My best advice regarding student organizations is to explore them all at the annual Student Organization Fair on Monday, August 22nd from 9-11am on the 2nd floor of the Biological Sciences/Pharmacy Library! Over the first few weeks, capitalize on the free food and attend the meetings of the organizations you find most interesting.  Then pick 1-3 organizations that you connect most with to become an active member.  Dedicating yourself to an organization and is the best way to find a leadership position and make the most of the opportunities an organization has to offer!

1. Pharmacy Council
   • Website: Carmen website, under “ongoing” – P1 students will be given access
   • Contact: Claire Mattison (mattison.31@osu.edu) and Caitlin Yocum (yocum.28@osu.edu)
   • Purpose Statement: We are an umbrella organization for all student pharmacy organizations and classes. We serve as the liaison between student organizations and between students and faculty. We organize fundraising, oversee class events, provide social interactions, and assist in recruitment events.
   • Why Join: Every student is already a member of Pharmacy Council! Our general body meetings are every other Thursday in Parks 107 during professional hour (11:30-12:30, and are open to all members of the College of Pharmacy. Leadership opportunities are definitely available to P1s—each class elects a president, vice president, secretary/treasurer, two class representatives, PharmD representative, and IPC representative.  P1 elections will take place at the beginning of the school year.
2. Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)
   • Website: http://amcposu.weebly.com/
   • Contact: Aakash Patel (patel.2254@osu.edu)
   • Purpose Statement: The purpose of AMCP is to provide students with an overview of managed care pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry as potential career paths. The OSU AMCP chapter shares the national organization’s mission of providing evidence-based and cost effective healthcare interventions for patients. It combines clinical aspects of pharmacy with sound business and economic models to make decisions that can improve the health of entire populations of patients.
   • Major activities: Pharmacy & Therapeutics Competition (2 elective credit hours), Managed Care & Industry Panel, Finding Your Future in 4 Minutes Networking Event (collaboration with APhA), Pharmacoeconomics Workshop, Managed Care Residency Roundtable, Field Trips to the Corporate Headquarters of Pharmaceutical Companies, Shadowing Opportunities at Health Plans, Accountable Care Organizations, and Government Agencies, Summer Internship Opportunities with Pharmaceutical Companies, Managed Care Organizations, Government Agencies, and Healthcare Consulting Firms, Mentorship Program with Managed Care/Industry Pharmacists, AMCP Midwest Regional Meeting, AMCP Nexus, AMCP Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting
   • Why Join: By being involved in AMCP, you will continuously be inspired by areas of pharmacy that are new, innovative, and have the potential to improve healthcare for all.  The ability to combine clinical knowledge with business rationale allow pharmacists to provide care to populations of patients and make an impact on a greater scale. As students, we are rarely exposed to managed care pharmacy in the curriculum so AMCP strives to fill this gap by hosting informative meetings and educational workshops that give students an opportunity to learn from pharmacists in executive positions that make managed care decisions every day. If you have an interest in business, entrepreneurship, healthcare consulting, public health, pharmacoeconomics, health outcomes research, or health policy, AMCP can provide you with the knowledge and connections to find the career path in pharmacy that is best suited for you!
3. American Pharmacist Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP)
   • Website: www.go.osu.edu/apha
   • Contact: Sarah Wheeler (wheeler.1085@osu.edu)
   • Purpose Statement: The mission of the APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) is to be the collective voice of student pharmacists, to provide opportunities for professional growth, to improve patient care, and to envision and advance the future of pharmacy.
   • Major Activities: Career fair, American Pharmacists Month, Midyear Regional Meeting, Operation Immunization, Operation Heart, Operation Diabetes, Helping Hands Free Clinic, Finding Your Future in Four Minutes, APhA Annual Meeting and many more
   • Why Join: APhA-ASP offers numerous opportunities for student pharmacists to reach out into their community and practice what they have learned in the classroom through our 9 Patient Care Projects as well as many different professional development opportunities. These opportunities bring us into all different age groups and areas of the community ranging from elementary aged children to the elderly to the underprivileged. APhA-ASP is a home to all student pharmacists, regardless of their area of practice, and provides leadership opportunities for P1-P4s.
4. The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)
   • Website: https://sites.google.com/site/ascposuchapter/
   • Contact:  Nettie Emmelhainz (emmelhainz.18@osu.edu), Student President;  Dr. Ruth Emptage (emptage.8@osu.edu), Faculty Advisor
   • Purpose Statement: ASCP’s mission and vision is to serve seniors wherever they reside.  ASCP members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, subacute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and home and community-based care.
   • Major activities: Fracture risk assessments for seniors, GenerationRx presentations on medication safety, ASCP social, and meetings on various topics of senior care and consultant pharmacy.
   • Why Join: As one of the smaller organizations in the college, we are a close-knit group of people passionate about senior care and consultant pharmacy. Come find out more about the issues facing older adults, the most complex patients in America, while enjoying good food during our meetings every other Tuesday!
5. Buckeyes Without Borders (BWB)
   • Website: http://go.osu.edu/buckeyeswithoutborders/ 
   • Contact: Joyce Zhang (zhang.1177@osu.edu) or buckeyeswithoutbordersosu@gmail.com
   • Advisors: Diane Gorgas and Kristi Schumacher
   • Purpose Statement: Buckeyes Without Borders strives to foster global health awareness and teach OSU healthcare students the benefits of an interdisciplinary healthcare team on positive patient outcomes through outreach and education in underserved communities abroad, where we identify and treat the medical needs of their populations.
   • Major Activities: Nicaragua Medical Brigade over Spring Break, Fundraising events to support the medical brigade such as the Lucky’s Beer Pong Tournament, Harry Potter Trivia, and Photo Mini Sessions Fundraiser
     Why Join: Not only does Buckeyes Without Borders give pharmacy students the opportunity to travel abroad and volunteer, but students also are making an impact on international patient lives, developing clinical skills and cultural awareness, and learning to work on an interdisciplinary healthcare team alongside medical, nursing, and social work students and faculty.  As a reestablished and growing organization, BWB has ample opportunities for leadership.
6. The College of Pharmacy Chili Cook-Off at The Ohio State University
   • Website: www.go.osu.edu/osuchilicookoff
   • Contact: Garrett Lambert (lambert.297@osu.edu)
   • Purpose Statement: The purpose of the Chili Cook-Off is to bring together students, staff and faculty at The Ohio State University in order to organize and produce an annual event that benefits the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio. Through bringing people together in the Ohio State Community for a common cause, the Chili Cook-Off unifies its members with a focus on their common purpose.
   • Major activities: Annual chili cook-off (November 18th, 5p-9p), 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Cupcake walk fundraiser
   • Why Join: The Chili Cook-off allows students to organize an event that brings together students, staff, and faculty at The Ohio State University as well as the Columbus community. This is a great way to give back to the community and support a local charity. As a member, you will have the opportunity to build relationships with other students, staff/faculty, alumni, local business people, and other important community members. Multiple leadership positions will be available each year.
7. College of Psychiatric & Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP-OSU)
   • Website: https://cpnp.org/
   • Contact: cpnposu@gmail.com
   • Purpose: The purpose of the OSU collegiate chapter of the College of Psychiatric & Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) is to (1) advocate for the role of neuropsychiatric pharmacists as integral members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, providing care for patients suffering from neurological/psychiatric conditions and (2) to serve our fellow students through programming that supports whole-body wellness, with an emphasis on mental health.
   • Major Activities: NAMIWalks Columbus, CPNP Journal Club, Harding Hospital Tour, and many more to come!
   • Why Join: Mental illness touches all of us, whether that means we personally struggle with a mental illness or know someone close to us that does. As a member of CPNP-OSU, you’ll have the opportunity to engage and network with pharmacists that work with these patients every day, providing compassionate, patient-centered care for those that struggle with mental illness. Our chapter is just now getting off the ground, and the sky’s the limit. We need members that are excited by the prospect of starting something new, that want to explore uncharted territory with us, and pursue their passions. Let us help you translate your ideas into action. Come be a part of a campus-wide movement, a growing culture of compassion, and represent the College of Pharmacy as founding members of CPNP-OSU.
8. Generation Rx Collaborative
   • Website: http://www.pharmacy.ohio-state.edu/outreach/generation-rx-initiative
   • Co-Advisors: Ken Hale (Hale.3@osu.edu) and Nicole Kwiek (Kwiek.1@osu.edu)
   • Contact: Marie Latsa, Co-President (latsa.3@osu.edu), Emily Spencer, Co-President (spencer.631@osu.edu), and Lindsey Stalnaker, Treasurer/Secretary (stalnaker.33@osu.edu)
   • Purpose Statement: The Generation Rx Collaborative will function as a collaboration of Generation Rx initiatives within existing student organizations at The Ohio State University, and serve as a conduit through which interested students can get involved in Generation Rx activities. The mission of our organization is to enhance medication safety amongst various populations and to fight the increasing misuse and abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs through educational prevention, both locally and globally.
   • Why Join: The Generation Rx Collaborative is a great way for students to create their own project ideas (or participate in our numerous existing projects) to combat prescription drug abuse and spread awareness across OSU, Columbus, and potentially statewide/nationwide. Our organization will only be able to thrive and make a difference with the help of a group of passionate students that want to make an impact. If you share this passion, please join The Generation Rx Collaborative! We would love to hear your ideas and help execute your vision on how we can help spread awareness to help educate the public on the growing prescription drug abuse/misuse epidemic.
9. Kappa Psi
   • Website: www.osukappapsixi.weebly.com
   • Contact: Kevin Wenceslao (wenceslao.1@osu.edu)
   • Purpose Statement: Our fraternity strives to advance the profession of Pharmacy educationally, fraternally, and socially. Our objective is to conduct a fraternal organization for the mutual benefit of the brothers and our profession. We instill the ideals of our fraternity, industry, sobriety, fellowship, and high ideals throughout our daily lives. We help serve the Columbus metro area through community projects and events. We learn from our past, ourselves, and our peers, while passing on the great tradition of Kappa Psi to future brothers.
   • Major activities: Helping Hands Clinic, Fall/Spring Province Assembly, Color Run, Rush events
   • Why Join: Kappa Psi is an organization that is built on brotherhood. We gather to build lifelong relationships that flourish inside and out of the classroom/workplace. Kappa Psi is also the organization of organizations. We gather students from all facets of the pharmacy profession and unite to promote each other and the projects we work on. This is a group that you’ll belong to beyond professional school. Kappa Psi for life.
10. LGBTQ + Health Professions
    • Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1795029814063210/
    • Contact: lgbtqhealth.osu@gmail.com
    • Faculty Advisors: Dr. Anna Haas-Gehres (College of Pharmacy) and Professor Lauren Haas-Gehres (College of Social Work)
    • Purpose Statement: This organization consists of interdisciplinary health professionals focused on carrying out three main objectives. 1) To act as a voice within the LGBTQ+ community and advocate for curriculum development at The Ohio State University. 2) Enhance and enrich members with professional development opportunities 3) Provide community outreach that focuses on bettering the needs of the LGBTQ+ community at large by working to address specific needs through service-related outreach.
    • Major activities: Monthly member meetings; LGBTQ health professionals workshop day; semesterly health professional development opportunities such as guest speakers and safe zone or open doors training; speaking on various diversity panels; collaborating with other student organizations committed to raising awareness of patient diversity and inclusivity. Ongoing plans and activities dedicated to opening a free clinic in Columbus for the LGBTQ patient population.
    • Why Join: As a brand new organization, we are a small group of dedicated and passionate health professionals looking to make a difference in lives of LGBTQ+ patients and health professionals alike. This unique organization provides an atmosphere enriched by interdisciplinary health professionals. Immense opportunities for both leadership and professional development exist. Please contact us to get involved. We are eager to grow our organization and start making a difference.
11. Phi Delta Chi
    • Website: http://phideltachi.org.ohio-state.edu
    • Contact: Alyssa Rinaldi (rinaldi.29@osu.edu)
    • Purpose statement: Phi Delta Chi (PDC) is a co-ed pharmacy fraternity that recently returned to Ohio State’s Campus. PDC strives to promote brotherhood through social events as well as acts of leadership, professionalism and community based service. Phi Delta Chi is partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and provides the institution with proceeds each year.
    • Major activities: Brotherhood socials, Health screenings, Leadership-Development Seminar & Grand Council
    • Why join: As a newly re-chartered chapter we have the unique opportunity to impact the way the fraternity conducts itself. Becoming a brother of Phi Delta Chi allows you to develop yourself socially and professionally as a future pharmacist while having fun doing so. PDC provides many service opportunities to become more involved in the community. Experiences, such as annual regional and national conferences, will help to expand your network and leadership skills.  The motto of the fraternity is “Each needs the help of the other” which means that your brothers will always be there to support you both during pharmacy school and beyond.
12. Phi Lambda Sigma National Pharmacy Leadership Society (PLS) – Alpha Sigma chapter
    • Website: National – www.philambdasigma.org
    • Contact: Rutvik Joshi (joshi.209@osu.edu)
    • Faculty Advisor: Bella H. Mehta, PharmD, FAPhA (mehta.6@osu.edu)
    • Purpose statement: Phi Lambda Sigma is the national pharmacy leadership society. It supports pharmacy leadership commitment by recognizing leaders and fostering leadership development.
    • Goals: To ensure the continuing availability of student and practitioner leaders for the profession of pharmacy, to acknowledge leadership achievement and award membership to leaders recommended by the Society, to enhance the talent, skill, and effectiveness of leaders for the profession of pharmacy, and to support and encourage sustained leadership commitment.
    • Major activities: Phi Lambda Sigma: organizes the Etiquette lunch for first-year pharmacy students in collaboration with the College of Pharmacy; provides the leadership symposium as an opportunity for student development of core leadership skills; hosts a book club for discussion of self-improvement techniques; coordinates the PharmD pageant as an entertaining way to fundraise, among others.
    • Why Join: The mission of Phi Lambda Sigma, Alpha Sigma chapter, is to recognize students who are leaders. Student pharmacists are selected by their peers because they demonstrate leadership and/or leadership potential. No greater honor can be bestowed upon an individual than to be recognized as a leader by one’s peers. Such recognition instills and enhances self-confidence, encourages the less active student to a more active role, and promotes greater effort toward the advancement of pharmacy. Leadership has become one of the most important attributes to success in both your professional and personal lives. PLS provides an environment for you to explore different leadership styles, develop your skills, and network with the other future leaders of pharmacy.
13. PODEMOS
    • Website: http://podemosu.org/w/
    • Purpose Statement: PODEMOS is an inter-professional organization focused on providing medical care to rural villages in Honduras by sending medical, pharmacy, and dental students on medical brigades twice a year. Throughout the year PODEMOS holds a variety of events to raise money to support our trips.
    • Major activities: International medical brigades, Fundraising Events and Socials
    • Why Join: PODEMOS provides a unique opportunity for students to utilize their knowledge of pharmacy to help provide care to underserved populations in Honduras. Students get the chance to work alongside medical students and medical providers to enrich their own knowledge and make professional connections. PODEMOS also provides a range of leadership opportunities for members to get more involved in the organization.
14. Rho Chi Society – Upsilon Chapter
    • Website: www.sites.google.com/site/rhochiosu/
    • Contact: Rutvik Joshi (joshi.209@osu.edu)
    • Faculty advisor: Milap Nahata, MS, PharmD (nahata.1@osu.edu)
    • Purpose statement: Rho Chi society encourages and recognizes excellence in intellectual achievement, and fosters fellowship among its members. Further, the society encourages high standards of conduct and character, while advocating critical inquiry in all aspects of pharmacy. The society seeks universal recognition of its members as lifelong intellectual leaders in pharmacy and as a community of scholars. Additionally, Rho Chi strives to instill the desire to pursue intellectual excellence and critical inquiry to advance the profession.
    • Major activities: Make and distribute survival guides for P1-P3 classes, compile and sell Pocket guides and Drug cards by bringing all the important guidelines, tables, charts and counseling points together in a booklet, recruit P2/P3 mentors for the incoming P1’s in collaboration with the college of pharmacy to make transition to graduate professional school easy for P1’s, to organize lecture series in collaboration with SSHP throughout the year to expand every ones knowledge and much more
    • Why Join: Rho Chi is the pharmacy academic honor society. Rho Chi is built upon academic and experiential achievement. Students are selected amongst their peers to be invited into the society. It is a great honor to receive recognition and should be strived for throughout the P1 and P2 year. Members of the society work together to help other classmates, develop leadership skills, and provide a means for fundraising and developing different ideas.
15. National Community Pharmacists Association – OSU
    • Website: http://ncpaosu.weebly.com/
    • Contact: Mackenzie Harrell (harrell.89@osu.edu)
    • Mission: We are dedicated to the continuing growth and prosperity of community pharmacy in the United States.  We are committed to high-quality pharmacist care and to restoring, maintaining, and promoting the health and well-being of the public we serve through being leaders in care.  We value the right to petition the appropriate legislative and regulatory bodies to serve the needs of those we represent. We will utilize our resources to advocate for pharmacy and achieve these ends in an ethical and socially responsible manner.
    • Major Activities: Cardinal Leadership Series, Student Legislative Day, Annual Conference
    • Why Join: NCPA at OSU will expose you to the many opportunities in community pharmacy. As the most accessible health care professional, there are many innovative pharmacists who help patients every day in their communities. Through community outreach, leadership development and advocating for the pharmacy profession, NCPA at OSU is engaging students pharmacists. Through intimate general body meetings, there are amazing opportunities to interact with and network with pharmacists as well as other students. There are many opportunities for students to develop leadership skills. NCPA will help you stay up to date on current pharmacy legislation as we work together to advocate for our profession.
16. OSU-SSHP Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy
    • Website: https://sites.google.com/site/sshpohiostate/
    • Contact: Andrea Haugtvedt (haugtvedt.4@osu.edu)
    • Purpose: To make students aware of the areas in pharmacy practice in health care settings, encourage proper use of medicines in the general public, encourage members to participate in the activities of the local (COSHP), state (OSHP), and national organizations (ASHP) of health-system pharmacy, promote participation in service activities throughout the community and encourage student participation in professional development activities
    • Major activities: Clinical Skills Competition, Mock Residency Interviews, Midyear to Match Series, Pie-A-Professor, Residency 101, First-Year Success Series Presentations (in collaboration with Generation Rx)
    • Why Join: Joining SSHP while in pharmacy school will benefit your pharmacy career by providing a variety of networking-based programming as well as professional development opportunities. For example, we hold monthly CE dinners with our local affiliate chapter, COSHP. With an SSHP membership, your meal is free and the chance to meet local pharmacists is priceless. In addition, if you are considering pursuing a residency after graduation, this is definitely the group for you. SSHP aims to give its members the tools and skills needed to achieve their post-graduate residency goals. Not sure about residency or even what area of pharmacy you would like to practice? Attend our general body meetings to hear about exciting prospects in this field from hospital specialty pharmacists, residents, and many more! Our members are more than happy to answer questions – do not hesitate to find out more about what SSHP can do for you!
17. Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA)
    • Website: https://sites.google.com/site/ohiostatesnpha/about-snpha
    • Contact: Alyssa Sonchaiwanich (sonchaiwanich.1@osu.edu)
    • Purpose Statement: SNPhA is an educational service association of pharmacy students who are concerned about pharmacy, health care-related issues, and the poor minority representation in pharmacy.  The purpose of SNPhA is to plan, organize, coordinate, and execute programs geared toward the improvement for the health, educational, and social environment of the college
    • Partners/Collaborators: US Together Inc., Southeast Inc., CODA, First Year Success Series, REACH suicide prevention training, National Kidney Foundation, Kroger Nutrition Tours, Charity Miles Shot@Life, Asian Free Clinic, local schools in the Columbus area for the flu clinics
    • Why Join: With 8 core health initiatives, SNPhA truly is all encompassing to every realm of pharmacy. Just in this last year, SNPhA participated in over 50 events, serving over 2000 patients. From heart health, to diabetes, to immunization, to community outreach, SNPhA provides every opportunity to get involved and become a leader, including creating a health initiative of your own.  SNPhA also provides numerous scholarship opportunities for all students. Not only will you grow to love our passion to serve, but you will also find in SNPhA, we are family.
18. Student Pharmacist Association for Diversity & Equity (SPADE)
    • Website: https://www.facebook.com/SPADEatOSU/
    • Contact: Emmanuel K. Osei (osei.21@osu.edu) or spadeosu@gmail.com
    • Purpose Statement: SPADE is a student run organization that is committed to promoting an academically enriching and supportive environment, allowing all students of the College of Pharmacy to feel welcomed and appreciated regardless of their background. We aim to recognize, respect, and value people’s differences in hope that all members are able to achieve their full potential by promoting an inclusive culture for all students. We are committed to helping non-native and native English speakers practice and improve their professional conversation skills in English through health and academic topics essential for the pharmacy profession.
    • Major Activities: Diversity & Inclusion training programs, Social events, Mentoring Programs, Pharmacy Informational Sessions, Service Learning Trips.
    • Why Join: Pharmacy education has shown that students who learn as part of a diverse student body are more inclined to care for patients from diverse backgrounds than are those graduating from less diverse institutions. Joining this organization will help prepare you for the demands of our diverse health care system. We believe diversity at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy will create culturally sensitive pharmacist, well informed leaders and optimize their ability to provide healthcare for all.
19. Talent Show Association (TSA)
    • Contact: Ed Yoo (yoo.285@osu.edu)
    • Purpose Statement: To promote growth and relationships between faculty, staff, and students through the production of an annual talent show.
    • Major activities: Annual Talent Show
    • Why Join: You should consider joining because we are a small organization that you can easily get involved with and have your voice heard. We are a fun group of people who work hard to showcase the talented people of our college. Every year, the funds raised from the talent show are donated to a local pharmacy related charity of our choice. By joining TSA, you can help provide healthcare to those who cannot afford it.
20. Veterinary Pharmacy Alliance (VPA)
    • Website: www.facebook.com/OSUVP
    • Contact: vetpharmacyalliance@gmail.com
    • Why Join: We are a brand new inter professional organization between the Colleges of Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine. We strive to educate each other on each professions’ abilities as it pertains to veterinary pharmaceutical care as well as increase interprofessional collaboration in order to provide the best healthcare to both our human and animal patients.

Joyce Zhang is currently a third-year PharmD student at The Ohio State University. She enjoys volunteering at local free clinics, providing healthcare to underserved populations on medical brigades to Nicaragua and Honduras, photography, running and hiking, and drinking tea. She is currently president of Buckeyes Without Borders, president of the PharmD Class of 2018, a Student Ambassador Coordinator, and a member of Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS) leadership society, American Pharmacists Association (APhA), Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), PODEMOS, and Kappa Psi.