Pharmacy Student Earns National Recognition

On March 5, at the annual American Pharmacists Association (APhA) meeting in Baltimore, MD, third-year PharmD candidate Hanna Burgin will be recognized with the organization's APhA-ASP Good Government Student Pharmacist-of-the-Year Award.

According to the APhA, the award recognizes a student pharmacist who successfully organizes grassroots activity within their chapter and actively promotes the value of advocating for the profession. The award is based on the student's ability to raise awareness of local and national pharmacy issues while embracing the concept of teamwork and collaboration among students, practitioners, and their state pharmacy association.

This award is presented twice during APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition; at the Political Leadership Reception and at the APhA-ASP House of Delegates.

Burgin is the first University of Cincinnati student from the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy to win the award.

What type of recognition is this?was there a competition?

There was not a competition for this award. My peers nominated me based off of the work that I have done as the Winkle College of Pharmacy APhA-ASP chapter policy vice president for the past two years.

Are there classes you take to learn more about government and pharmacy?

There is one class at the College of Pharmacy that you can take about being an advocate for pharmacy and is referred to as the advocacy elective. As a requirement for this elective we attend the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) Student Legislative Day where we meet with our legislators and discuss issues in pharmacy. Through my position in UC's APhA-ASP Chapter I have served on the OPA Board of Trustees as a student trustee and have been exposed to pharmacy advocacy.
 
Do students have an opportunity to influence regulations?

Students do have the opportunity to influence regulations. As noted above, by attending OPA's Student Legislative Day and also doing this on a national level through APhA-ASP's Summer Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. I have also organized "Call Your Legislator Day", a letter writing campaign, and voter registration events at the College of Pharmacy. Legislators want to hear from students because we are the future. Every letter, phone call, or visit that occurs is beneficial for our profession.
 
What is your background and what does it mean to win the award?

I am originally from Chaplin, Kentucky and have a strong agriculture background. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology from the University of Kentucky in 2013. I have served as the policy vice president for the UC APhA-ASP chapter for the past two years. Through this position, I have served as a student trustee on the OPA Board of Trustees, prepared monthly legislative newsletters for pharmacy students, discussed policy with legislators on a state and federal level and am planning a dinner for local legislators. I am involved in Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity and currently am the Beta Phi chapter regent, along with serving on the International Philanthropy Committee and many committees within the Great Lakes Province. I also have been elected to leadership positions in Phi Lambda Sigma, National Community Pharmacists Association, and Sigma Alpha Agricultural Sorority. Considering student pharmacists are the future, I believe it is my responsibility to assist in paving the way for the advancement of pharmacy by serving as an advocate. Winning this award is extremely honorable and it means that I have the ability to be a well-rounded pharmacist and constantly improve in all aspects of my profession.