At the FIP World Congress

During FIP’s World Congress, the YPG leads sessions and workshops either independently or in collaboration with FIP Sections/SIGs. Topics organised by the YPG for recent FIP annual congresses include:

• Act now! How pharmacists can help in the global refugee crisis (2019)
• Tackling the equity issue: Global challenges for women in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences (2019)
• Working together to score the goals: How are the FIP Workforce Development Goals being globally implemented? (2019)
• Superdrugs for superbugs: Antibiotics of the future (2019)
• The Ethics Forum - What does it mean to exercise "conscientious objection"? (2019)
• Professional Development Tools to Advance Your Pharmacy Career (2018)
• Breakthroughs in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology for Oral Delivery of Anticancer Drugs (2018)
• From Theriaca to Pharmacogenetic Medicines: Pharmacy History (2018)
• The Renaissance of Community Pharmacy: Is it Time to Let Go of Dispensing? (2018)
• How to Achieve Good Public Health Across Cultures (2016)
• The Pharmacist is Online: Social Media for Beginners (2016)
• Complementary and Herbal Medicines: From Lab to Community (2015)
• Pharmacy Needs More Leaders — How to Respond (2015)

In 2019, we hosted our second two-day Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) in collaboration with FIP and the FIP Academic Pharmacy Section. Some of the topics discussed included project management skills, succession planning, leadership styles, how to run effective meetings, and communication skills, and how young pharmacists are able to contribute in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Other activities that occur at Congress are the recognition of YPG grant/award recipients, YPG Assembly meetings, and Steering Committee elections. One of the best parts of attending Congress is reuniting with old friends and establishing new relationships around the world!

FIP Regional Conference

In the first Regional Conference in Amman, Jordan, together with IPSF EMRO and the Jordanian Pharmaceutical Students’ Association, the YPG conducted a lunch session discussion to identify the challenges of pharmacy students and young practitioners within the EMRO Region. The report on this programme can be seen through this link.

Newsletter

We keep our members informed about FIP activities and other relevant topics via our newsletters at least four times a year.

Webinars

In 2019, the YPG hosted webinars and workshops for its members and congress delegates. Some webinars which were conducted last year include:

1. YPG-IPSF Benefits and Opportunities.
This webinar introduces activities within FIP YPG and IPSF. The recording of the webinar can be accessed through this link.

2. Digital health: Where does pharmacy stand?
This webinar explores the opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy students at the intersection of digital technology and healthcare. The recording of the webinar can be accessed by YPG members through this link.

3. Advanced role of the next generation of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists in public health.
This webinar explores the initiatives that pharmaceutical scientists, pharmacists and students around the world are undertaking to promote public health within the local, national and international context. The recording of the webinar can be accessed by YPG members through this link.

4. Celebrating three years of Nanjing Conference: How young pharmacy workforce and students can be involved.
This webinar explores how pharmacy students and next-generation pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists can be involved in workforce development projects. The recording of the webinar can be accessed by YPG members through this link.

5. The role of youth in achieving one of the triple billion targets of the World Health Organization.
This webinar explores the challenges faced by students and early career professionals in accessing the health labour market to fill the 18 million health workers shortage needed to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This webinar also addresses issues specific to young pharmacists and their contributions towards the provision of safe and effective medicines in the UHC era. The recording of the webinar can be accessed by YPG members through this link.

6. FIP YPG grant for professional innovation - How to prepare a successful application. The recording of the webinar can be accessed by YPG members through this link.

World Health Assembly (WHA) Delegation

For the first time, the YPG was able to attend the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) as FIP delegates. There were a number of sessions and side events that YPG participated in and led during the week of the WHA.

Prior to the start of the WHA, three YPG officers collaborated with other young professional organisations (International Pharmaceutical Students Federation [IPSF], World Congress of Chiropractic Students, and International Federation of Medical Students’ Association) to lead a warm-up dance on stage for the 2nd Annual Walk the Talk event.

YPG members who were invited as panellists during youth-led side events, including the WHO Global Health Workforce Network Youth Hub event. As chair of the World Health Professions Alliance in 2019, FIP hosted a high-level dinner and a technical seminar during the WHA to address the 18 million health workers shortage. During this High-Level dinner, the YPG members led various discussions with a variety of health professional organisations’ representatives.

Together with the IPSF, YPG also submitted a joint statement on the “Strengthening synergies between the World Health Assembly and the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control”. The statement can be accessed here. The YPG also submitted a call to action to address the 18 million health workers shortages which can be accessed through this link. The WHA bulletin can be accessed here.

Collaboration with IPSF

The YPG maintains good relations with the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF). In 2019, the YPG collaborated with the IPSF in holding several webinars, for a joint statement for Tobacco in the World Health Assembly in 2019 (see above section) and to have a joint leadership meeting in the FIP World Congress in Abu Dhabi as well as in the FIP Regional Conferences in both Amman and Ankara. In 2020, the YPG has continued to have several collaborations with the IPSF including session proposal development for the 2020 FIP World Congress in Brisbane, projects, campaigns, and professional development activities.

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