International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation

International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation
legal form	non-profit registered association
founding	1949, London , Great Britain
Seat	The Hague , Netherlands
Members	350,000
Website	www.ipsf.org

Founded in London in 1949, the International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation (IPSF) is one of the world's oldest, internationally active student organizations. IPSF is the largest international advocacy group for pharmacy students with the aim of further education, networking, publications and campaigns. Today the association represents over 350,000 students and young graduates from over 84 countries.

history

The idea for the establishment came from the then secretary of the British Pharmaceutical Students' Association (BPSA), Stephen B. Challen, during its 6th annual congress in 1948 . The association was formed on August 25, 1949 with the adoption and signing of the statutes during the inaugural conference in London. On the same day Sidney J. Relph was elected the first President of IPSF, along with 4 other board members. The 8 founding states are Austria, Australia, Denmark (which also represented Finland, Norway and Sweden), Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

aims

Establishing permanent contact with the national associations of pharmacy students;
Promotion of the exchange of ideas through international cooperation and support for the expansion of scientific knowledge and professional expertise;
Promote the creation and development of national pharmaceutical student organizations without exceeding their scope;
Gathering opinions and information on the subject of training and developing suggestions for improvement, with the aim of standardizing pharmaceutical training worldwide;
Encouraging member associations to organize international pharmaceutical congresses annually;
Promotion and support of international visits and exchanges by students;
Publication of the IPSF News Bulletin as a press organ;
Cooperation with other international associations on a scientific and cultural level and in the field of education

structure

membership

IPSF has both student associations and individuals as members, so-called Individual Members (IM). Associations with full members (FM) form the majority of pharmacy students in a country and have voting rights in the general assembly. Extraordinary members (Members in Association, MiA) are allowed to participate in discussions during the General Assembly, but have no active voting rights. Each member organization appoints a contact person (CP) who is the link between the IPSF and the members of the association. Pharmacy students and graduates (up to four years after graduation) can become individual members. Individual members receive regular updates from IPSF, but are not allowed to vote during the general assembly. Friends of Federation (FoF) are supporters.

General Assembly

The general assembly meets once a year to discuss all affairs and plans of the association, review reports and elect the board of directors.

Board and sub-committees

The board consists of ten elected members: President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman of Public Health, Chairman of Education, Chairman of Professional Development, Chairman of Internal Relations, Chairman of External Relations, Chairman of Media and Publications, and Chairman of the Student Exchange Program. The Board also includes co-opted members such as the Chair of the Reception Committee for the annual Congress and the Chair of the Regional Offices. All board members work on a voluntary basis, with one member working permanently as a permanent officer in The Hague. IPSF has sub-committees to support and monitor the work of the board. Members can propose themselves to the subcommittees at the general assembly.

Regional Offices

The regional office is a functional extension of the board, the purpose of which is to implement and support the association's goals at the local level. It is run by students from IPSF member countries in a specific region. These elected members form the regional working group.

African Regional Office ( AfRO ) founded in 2008
Asia Pacific Regional Office ( APRO ) founded in 1999
Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office ( EMRO ) - established in 2008
Pan American Regional Office ( PARO ) founded in 1999
European Regional Office ( EuRO ) - 2013

Annual congresses

1948 - Preparatory Meeting, London, United Kingdom
1949 - 1st Conference, London, United Kingdom
1951 - 2nd conference, Copenhagen, Denmark
1952 - 1st study trip, London, United Kingdom
1953 - 3rd conference, Leiden, the Netherlands
1954 - 2nd study trip, Frankfurt, Germany
1955 - 4th conference, Vienna, Austria
1956 - 3rd study trip, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia
1957 - 5th Congress, Mosney, Ireland
1958 - 4th study trip, Strasbourg, France
1959 - 6th Congress, Noordwijk, the Netherlands
1960 - 5th study trip, Stockholm, Sweden
1961 - 7th Congress, Munich, Germany
1962 - 8th Congress, Barcelona, Spain
1963 - 9th Congress, London, United Kingdom
1964 - 10th Congress, Istanbul, Turkey
1965 - 11th Congress, Bray, Ireland
1966 - 12th Congress, Vienna, Austria
1967 - 13th Congress, Madrid, Spain
1968 - 14th Congress, Scheveningen, Netherlands
1969 - 15th Congress, Istanbul, Turkey
1970 - 16th Congress, Berlin, Germany
1971 - 17th Congress, Elsinore, Denmark
1972 - 18th Congress, Jerusalem, Israel
1973 - 19th Congress, Paris, France
1974 - 20th Congress, Cape Town, South Africa
1975 - 21st Congress, Helsinki, Finland
1976 - 22nd Congress, Vienna, Austria
1977 - 23rd Congress, Mexico City, Mexico
1978 - 24th Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland
1979 - 25th Congress, Valletta, Malta
1980 - 26th Congress, Madrid, Spain
1981 - 27th Congress, Belfast, Northern Ireland
1982 - 28th Congress, Sigtuna, Sweden
1983 - 29th Congress, Lausanne, Switzerland
1984 - 30th Congress, Alexandria, Egypt
1985 - 31st Congress, Noordwijk, Netherlands
1986 - 32nd Congress, Panama City, Panama
1987 - 33rd Congress, Jerusalem, Israel
1988 - 34th Congress, Nottingham, United Kingdom
1989 - 35th Congress, Philadelphia, USA
1990 - 36th Congress, Vienna, Austria
1991 - 37th Congress, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Malta
1992 - 38th Congress, Lisbon, Portugal
1993 - 39th Congress, Cape Town, South Africa
1994 - 40th Congress, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
1995 - 41st Congress, Accra, Ghana
1996 - 42nd Congress, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
1997 - 43rd Congress, Vancouver, Canada
1998 - 44th Congress, Helsinki, Finland
1999 - 45th Congress, London, United Kingdom
2000 - 46th Congress, San Salvador, El Salvador
2001 - 47th Congress, Cairo, Egypt
2002 - 48th Congress, Budapest, Hungary
2003 - 49th Congress, Singapore
2004 - 50th Congress, Halifax, Canada
2005 - 51st Congress, Bonn, Germany
2006 - 52nd Congress, Cairns, Australia
2007 - 53rd Congress, Taipei, Taiwan, China
2008 - 54th Congress, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2009 - 55th Congress, Bali, Indonesia
2010 - 56th Congress, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2011 - 57th Congress, Hat Yai, Thailand
2012 - 58th Congress, Hurghada, Egypt
2013 - 59th Congress, Utrecht, Netherlands
2014 - 60th Congress, Porto, Portugal
2015 - 61st Congress, Hyderabad, India

Projects

Public Health

IPSF actions mainly take place in the areas of public health, pharmaceutical education and professional development. This includes health campaigns, research into problems in pharmaceutical education, the Student Exchange Program, international and regional congresses and the organization of symposia, as well as the publication of the News Bulletin and the scientific features section Phuture. Public health is of global concern. Therefore, IPSF seeks that its member associations participate in activities that have a positive impact on health and health knowledge in their home countries and towns. The association plays an active role in promoting and implementing such actions, and its work is actively supported by cooperation with WHO.

Public Health Campaigns

IPSF currently supports four international health campaigns advertised in collaboration with WHO. IPSF facilitates the distribution of WHO materials to member associations to enable them to implement public health activities at national and local levels.

HIV / AIDS awareness campaign

HIV / AIDS Campaign Logo

The HIV / AIDS awareness campaign is one of the oldest of the IPSF. The content of the campaign is constantly evolving to meet the requirements of all member countries. The original aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of the disease and to promote prevention. Today, the focus is on educating health professionals and the general public about the discrimination and stigma associated with the disease. Advocating universal access to antiretroviral treatment is also a new direction for the campaign.

Tobacco Alert Campaign

This campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and the deadly consequences of tobacco use. Based on the WHO Code of Practice on Tobacco Control for Health Professional Organizations , the IPSF has developed a Code of Practice on Tobacco Control, which is intended to encourage member associations to play a more active role in promotion to enter a smoke-free world and live a healthy lifestyle. The tobacco alert campaign has become one of IPSF's most popular campaigns. Many campaigns targeting younger audiences (e.g. high school students) have also helped IPSF members practice successfully conveying health topics to different audiences and using the initiative to develop effective and informative presentations.

Tuberculosis campaign

IPSF Anti-TB Campaign Logo

In May 2004, IPSF became the first professional organization representing pharmacists or pharmacy students to join the “WHO Stop TB Partnership”. A joint statement was also issued by IPSF and the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association (CPA) entitled Partnerships - Keys to Improving the Health of Tuberculosis / HIV Patients. As a result, the global Plan Stop TB 2006–2015: Actions for Life - for a World Without Tuberculosis was launched. This endeavor gave IPSF many opportunities to participate in discussion groups and forums related to the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis (TB). TB is a disease that affects many countries around the world, so members are encouraged and supported to work with pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical institutions in their country to work as an interdisciplinary team to implement the Plan Stop TB and World Tuberculosis Day through educational activities. In this way, pharmacy students can be trained through the work of their colleagues. The TB Internet forum for pharmacists and pharmacy students, www.pharmacistsfighttb.org, is jointly managed by the IPSF and the CPA. IPSF, CPA and the Indian Pharmacists' Association implemented the TB factual project, in which pharmacists from Mumbai, India took an active role in the prevention and treatment of TB by educating patients about the disease and giving intensive counseling sessions.

Healthy Living and Diabetes Campaign

The Healthy Living and Diabetes Campaign started in August 2005 and is one of the newer campaigns by IPSF. The aim is to raise awareness of a healthy lifestyle and the treatment of diabetes and to promote preventive rather than reactive health promotion. The goals also include giving pharmacy students the motivation and practice of interdisciplinary collaboration by planning events and campaigns. A healthy lifestyle and diabetes will be one of the focal points of the association in the coming years. In terms of content, it aims to raise awareness among health professionals and the general public about the prevention and care of these chronic diseases.

World health day

World Health Day logo

The association supports the World Health Day every year, with a new topic or motto being set. The aim is to make pharmacy students and pharmacists aware of this health problem, with the aim of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Campaign against counterfeit drugs

The campaign against counterfeit drugs, which started in August 2007, is one of the latest IPSF campaigns. This campaign is the first against counterfeit drugs aimed at students in the health sector. The main aim of the project is to increase the general awareness of aspiring health professionals about the risks associated with counterfeit and substandard medicines. Counterfeit and substandard drugs are a serious and growing public health problem. Counterfeit medicines are deliberately and fraudulently mislabeled with regard to their identity and / or origin. The term "counterfeit" can refer to branded products as well as generic products. a. Products are that have the wrong ingredients, have no active ingredients, have the wrong amount of active ingredients, or whose packaging is counterfeit. However, the counterfeit medicine usually imitates the original, not the generic one. Pharmacists, doctors, nurses and other health professionals play an important role in educating the public about the risks and dangers of counterfeit and substandard medicines. The campaign aims to raise awareness among aspiring health professionals and provide them with information about the dangers of counterfeit and substandard medicines.

Humanitarian

Several IPSF member organizations have already organized some humanitarian actions such as the Vampire Cup (blood donation day), collecting toys and books for children, clothing collection, Christmas bazaar, etc. By supporting local activities, IPSF wants to encourage all member countries to continue their work. Through the exchange of ideas, the drafting of materials for humanitarian campaigns and mutual aid, each member organization can thus be able to carry out charitable activities in their own country.

Pharmaceutical education (and professional development)

The association strives to give pharmacy students around the world opportunities to expand their knowledge base and encourages member associations to take an active part in improving education.

Moving On Research

Moving On is a series of questionnaire-based research projects on the subjects of work and training. Apart from the fact that relevant topics are dealt with in the training, the project is a platform for pharmacy students to improve teaching and to engage in scientific research. The results of the project will be published in the journal Pharmacy Education.

Moving On I - Academic Mobility

The study assessed international trends in the exchange of university staff and researchers in the field of pharmaceutical sciences, as well as factors that promote or hinder mobility. 162 scientists from 24 countries took part in the 2002-2003 study.

Moving On II - Pharmaceutical Curriculum and Student Learning Experiences

There is a lot of interest in developing standards in pharmaceutical education as health policymakers now focus more on pharmacists and pharmacists. Optimizing the curriculum and conveying the material are just as important as the content for effective learning. Since the students are most affected by the system, their participation is important for making informed decisions in the further development of educational policy. Therefore, the learning experience and quality of training from the perspective of the students are examined in order to develop a basis for education and further training. This project enables a global comparison of the learning experiences of pharmacy students. It is the first study to draw international comparisons in the field of pharmaceutical education and the largest of its kind to date. It also collected data on student numbers, professional goals and motivation for studying pharmacy. The project ran from March 2005 to June 2007 and received over 5000 responses from 25 countries. There are plans to conduct this research regularly as a long-term study to track changes in pharmaceutical education.

Moving On III - Future pharmacists and the intention to emigrate

The brain drain describes the situation in which highly qualified workers, especially in the health sector, migrate to richer countries due to better conditions and higher wages.

The project, in conjunction with the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005–2014, was a joint effort with the FIP. The aim here was to determine the factors of education and environment of pharmacy students that influence their interest in migration as well as the identification of Intervention areas. A validated questionnaire that can also be applied to other professions is under development. Since data collection began in April 2006, 801 responses have been received from final year students in nine countries.

Leaders in training

As part of the collaboration with the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA), IPSF has adopted its “training culture” and has begun to develop it further. Students can acquire and deepen knowledge and skills that are not explicitly in the curriculum, but are already helpful for people who want to get involved. There are short-term and long-term benefits for organizations. The training takes place in an interactive cascade. Professional trainers give workshops in small groups on a variety of topics such as leadership style, presentation technique, group dynamics, project development, etc. The newly trained trainers then plan, give and evaluate their own training sessions for IPSF members at international and national meetings as well as at the local level.

Publications

In 1999, the IPSF and the European Pharmaceutical Students' Association (EPSA) jointly published the booklet Pharmaceutical Education: A Vision of the Future, which reported on major developments in the pharmaceutical education of students worldwide. IPSF also publishes Phuture, an annual scientific feature section that accompanies the IPSF News Bulletin. Each issue deals with a current topic in pharmacy or healthcare. Past topics included e.g. B. healthy living and aging, compliance or interdisciplinary cooperation.

Patient counseling and clinical skills

Patient counseling is one of the main responsibilities of the pharmacist, so IPSF believes that improving communication skills and clinical knowledge should be part of the pharmaceutical curriculum. Patient Counseling Events (PCE) and Clinical Skills Events (CSE) are organized on an international and local level to prepare for the role of pharmacist. In the PCE, a consultation is simulated in a pharmacy, the student only has a short read-in time beforehand to find out about the drug to be dispensed and then proves his skills in front of a jury. PCEs demonstrate and promote the importance of communication skills in drug therapy and disease management, the pharmacist-patient relationship and the improvement of compliance. Such events support successful communication and interaction with the patient in the form of a competition in a relaxed environment. Together with the FIP “Pharmacy Information Section” department, IPSF has developed a booklet for patient counseling - Counseling, Concordance, and Communication: Innovative Education for Pharmacists (German advice, concordance and communication: Innovative education for pharmacists). The brochure was published in 2005 and drew a lot of attention to the subject. It was offered to pharmacy students and pharmacists to improve their counseling skills. There are plans for further development of the manual, e.g. B. the addition of guidelines for pediatric counseling and education. Clinical Skills Events are designed to test and improve knowledge in the field of clinical pharmacy. Various problems are conceived that can arise in therapy. Participants have to solve these at different stations.

Pharmacy Professional Awareness Campaign

Through the Pharmacy Profession Awareness Campaign (PPAC), the organization tries to give the profession more transparency.

Scientific symposia are meeting places where science-based research and topics are presented through plenary lectures and poster exhibitions, while the education forum takes up current topics in pharmaceutical education in lectures and workshops. These events take place during the annual congress as well as at regional meetings.

FIP and IPSF work together on the Student Day program that takes place annually at the FIP Congress. The program always has a specific topic that is also appealing to students. In addition, IPSF holds joint meetings with individual departments of the FIP.

Student Exchange Programs

(SEP, German student exchange program) IPSF supports the mobility of pharmacy students in order to prepare them well for work in a dynamic and global health system. The global exchange of specialist knowledge, ideas, skills and experience is important for international development in pharmaceutical professions. Since 1958, the Student Exchange Program (SEP) has offered IPSF members the opportunity to get to know training, practice and research outside their home country. Around 50 member countries are currently participating in the SEP and over 700 exchanges take place every year, and the number is rising. The aim of the SEP is to promote understanding and collaboration among pharmacy students and other health professionals. It enables a unique cultural experience and also helps students to expand their knowledge of pharmaceutical and social framework conditions in other countries. The SEP runs year round, but most exchanges take place between May and September and last between one and three months. The internship positions can be in the public pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, industry or in the academic field. Each exchange is followed by an evaluation that allows IPSF to improve the program based on the feedback received. The chairman of the Student Exchange Program heads the Student Exchange Committee and coordinates the program through the national Student Exchange Officers (SEO).

Internships

Internships are offered in Geneva and in The Hague. IPSF has negotiated internship positions for the Stop TB Secretariat and in the WHO Drug Guidelines and Standards Department. This gives members the chance to gain insight into the public health sector and gain valuable experience here. During the internship in the IPSF Secretariat, members are selected who will spend a month in The Hague to support the board in their work.

Cooperations

IPSF partners with IFMSA to increase collaboration between different areas of the healthcare system for the benefit of the patient. In November 2005, the first World Medical and Pharmacy Students (WorldMaPS) Symposium was held in Saint John's Bay, Malta. The event was organized jointly by IPSF, IFMSA, EPSA and the European Medical Students' Association (EMSA, German European Association of Medical Students). During this, the largest international meeting of pharmacy and medical students to date, the future collaboration between the two health professions and among the students was discussed. At the second World Healthcare Students' Symposium (WorldHSS) in Albufeíra, Portugal, the International Nursing Student Network was also involved.

2005 - 1st WHSS - Saint John's Bay, Malta
2007 - 2nd WHSS - Albufeíra, Portugal
2009 - 3rd WHSS - Alexandria, Egypt
2011 - 4th WHSS - Prague, Czech Republic

In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between EPSA and IPSF during the EPSA Annual Congress in April 2011, which is intended to consolidate the previous cooperation. IPSF also maintains contact with ELSA (European Law Students' Association).

partner

In August 2006, the association was granted the so-called Roster Consultative Status (dt. List Consultative Status) with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. IPSF also works closely with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (German: International Pharmaceutical Association). The IPSF Secretariat in The Hague (Netherlands) is supported by FIP.

Professional organizations

International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
World health organization
United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture ( UNESCO ) (operational relations)
Commonwealth Pharmacists' Association (CPA)