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PHARMACY STUDENTS ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION
Joint Memberships

I
DIANA COURTNEY, R.PH. | DIRECTOR, STUDENT AND PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS AND COMMITTEES,
NATIONAL COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION The ACA Research & Education Foundation is completely autonomous and

relies on external support from individuals and corporations to maintain its
love my job! After owning my own pharmacy for 10 years (which I skills that you simply can’t learn in
also loved), I now get to travel to pharmacy schools around the the classroom. If you didn’t already far-reaching programs—including those that help develop the future leaders
country and help students learn more about the opportunities available have one single reason to investigate and entrepreneurs of the community pharmacy profession.
in independent pharmacy. Much of my travel entails visiting students the deeper layers of your student
during their school chapter association meetings. As I speak with membership, hopefully now you see
students from different states and schools, I am always fascinated to that you have three persuasive The Foundation is dedicated to research, education and the advancement of
hear why they joined a chapter. reasons to do so.
professional pharmacy practice and serving the pharmacy profession.
It is somewhat of an understatement to say that there are a plethora
of reasons to join a professional pharmacy association during your time “Joining an association gives a
in pharmacy school. The first layer, and perhaps at times the most platform for us students to be involved Make a tax-deductible donation to the ACA Research and Education Founda-
within our school and community while
compelling reason for many students, is the free lunch that many being a part of progressive initiatives
associations provide during their chapter meetings. The social aspect to push the profession forward.” tion or learn more about other ways to support the Foundation.
of belonging to a chapter is another reason why to join. There are also
those students who will join multiple pharmacy associations (as many as Ademola Are, Pharm D candidate 2019,
Idaho State University College of Pharmacy
they can afford) for the experience it provides on a job resume or CV. Did you know that you can set up a automatic monthly donation to the ACA
Others seek out the leadership opportunities afforded by being part of Foundation? It’s easier than ever to support the future of independent phar-
a chapter association. Still others join to enjoy the discounts provided My journey from school to where I
at annual conferences, meetings, and trainings. While none of these am today has always been intertwined macy. Select “Recurring Pledge/Donation” on the online form to establish a
reasons are bad reasons to join a group, you will find that the deeper with my involvement in NCPA. Had I
you dig into your association membership, the more benefits you will not been involved during my years in recurring donation.
see these associations have to offer. school, I know that my path would
have taken a much different route. My
So why would you choose a membership with ACA or ACVP versus all involvement is what opened the doors Please visit https://acafoundationrx.org/donate/ for more information.
of the other professional pharmacy association memberships out there? to buying and selling my pharmacy, and
Three main reasons: ACA, ACVP and NCPA. ACA and ACVP have provided me the connection to my
partnered with NCPA (National Community Pharmacists Association) job here.
to offer joint memberships. Students who join NCPA are automatically
provided complimentary student memberships to both ACA and ACVP. As you head back to school, I strongly
If you are joining an association to beef up your resume, what better encourage you to dig deeper and get
way to do that than by paying for one membership and receiving three! more involved. If you are at the free
pizza level only you are definitely
From here, everything is tripled: three professional association meetings missing out. Wouldn’t you like the
(at a minimum) to attend at a discounted rate; three opportunities for opportunity to truly make a difference
leadership positions within the associations; three scholarship programs and be a part the vehicle driving the
to apply for; three different avenues to advocate for the profession; profession forward? You’ve worked
three distinct ways to network and connect with pharmacists and hard in school up to this point - you
students from all across the U.S.; three ways to become exposed to owe this to yourself so that someday
new and different situations to stretch your knowledge, capabilities, and you, too, can say that you love your
skills such as planning, team building, time management, and interpersonal job!

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