association Board of Trustees. Through this position, she provided updates about what student pharmacists were accomplishing and communicated with students about what pharmacists would like to see in the future generation of pharmacists.

Burgin also organized Call Your Legislator Day, which encouraged students to contact their state legislators about supporting pharmacy-related laws. In addition, she prepares legislative newsletters for her chapter so that her peers are kept up-to-date.

Through these experiences, Burgin has strived to promote advocacy for the pharmacy profession, provide the best patient-centered care, and communicate the viewpoints of student pharmacists.

“APhA-ASP allows student pharmacists to make an impact on patients, while gaining experience and applying knowledge,” she said. “This organization has made a huge impact on my life, and I have made friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.”