Networking with Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa Young Pharmacist Group
(By Onyeka Obidiegwu, Member Relations Co-ordinator 2021,12/13/21)
In furtherance of the mandate of the Member Relations team of FIP YPG to engage with existing early career pharmaceutical groups (ECPGs), we have held three networking sessions with the Malaysia Pharmaceutical Society — Young Pharmacists Chapter (MPS-YPC), the Kenya Young Pharmacists Group (KYPG) and more recently the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa — Young Pharmacist’s Group (PSSA-YPG).
The networking session just like its predecessors aimed to connect both organisations, fostering collaboration and the development of a personal network. The PSSA YPG also aimed to use the session to increase her membership and sensitize her members about the steering committee, activities, and opportunities the PSSA YPG presents.
After a series of planning meetings to draw up the agenda carefully, the networking session was fixed for October, 23rd 2021. The program outline was abuzz with activities like a brief introduction of FIP and FIP YPG, parallel breakout interactive sessions, Kahoot! and a special presentation by the Founder of PSSA YPG which were educative, fun, and participative for the over 20 participants from both sides.
The session kickstarted with a welcome speech from the Chairperson of the PSSA YPG, Nicole Keuler who welcomed everyone to the session while urging everyone to sit back, relax, and network. She noted ‘networking is not just collecting contacts but planting relationships. The FIP YPG Chairperson of Public Relations, Lucas Ercolin gave a brief overview of the FIP and FIP YPG and encouraged all attendees to join the FIP YPG. Dr. Mariet Eksteen, founder of PSSA YPG and the Global lead for advancing integrated services and FIP Developmental Goal 7 at the FIP Workforce Development Hub spoke beautifully on the origins of the PSSA and the role of volunteers in professional organizations who in her words are called to contribute ideas, participate in decision making, prepare reports, identify new ventures and most importantly, create impact. She also mentioned that as a volunteer, ‘you may not be well-remunerated but the opportunity of being part of the success story of an organization/society, get new experiences and gain new skills like working remotely makes volunteering worth it.’
The session continued with a brief overview of the PSSA YPG by Nicole Keuler while introducing members of the Steering Committee. She also talked of the PSSA YPG ongoing projects like the Membership Benefits Project, YPG History project and Health Day Awareness Campaigns, Professional Innovation Project with prize money of 15,000 Rands, and the YPG Mentorship Programme which formed part of the Kahoot sessions later on. The Kahoot session had 20 fun-filled and educative questions and was won by Brent Hin Sidge who’s a Project Manager with the PSSA YPG. Afterward was the Schooner of Pharmacy session organized by the FIP YPG Member Relations Team where everyone got to meet each other in breakout rooms and then ran through five interactive discussion topics ranging from Pharmacy education to personal relationships. The duo of the Member Relations Team, Onyeka Obidiegwu, and Raquel Oliveira appreciated everyone for coming and sharing in the session while reminding everyone of the FIP YPG call for sub-committees.
We look forward to networking with other Early Career Pharmaceutical Organisations across the world. If already on our network, please do a mail to ypg@fip.org expressing interest to network with us. If you are not on our network, you can join us by appointing a representative, together with the FIP individual member’s identification number and mailing ypg@fip.org.
