Minnesota Pharmacists Association

Off to a Great Start

2012-01-24T15:30:00.000-06:00

Politics have always fascinated me. Ever since I took government and political science classes in high school, everything about the political process has been fair game for my free time. Some people get excited when their favorite sports teams are on TV or for large events like the Super Bowl or World Series. Not me. I get excited for Election Day. I tuned into many

Another week at the Capitol and more

2011-04-19T15:32:00.002-05:00

Dear Readers, Welcome back to another week’s blog! This past week has given me the opportunity to go back to the Capitol and sit in committee meetings as well as participate in Julie Johnson’s presentation on PBMs to representative Carolyn McElfatrick. It was really interesting to see what it is like to set up a meeting with a representative and how receptive they are of

Another week of fun and inspiration!

2011-04-18T09:51:00.000-05:00

Dear readers, Welcome back to the MPhA blog. This week has been filled with activities and events that have undoubtedly enriched me with inspiration to not only practice pharmacy in the near future but also improve the world evolving around it. Although we attended many meetings within the MPhA office in order to talk about different issues that they are working on,

Visit the MPhA Career Center!

2011-04-08T15:44:00.002-05:00

Did you know that MPhA has a Career Center?! As Gina mentioned in one of her blogs, MPhA is working to update the website to serve you better. This week I have spent some time scanning the site and looking for things that we can improve and I stumbled across a wonderful resource – the MPhA Career Center! The Career Center offers some great options for both job seekers

Understanding the Legislature

2011-04-08T15:43:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been two weeks and I think I'm beginning to decipher a little bit of the complex code that is our legislative system. After getting to see the whole show last week by sitting in on some senate sessions, this week got a little more intimate with some house and senate hearings. Delving deeper into the process gave me a better understanding of the legislature.

A Wonderful Week

2011-04-04T15:39:00.003-05:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Dear readers, My name is Festina Balidemaj and I am a fourth year pharmacy student at the

Exploring our Capitol

2011-04-04T15:38:00.000-05:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Hello and welcome! My name is Chad Peterson and this is my first foray

Minnesota Pharmacists at APhA

2011-04-04T15:37:00.000-05:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Courier New"; }@font-face { font-family: "Wingdings"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.ListParagraph,

Nate’s Week 4

2011-03-22T13:55:00.001-05:00

We enjoyed a shorter work week due to a holiday and meeting for our 4th and second to last week with MPhA. Monday was spent gathering resources for the website updates. I’ve been gathering some useful links and billing information for MTM services. I’m not sure when the MPhA site will be officially updated with the new links, but hopefully you will find the info helpful

What a week!

2011-03-22T13:54:00.000-05:00

My name is Maggie Wallace. I am a recent graduate from North Dakota State University and am currently a Pharmaceutical Care Leadership Resident at the University of Minnesota. I started a professional advocacy rotation at MPhA this week and it has been quite a week! I’ll share a few highlights with you… I find the political process fascinating! On Wednesday, I was able

MTM Marketing Symposium

2011-03-22T13:51:00.002-05:00

Nate and I had a busy but short week due to PD4 class meeting and University Holiday! We attended "Marketing MTM Services," a seminar held at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy and hosted by the UPlan University insurance benefit. The seminar covered new information specific to UPlan, covering topics such as changes to the Prior Authorization process via Prime

Nate’s Week #3 at MPhA

2011-03-17T10:59:00.000-05:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt;

Another Fun-Filled Week at MPhA!

2011-03-17T10:57:00.000-05:00

This past week Nate and I had the opportunity to spend some more time at the capital and meet with legislators to discuss current issues in pharmacy! Everyone who we have spoken with has been very receptive and supportive of our proposed audit standardization bill. I am hoping the bill is dropped soon, so that Nate and I can see how this process works firsthand! I was able to some research on US

Nate’s Week 2 at MPhA

2011-03-09T10:53:00.003-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Well, as expected, it was another busy week at MPhA. I wanted to give everyone a quick

The Role of the Pharmacist and Emergency Preparedness

2011-03-07T11:18:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Our visits to legislators seem to be slowing a bit, just in time for other

Exciting Week at the Capitol!

2011-03-04T13:51:00.000-06:00

I am just wrapping another busy week at MPhA. We had several meeting with Minnesota state senators and representatives, as well as attended the House and Senate full session. The House session was very lively, with banter from both sides — similar to what you see in the movies! It was very exciting to see and hear them debate on omnibus House Bill number 1, containing controversial legislation

Week 1: student Chandler

2011-03-01T15:34:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration:

Learning about advocacy, legislation and the administrative side of MPhA

2011-03-01T15:30:00.000-06:00

Hello MPhA Members! I am so excited to spend my next 5 weeks learning about advocacy, legislation and the administrative side of MPhA— in order to meet the needs of the changing pharmacy environment! My name is Gina Rozinka and I am a 4th year student from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. I grew up in Plymouth Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota College of

Legislative season is upon us.

2011-02-22T10:30:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Legislative season is upon us. This week we attended many more meetings

Signing Out

2011-02-21T15:44:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Just wrapping up my last week here at MPhA, looking back I have had quite an eventful five weeks. In the last five

A new face at MPhA

2011-02-17T12:25:00.002-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Yet another new face with MPhA! I’m Alison Knutson, a recent graduate of

A Busy Week at the Capitol

2011-02-17T12:24:00.003-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } This week was filled with meetings at the Capitol. We had 11 meetings with Senators and Representatives. Our typical

Pharmacy Legislative Day

2011-02-17T12:24:00.000-06:00

On February 2nd, 2011 we hosted our Pharmacy Legislative Day. The day started at the University Club in St. Paul with speakers Tim, Julie Johnson, Cody Wiberg and Matt Lemke. The morning session briefly discussed our main concerns in this legislative session and talked briefly on our top seven then had some round table discussions for everyone to get more acquainted with the topics from

Week 2

2011-02-04T11:37:00.003-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Week two here at MPhA has proven to be a very busy week. We are trying to get ready for Pharmacy Legislative Day coming

A week with Ewald

2011-02-03T14:07:00.001-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } This has been quite an informative week for me. While Julie was gone I was taken in by the staff at MPhA and helped them

At the Capitol

2010-12-20T10:03:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } The highlight of this week was getting a nice tour of the capitol with Matt

Finishing up my time at MPhA: Week 5

2010-12-17T14:23:00.000-06:00

It’s been a full final week here at MPhA to get all my projects wrapped up. I spent the majority of my week finishing up the issue briefs for the upcoming Legislative Day on February 1 (sorry, quick plug for attendance). I’ve never attended the event in the past, but I’m looking forward to going this year, especially since I’ve spent so much time in the preparations and might get to see some of

Week 4: Behind the Scenes at MPhA

2010-12-13T14:23:00.000-06:00

It’s already week 4 at MPhA, which means I only have 1 short week left! It’s been a slower week with Zach gone to ASHP in California, but we’ve had some interesting meetings. On Wednesday, we had the December Board of Directors meeting where we spent much of the meeting talking about the intricacies of transitioning from the MPhA team to just Julie using Ewald consulting. I never thought of

A week in review

2010-12-07T11:02:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } As I sit here on the airplane going to CA, I find it funny that there are

Um, What’s a Practice Act?

2010-12-03T14:58:00.000-06:00

Last week was a short week with the Thanksgiving holiday, but I wanted to talk about an interesting meeting we attended. It was the Pharmacy Practice Act Working Group comprised of pharmacists in various aspects of pharmacy (legislative, academic, clinical, rural, etc) who all get together to work on drafting a new pharmacy practice act. I have to admit I went into the meeting not even knowing

Greetings Readers of the MPhA Blog

2010-11-30T14:07:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }em { }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } My name is Zachary Wyman, I am a 4th year student from the

Hi, I'm Michelle Korpela

2010-11-30T14:05:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Hello MPhA readers! My name is Michelle Korpela and I will be spending the next five

Week 5: My Last Week!

2010-11-18T13:48:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Georgia"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Monday evening was my first experience visiting the MN Board of Pharmacy. Julie

Week 4: AWARxE and MTM Symposium

2010-11-08T19:40:00.000-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Georgia"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoHeader, li.MsoHeader, div.MsoHeader { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:

Billing for MTM Services – What a …. Headache!

2010-11-01T14:39:00.000-05:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Courier New"; }@font-face { font-family: "Georgia"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }pre { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman

Out with the old, in with the new!

2010-10-29T11:33:00.001-05:00

Week 2 of my rotation at MPhA kicked off by relocating the office! This involved some hardcore organizing and “executive” decisions of what to throw out, what stays, and what comes with us! While moving never sounds “fun” it actually has been enjoyable since instead of being the “new” person – everyone is “new”! (Thus, one of the marvelous benefits of being a rotation student is being the new

Welcome Resident Smith

2010-10-20T09:54:00.001-05:00

Greetings MPhA members! I am writing as the newest addition to the Resident Blog – another PharmD IV student from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. My name is Stephanie Smith, born and raised in Minnetonka, MN. I completed 3 years of undergraduate coursework at the U of MN working towards a B.A. in Chemistry prior to entering pharmacy school. My rotation journey thus far has

Thank You

2010-10-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

I have finished my rotation with MPhA. I am sad to leave the organization since I have learned so much and had a great time here. I didn’t know what to expect when starting this rotation and was blown away by the variety of experiences I gained. Throughout my experience, I was able to meet a wide array of people who all shared an impressive background and a passion for their profession. I believe

Pharmacy Nights and DEA Surveys

2010-10-04T12:05:00.000-05:00

This week, I had the opportunity to travel to Duluth for MPhA’s pharmacy nights. Pharmacy nights occur in the fall and the spring across the state. It provides the opportunity to meet up with friends, learn about current pharmacy topics, and receive continuing education credit. For the Duluth pharmacy night, I was responsible for bring the materials from the MPhA office, helping to set up the

DEA Take Back Event

2010-10-04T12:02:00.001-05:00

[September 29, 2010] My time at MPhA seems to be flying by! Last Thursday I was able to attend the Legislative Commission on Health Care Access. This was an interesting meeting that focused on the balance between the federal and the state government. It was surprising to me to hear such a struggle to maintain independence from the federal government. During the session, there was an update on

New Experiences

2010-09-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

It has been another busy week with MPhA! On Monday, the MPhA board held their board retreat meeting which was at Upsher-Smith Laboratories in Maple Grove. I had never been to Upsher-Smith before and was impressed with their facility. We were offered a tour of the building, giving us the chance to see their labs, shipping facility, conference rooms and offices. They also gave us an update on the

Introducing Angie Streckert

2010-09-13T14:31:00.000-05:00

Hello MPhA members! My name is Angie Streckert and I am a fourth year pharmacy student at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. I am currently fortunate enough to be doing an APPE rotation at MPhA and will be spending 5 weeks here. I grew up in Minnesota and am still able to visit my parents frequently in Ham Lake. I attended the University of MN-Duluth for undergrad where I earned my

Final Blog

2010-09-07T12:47:00.001-05:00

It is my fifth and final week on rotation with Minnesota Pharmacists Association. Although my rotation is complete there are several things I will carry forward. I will be attending all future Health Care Access Committee meetings throughout the remainder of the year. These are housed at the State Capitol approximately every three to four weeks. Attending these meetings has given me exposure to

Congressional Open Houses

2010-08-30T12:23:00.000-05:00

I attended two different congressional open houses this week. I saw Keith Ellison in North Minneapolis on Monday and Betty McCollum in Saint Paul on Wednesday. Each open house was extremely effective at addressing the constituents and fielding their questions. Representative Ellison hosted his congressional open house in his office building. It was informal and he spoke with all attendees. I,

Emotional vs. Analytic Thinking in Pharmacy

2010-08-19T15:16:00.000-05:00

What do I care about? I would ponder this question for hours. I would analyze and think and analyze more. I never was able to identify what my issues of interest were. Then I stopped analyzing and pondering. I found that the issues that evoked emotion in me were the issues I should pursue. Analytic thought still has a profound place. Analyze a dose calculation, an antimicrobial choice, or a TPN

Welcome Chris Misfeldt!

2010-08-10T13:17:00.001-05:00

Hello MPhA members! My name is Chris Misfeldt and I am a fourth-year pharmacy student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. I will spend five weeks here at MPhA and am excited to gain exposure to a new pharmacy environment. I am originally from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, or as it is more commonly known, the home of Leinenkugel’s Brewery. My grandfather was a University of Wisconsin

The End of Five Weeks

2010-07-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

Today marks the end of my 5-week stint here at MPhA. Reflecting back upon my impressions coming into this rotation, I find that I have gained so much more knowledge and experience than I ever anticipated. The breadth of opportunities during these 5 weeks has unquestionably enhanced my pharmacy school experience and has opened my eyes to career options that I previously hadn’t considered. And

Reflections

2010-07-30T14:40:00.000-05:00

Well it’s my last day here at MPhA and it is time to reflect on my time spent here. Overall, this rotation has been a lot different than what I was expecting. It was a learning experience for everyone, including Julie (our preceptor). She had not had any students come during this part of the year (July) until Laura and I joined her. Normally the students are heavily involved in the

Rural Pharmacy

2010-07-26T08:42:00.000-05:00

This week at MPhA was interesting to say the least! We decided to expand our focus of independent community pharmacy out of the Twin Cities Metro area and into the rural setting. This was a welcome change for me because I have not experienced rural pharmacy in any capacity in the past. So I had a lot to learn… We started off the week on a 2 day road trip to southwest Minnesota. The group was

A Glimpse of Rural Pharmacy Practice

2010-07-23T11:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a week it’s been! Our days have been filled with travel and meetings all over southern Minnesota. Monday and Tuesday were spent in Worthington, Adrian, and Fairmont touring Sterling Drug stores and the towns. Thursday brought us to Comfrey to speak with Jim Schneider about the recent closure of Schneider Drug. This week provided an informative glimpse into rural pharmacy, which I

The Many Directions of MPhA

2010-07-19T14:12:00.000-05:00

The end of week 3 is here and it’s time to reflect and keep everyone updated on our progress. Laura and I have had an interesting week. One of the things I have noticed about being in a position like Julie’s is that her job can take her in countless directions everyday. I remember feeling the same way on my community IPPE rotation due to the wide variety of patients I would see. However, this

Week Three

2010-07-15T17:11:00.000-05:00

The conclusion of week 3 is fast approaching, and this week’s schedule was again filled with varied experiences. Monday started off with an MPhA staff meeting where the main topic of discussion was reflection regarding the recent Annual Meeting. Staff discussed the venue, logistical concerns, and some feedback from attendees in an effort to identify opportunities for improvement. I know that

Welcome Resident Nickell!

2010-07-09T17:12:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! My name is Mark Nickell and I am a fourth year pharmacy student from the University of Minnesota. Much like the other students who have done a rotation with MPhA, I will give you all a brief introduction about me and share some of my excitement about being here with MPhA for this rotation. I was born and raised in Eagan, MN from a family of seven children! After graduating

Welcome Resident Grube!

2010-07-09T17:06:00.000-05:00

Hello readers – My name is Laura Grube and I am a fourth-year pharmacy student at the University of Minnesota. I’m here with the Minnesota Pharmacists Association for my first five-week rotation. I grew up in Plymouth, MN and am the first in my family to enter a health care field. I completed my undergraduate studies at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, MN with a four-month stint at

The Results Are In!

2010-06-01T13:06:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all who returned their ballots last month - we are excited to announce the results! President Elect - Scott Setzepfandt Secretary/Treasurer - Bill Diers Board Member At Large - Tiffany Elton Rural Board Member - Mark Trumm Metro Board Member - James Marttila Congratulations to all! The above newly elected board members will begin their term on the last day of the MPhA Annual

Annual Meeting Housing Forms Due Tomorrow

2010-05-25T15:03:00.000-05:00

If you know you will be attending the MPhA Annual Meeting in June and will require housing, please be sure to submit your housing form to Grand View Lodge by tomorrow. After this date, your reservation will be subject to availability. Find more information on our event link!

Urgent! Call Legislators NOW on Pharmacy Bill!

2010-05-07T16:29:00.001-05:00

It is extremely important that you call your legislator today and urge support for the House Version of the Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill. This bill will attempt to adjust the prescription drug reimbursement to a rate equivalent to that prior to September 29, 2009. If you are a constituent of the conference committee members listed below, PLEASE call them today! REPRESENTATIVES: Jim

Space still available - Register today for this FREE program!

2010-05-04T17:30:00.001-05:00

MAY 6 - FOCUS ON BIOLOGICS: THE WHO, WHEN AND WHY OF NOVEL APPROACHES TO IMID Minneapolis Marriott Southwest, 5801 Opus Parkway, Minnetonka, MN 55343 6:00-6:30 p.m. - Registration/Dinner 6:30-8:30 p.m. - Program Are you a Managed Care or Specialty Pharmacy Pharmacist? Then this program is for YOU! Visit the link above for more information and registration.

Win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

2010-04-18T20:41:00.000-05:00

Pharmacists - please give us a few minutes of your time and complete a brief survey on your involvement and views of what is important for the profession. In return, you'll earn a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mphasurvey

My First Visit to the Capitol

2010-04-14T12:01:00.001-05:00

This is my third week at MPhA and I recently saw some action at the capitol. My very first hearing (is that even what it’s called?) was on Health Care Reform chaired by Senator Linda Berglin of the Health and Human Services Budget Division. There were three main presentations: Dr. Lynn Blewett from the University of Minnesota gave us a run down on the Federal Health Care Reform’s Effect on

Introducing Quynh Nguyen

2010-04-07T14:02:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! My name is Quynh Nguyen and I definitely have a hard act to follow with both Dan and Meghan as my predecessors. Let me just start off by introducing myself. I am Vietnamese-American born in San Francisco and moved to the state of 10,000 lakes when I was about 14. I graduated from Burnsville High School and began my higher education at the University of Minnesota in 2001. This

End of Rotation

2010-03-26T13:51:00.000-05:00

So this is my last blog entry for this rotation. I was worried by the end of five weeks I would be jaded, disillusioned, and unappreciative of all things policy and government related. With all the twists and turns, unwritten rules, politics, disagreements, compromises, unilateral policy sweeps, tear-jerking testimonies, I don’t know how I could be disheartened. It’s a system I’m determined to

MERC Pharmacy Funding At Risk!

2010-03-24T17:31:00.000-05:00

MPhA and MSHP are jointly supporting the opposition to MERC cuts being proposed by the Governor. Help us stand together as a profession and fight for pharmacy! A MERC issue brief has been created to assist you in discussions with your legislators about the devastating cuts that will negatively affect educational funding for pharmacy and other medical professionals as proposed in the governor's

Connections

2010-03-23T11:28:00.000-05:00

Life at MPhA in the last two weeks has exploded and I feel I’ve been running around in a constant state of urgency. Committee meetings, hearing deadlines, unexpected bill introductions, and APhA are at the root of this but I’m coming to understand a lot more about policy and how sociopolitical interactions have a heavy hand in the on-goings of the Capitol. I will try to briefly summarize my

Annual Meeting Housing Form Available!

2010-03-18T22:11:00.000-05:00

The MPhA Annual Meeting is getting closer! While final information and registration will be available soon, the housing form is now available on the MPhA website. Keep watching the event page for updates and further information.

Holding Pharmacy Harmless

2010-03-03T11:28:00.000-06:00

So while the epilepsy bill remains simmering on the front burner, a second pot has started boiling over. The issue: reimbursement. When ruling against Medispan and First Data Bank’s inappropriate increase in brand name drug average wholesale prices (AWP) took effect, the AWP of these drugs dropped about 4%. The AWP serves as a reimbursement benchmark; payors will reimburse pharmacies at AWP

Welcome Resident Kelly

2010-02-26T18:49:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone! This is Meghan Kelly, fourth year pharmacy student from the University of Minnesota. I’ll follow suit with Dan’s blog and give a brief introduction about myself. I’m originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador but I am now officially a Minnesota resident. I graduated from North Park University in Chicago with a B.S. in Biology. My rotations have been a great experience and I’ve been able

Interested Candidates for MN BOP

2010-02-25T10:40:00.001-06:00

The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy has one pharmacist opening. Pharmacists interested in being appointed to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy who would like endorsement by MPhA and MSHP, need to submit the following information as soon as possible: A brief statement of your interest and qualifications along with a request for support A copy of your CV The application for open appointments that is

At the Capitol

2010-02-12T14:11:00.000-06:00

MPhA Legislative Day on Tuesday went great. As people came to the morning session we handed them a name badge, a card reminding them of their appointments and a folder with two sets of issue briefs to pass along to their legislators. Of the 50 or so meetings I set up only a handful needed to be changed. That morning the Senate called a floor session. This made it more difficult for some senators

Legislative Day

2010-02-12T14:08:00.001-06:00

[February 5, 2010] I spent half of Thursday and all of Friday on the phone setting up appointments for Legislative Day. Legislators are quite busy. They really want to meet with pharmacists but with session starting and committees going on there’s little time. I took what I could get from them. The other of Thursday was spent reading over issue briefs. The pharmaceutical waste one is of

Introducing MPhA Resident Dan Wahl

2010-02-12T14:03:00.000-06:00

[February 1, 2010] My name is Dan Wahl. I’m a PD4 student from the University of Minnesota on rotation at MPhA. I have a Chemistry degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato and will pursue an MBA part-time after completing my PharmD. I’m undecided as to what field of pharmacy I will enter come May but am looking at retail, hospital, managed care and nuclear pharmacy. This week started off

Midwinter Conference a Success!

2010-01-25T12:45:00.000-06:00

While the weather proved an obsticle for some, we had an amazing turnout for our Midwinter conference! We had a lot of fun, and our last speaker of the day had the crowd rolling with his interactive presentation on Pharmacogenomic Tests - thanks Dr. Ma! We're just getting started with our CE for the year - we hope you'll continue to join us as we explore pharmacy topics and make great new