Student Members: Click here to view the Student Members Section (you will need to login to view this area).

Background: The Student Section Executive Committee (SSEC) was approved by the TSHP Board of Directors in 1997, but it was not until the 1998-1999 academic year that the SSEC became an official council.  The council originally consisted of representatives from Student Society chapters of the University of Texas, Texas Tech University,  University of Houston, and Texas Southern University Colleges of Pharmacy. Today, the council consists of representatives from all six Texas Student Society chapters, a Chair, and a Vice Chair.

Duties:
Annual Meeting Planning

• The SSEC works together throughout the year to plan the student programming for the TSHP Annual Seminar.
• Planning includes recruiting speakers such as residents, residency directors, and new practitioners, and organizing the student social and networking events.
• The committee creates a student insert in the annual seminar program that explains the student schedule and outlines the Disease State Management and Clinical Skills Competitions.

Mentor/Mentee Program

• TSHP’s mentor program was established to foster communication among pharmacy students, new practitioners, and established pharmacists.
• Each November, students can fill out a simple application on the TSHP website (TSHP.org) and be matched with mentors from different regions.
• The SSEC encourages students to build strong relationships with their assigned mentors, who can provide them with counsel, encouragement, and advice in areas such as CV writing, career and post-graduate planning, and professional growth.

ASHP National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week

• To promote this week, the SSEC authored an article, which was submitted to campus newspapers at Texas universities. The article highlighted health-system pharmacy and encouraged students to celebrate their local pharmacists throughout the week.
• In addition, the SSEC created a Mentor Award for each SSHP Chapter to use to recognize noteworthy preceptors.

Statewide Intitiatives
Antibiotic/ Antiviral Statewide Project - Click here to download the brochure (or in Spanish)

• All six student chapters have worked together to develop educational tools to advocate the proper use of antibiotics among K-12 students, parents, and the community. The SSEC has developed brochures both in English and Spanish, educating patients on antibiotics and the increased incidence of resistance.
• Recently SSEC members have also prepared a new pamphlet with pertinent information about the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccinations.
• During the past three years, the student chapters and the SSEC have seen the advancement of this project and its impact on the community.

Medication Safety

• The members of the SSEC are currently working together to develop a program focused on medication safety.
• The goal of this initiative is to increase awareness among children, adolescents, and adults concerning the proper use, storage, and disposal of prescription medications.

Benefits of Membership:
There are many benefits to joining TSHP, even in your first year of pharmacy school. These include:

• Networking and professional interaction
• Concurrent membership with state, local, and college chapters
• Discounted registration for TSHP Annual Seminar
• Mentoring opportunities
• Scholarships
• Internship opportunities
• Online student newsletter
• Professional skill development through the Clinical Skills and Disease State Management Competitions
• Student leadership positions at the college, local, and state level

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Leadership Opportunities
Student members can take on leadership roles at the state, local, and college level. Through TSHP, students may apply to become a member of the Student Section Executive Committee and serve as a representative to the TSHP Board of Directors. Pharmacy students may also apply to be a member of one of the five TSHP Councils. Local TSHP chapters also have positions for students.
 
Local TSHP Meetings
Local TSHP chapters host regular meetings where students are invited to listen to a presentation on a disease state and meet local practitioners.
 
Mentoring Opportunities
Students have the opportunity to develop mentoring relationships across the state through involvement in TSHP activities.
 
Scholarships
The TSHP Research and Education Foundation provides numerous scholarships for students.
 
TSHP Annual Seminar
The Annual Seminar is an opportunity for students to network with other pharmacy students, practitioners, and future employers. Student socials are a fun way to meet your peers from across the state. Students also attend lectures on topics of interest such as preparing for residencies, studying for the NAPLEX, and clinical specialties. At the Residents Poster Competition and the TSHP Expo, students can meet residents and learn about residencies from all over the state.

Several student competitions also occur at Annual Seminar:

• The Clinical Skills Competition - This competition, held at the Annual Seminar, allows students to develop their clinical problem-solving skills. Students compete as teams of two. They are given a case where they analyze a patient’s medical record and assess his/her medical conditions. Each team then presents a therapy plan to a judging panel. Prizes are awarded to the top two teams at the TSHP annual meeting.
• The Disease State Management Competition - The Disease State Management Competition simulates a program at an outpatient clinic, such as a diabetes clinic. Students are presented a case where they will educate patients on their disease and evaluate their medications. After interviewing the patient, the student may make suggestions for modifying the therapy. The competition is judged at the Annual Seminar, and the winner will be recognized and receive a prize.
• Poster Competition - The TSHP Research and Education Foundation sponsors a poster competition each year at Annual Seminar. Here, students submit original scholarly work on research and professional practice topics, and a prize is awarded to the winner of the student category.

Membership Applications
Membership applications are available through your university’s SSHP advisor or chapter president.

_Taylor Nichols, Chair
University of the Incarnate Word

Christina Tan, Vice Chair
University of Houston

Texas A&M University
Nola Fry, Chapter President
Brady McNulty, President-elect
Shannon Fuller, Past Chapter President

Texas Southern University
Kinyatta Weatherspoon
Osita Okafor, Chapter President Elect
Helen Muoneke, Chapter Vice President

Texas Tech University
Anastasia Diamantopoulos, Chapter President
Cortny Anderson, President Elect
Greg Smith

University of Houston
Sunaina Rao, Chapter President
Twisha Patel

University of the Incarnate Word
Lindsay Thurman
Edita Bernardo

University of Texas
Sumon Sen, Chapter President
Samaneh Pourali
Amanda Laughlin Fowler

Section Liaison
Ryan Roux