Kiara Berta, vice-president of the Hungarian Pharmaceutical Students’ Association at the University of Pécs (HuPSA) talks about an international student exchange program specially designed for students in the field of pharmacy.
What is IPSF?
The International PharmaceuticalStudents’ Federation is a nonprofit organisation operating independently of government, politics and religion. Its aim is to bring together pharmacy students and recent graduates from all over the world. It currently has more than half a million members in over 100 countries. You can apply for membership directly through the IPSF platform or through the organisation in the country where you are studying and which is already a member of the IPSF. In our country, this national organisation is the Hungarian Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (HuPSA), which represents pharmacy students from the whole country at all four training institutions. However, there are also some countries with several organisations.
What does the Student Exchange Programme cover?
The Student Exchange Programme (SEP) is the largest project organised by the IPSF to offer pharmacy students the opportunity to spend their placement abroad. An SEP year runs from 1 October of a given year to 31 September of the following year.
How can one apply for a SEP?
The basic requirements for applying are: - being a HuPSA member for both
the application and the semester of the exchange Medical School/Faculty of Pharmacy University of Pécs – Visit our website: aok.pte.hu/en International Newsletter 21 - being a pharmacy student (even if in a passive semester) or a graduate (you can be a member for 5 years after the state examination) - having at least an intermediate level of English - and in some countries it is an advantage if the applicant also speaks the mother tongue of the country (e.g. Spanish-speaking) Pre-registration and later the application take place online, here applicants need to provide personal details and list activities (like volunteering, sports etc.) and other achievements (like professional experience, contests etc.), together with a cover letter and CV. Applicants should indicate three countries, or more precisely three organisations, where they would like to spend their internship and two areas they are interested in (public, clinical, industry, research). The list of participating organisations is available at the IPSF website. Not every country allows applications in all four main areas, while others offer interesting and unique opportunities, such as Humanitarian Pharmacy being available in Sudan. Being an active member in HuPSA is an important aspect of the evaluation. How many people the SEO can select in a given year depends on several factors and is determined by the IPSF.
Who is a SEO?
The Student Exchange Officer is the highest position in each country/ organisation responsible for the SEP programme, and is also assigned to a pharmacy student. It is the SEO who selects both the outgoing and incoming students. SEOs keep contact with the SEOs in the other countries and they coordinate the incoming students’ placements, accommodation and programs, ensuring the smooth operation of the project. Furthermore, in some countries - as also in Hungary - there are Local Exchange Officers (LEOs) as well, who take care of the students’ affairs in the rural cities and facilitate the work of the SEO, but their exact tasks may vary from country to country. In Hungary the positions can be applied for by any HuPSAmember pharmacy student and representatives are elected in August each year. From applicant to trainee If the local SEO accepted the pre-application, the next and most important step is to fill in the final Application Form through the IPSF website. It is similar to the Pre-Application Form but requires more detailed information and goes to the host SEOs. Once the applicant receives confirmation from one of the countries of choice, they will then have a relatively uneventful waiting period. For SEP teams, however, this is where the real work begins, with contacts and arrangements for practical placements, accommodation, Medical School/Faculty of Pharmacy University of Pécs – Visit our website: aok.pte.hu/en International Newsletter 22 programs, VISAs and, in more extreme cases, vaccinations. The national SEO will refer the selected applicant to the host SEO who will then keep in touch with the trainee and the arrangements and preparations can begin. Throughout the process, there is also the possibility to participate in presentations and workshops. Previously these were face-to face events, but for the last two years they have been online. And once summer arrives, the trip takes place as and when agreed, with the opportunity to travel, do the internship, take part in organised activities, get to know the city, country and the culture, while feeling great and gaining unforgettable experiences. At the end of the internship, many people stay on holiday there, which is possible for everyone, as arranged with the local SEO. Finally, after returning home, a report with photos and possibly videos should be submitted to the local SEO, and a feedback form should be filled in on the IPSF website. Receiving incoming participants Of course, SEP is not just about travelling abroad, you can also help incoming students and make their stay as memorable as possible, while you gain a lifetime of experiences and contacts. In addition to the official positions mentioned above, the managers welcome applications to join the Contact Person (CP) team every year. CPs are responsible for welcoming, assisting and entertaining incoming students, as well as assisting SEPs and LEOs. For more information on SEP and the organisations, please visit the website of IPSF, HuPSA, the Facebook and Instagramof SE, or consult the SEO in Hungary via email.