Intern Spotlight: David Williams

AUGUST 25, 2015

A Month with “the Behind-the-Scenes Crew that Continues to Evolve the Profession”
by David Williams, TPA Intern
2016 PharmD Candidate, South College School of Pharmacy

The Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA) is an organization that provides various services for professional pharmacy practitioners, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians throughout the state of Tennessee. As a pharmacy student, I have enjoyed spending my first rotation with the TPA team. This atypical rotation showcases aspects of the pharmacy profession that seem to go unnoticed behind store counters and inside hospital walls.

Because scheduling and preparing for meetings is unobserved by most of the professional practitioners and students, all the hard work exerted into the meetings may be underappreciated at times. After working so closely with TPA, I will certainly appreciate all future conferences that I attend as a professional pharmacist. Professional associations, such as the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, are the backbone of the pharmacy profession in Tennessee and can be considered the behind-the-scenes crew that continues to evolve the profession. My personal involvement with various activities (helping draft and edit letters to legislators, building applications to aid with conventions, etc.) has helped me to develop beneficial skills for future professional situations.

Attendance at Board of Pharmacy meetings was a very enlightening experience. It exposed many of the intricacies involved in drafting legislative works. Attending these meetings certainly put into perspective just how extensive the legislation process can be before taking full effect in the workplace. I strongly encourage every student pharmacist to attend a Board of Pharmacy meeting. If utilized to their full potential, these informative meetings can significantly benefit the profession, and who better to advocate for the pharmacy profession than pharmacists and student pharmacists.

I am extremely grateful to the staff of TPA for being patient, supportive, and encouraging each day. I believe that this specific rotation has shaped me into a more knowledgeable, well-rounded student and future pharmacy professional.