If you have been following our blog for a while, you might remember we highlighted a few TED Talk videos last year. These covered a variety of topics from body language to innovative science. With exam season underway, you may think watching a TED Talk instead of studying would constitute a waste of time…but hey, it’s more productive and inspiring than using your study break to watch Netflix. Today we’d like to share with you a TED Talk we found particularly insightful: Ken Robinson’s “Bring on the learning revolution!”

What are your favourite TED Talks? Share with us in the comments or on Facebook.

– Ivan Yastrebov, Communications and Marketing

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April is here already and it’s hard to believe that exams and graduation are right around the corner. This can bring up a whole slew of emotions as you prepare to transition out of university life. A Dr. Seuss quote comes to mind, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Here are a few ways to help you move forward in the final weeks and month of your degree:

1. Attend AMS Block Party

You’ve worked hard in all of your classes and deserve a reward! What better way than to celebrate with your friends at the AMS’ Block Party? Tickets are sold out, but there are still some people selling theirs through different outlets – check out UBC Facebook groups and Craigslist.

2. Keep in Touch

Make sure to keep in touch with the people whom you have grown close to over the past couple of years. This will help you maintain a sense of normalcy as you transition into a new chapter in life. Your friends and loved ones will also be able to help you adjust to any life changes that are happening such as finding a new job or housing.

Bonus: While keeping in touch with your friends and classmates is important, there are also many benefits to keeping in touch with the Faculty through the Alumni office!

3. Make Plans for Your Future

While it may be hard to leave your time at Pharm Sci behind, taking the time now to plan for the future will make life easier moving forward. Not only will it help logistically, but emotionally you will begin to tie up loose ends and get excited about a new chapter in your life.

4. Plan a trip

Instead of jumping into full-time work, think about taking some time off to travel and relax. Whether it’s for a week, a month, or longer, it will be a great adventure and will help you process the life changes that you are going through. Need an idea for a trip? Check out this USA road trip that was mapped using genetic algorithms.

5. It’s Not Over Until It’s Over

While it’s rewarding to plan the next chapter of your life, there is still another month left before graduation. Make the most of it by reconnecting with old friends, making new memories and acing those final exams!

What are some other ways you’re planning on making the most of April?

– Ivan Yastrebov, Communications and Marketing

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What a month it’s been!

As March comes to an end, it’s time for us to reflect on our campaign for Pharmacist Awareness Month 2015. It’s certainly a busy time of year for many people – and organizing a month’s worth of events has proven to be no small feat. The usual questions come to mind: What have we accomplished in the span of four weeks? Have we reached our goals? What improvements could be made in the future? But regardless of how we stack up against our own metrics for excellence, it remains of the utmost importance to keep in mind why we do Pharmacist Awareness Month.

Ultimately, we aim to make a difference through advocacy. And a key part of advocacy is recognizing what it means to be a pharmacist and sharing it with others. Today’s world demands strong co-operation, more involvement and greater responsibility from its healthcare professionals in order to serve the population’s needs. By identifying how the public perceives the profession and reinforcing the right while correcting misconceptions, we can reaffirm our role within the fabric of Canada’s healthcare system.

Pharmacist Awareness Month is an opportunity to connect students, the public, and pharmacy professionals.

At our SUB Pharmacy Fair in the first week of March, pharmacy students shared their knowledge of common conditions and the services pharmacists can provide. We found that many people didn’t know that pharmacists could be a source of information beyond medication, but were impressed to learn the depth and scope of our education! We drew crowds at the grand opening and closing events with several performances by our multi-talented pharmacy students.

During our Pharmacy Information Evening in the second week of March, we brought the future into the fold, playing host to potential pharmacy students from UBC, SFU and various high schools. Participants learned more about the UBC pharmacy program and mingled with current pharmacy students.

At our two symposiums, which rounded out the third and fourth weeks of March, we provided value to current pharmacy students by hosting interactive presentations with several accomplished pharmacy professionals. Even as students we can still be unaware of the countless opportunities a career in pharmacy can offer and these events seek to bridge that gap. Special thank you to our speakers: Dr. Wendy Leong, who discussed her unique interprofessional collaborative experiences in the community setting; and Winnie Ma and the pharmacists accompanying her, who shared their experiences and insight into hospital pharmacy.

And while these events occurred on campus, our community education and outreach programs sought to foster awareness outside of UBC. We organized several community education presentations at high schools. We also hosted a booth at Kerrisdale Community Centre and posted informational posters and information at a number of other community centres.

We hope our PAM 2015 events have brought more clarity to our roles as healthcare professionals in the community.  At times it’s been trying and at others, inspiring – but there will always be tremendous value in demonstrating to the world that we are proud and passionate pharmacy students, seeking to positively influence human health and wellbeing.

We would like to thank all the members of the PAM committee for working tirelessly on this campaign as well as the UBC Pharm Sci faculty members for their support, and of course, the many volunteers who offered their time during exams and other obligations to help make our events a success! It was truly a team effort. We can’t wait to see what the next Pharmacist Awareness Month brings!

Your PAM 2015 Co-Chairs,

Elaine Chang and Kevin Sin

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A key component of Pharmacy Awareness Month (PAM) is community outreach. Our goal is to raise awareness about the profession of pharmacy among the greater community and the work we have done in this area over the past month has pioneered the way for subsequent UBC PAM committees.

Our approach to community outreach this year has been primarily through setting up advocacy booths hosted by pharmacy student volunteers in various community centres around the Lower Mainland. These booths allow students to gain valuable experience in speaking about the profession, and also empower members of the public with a greater understanding of how pharmacists can be of service.

Our first community centre advocacy booth was held at Kerrisdale Community Centre on March 14. We arranged to display pharmacy information posters in the community centres that were unable to host a booth this year.

Pharmacy is a tremendously exciting and evolving profession and we are proud to spread the word through these community outreach projects. We want the general public to be aware of what pharmacists, as the most accessible healthcare professionals, can offer – from medication management and counselling, to administering vaccinations, and adapting and renewing prescriptions. We are also endeavouring to address common misconceptions around the safety and efficacy of medications in our community outreach work.

Advocacy ain’t always easy, but someone has to do it!

– Jeremy Antepyan and Maci Wong, PAM Community Outreach Coordinators 2015

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The annual Pharmacy Fair is a key part of UBC Pharm Sci’s drive to bring awareness to the influence and nature of the practice of pharmacy. The Fair is hosted for one week in the Student Union Building, and comprises of twelve different activities and exhibits. Visitors will learn about various medical conditions and how pharmacists can help. The Fair is staffed by UBC Pharm Sci students – several of whom will be performing live! The Pharmacy Undergraduate Society (PhUS) are also on hand to provide information about life as a pharmacy student and answer questions.

The Pharmacy Fair finishes today, so if you haven’t already had the chance to check it out come visit us at the SUB!

– Bill Huang, Pharmacy Fair Coordinator

Check out the full timeline of events below:

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Our mission with this blog is to share content that will inspire you and help you to make the most of your time at UBC Pharm Sci. We’ve rounded up our favourite posts on health and wellness, and our best study tips just in time for midterms.

How to Ace Your Exams

Four Study Tips to Succeed

Getting Your Motivation Back

Making the Most of Your UBC Pharm Sci Experience: Insider Advice

Run the Distance – Preparing to Ace Your Exams Like a Marathon Runner

TED Talk Tuesday: Freeman Hrabowski and the Four Pillars to College Success in Science

Doing Better in School? There’s an App for that.

Welcome Back Series, Part 3: Study Spaces

A Handy Guide to UBC Cafés

How to Stay Healthy on Campus

Welcome Back Series, Part 2: Well Being

4 Self-Care Strategies to Help You Thrive

Six Ways to Stay Healthy this Flu Season

Reaching Out – Campus Resources for Mental Health

Healthy Eating and Exercise on Campus

Best of luck with your exams!

– Ivan Yastrebov, Communications and Marketing

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