Who is PARO?
Introduction
The Pan-American Regional Office, or PARO, consists of North and South America, including Central America and the Caribbean. The PARO Regional Working Group (PARO RWG) works as a team to promote IPSF participation in public health activities, professional activities, conferences, and student exchanges. In addition, the RWG produces a newsletter several times a year whose aim is to share information and success stories from among students in the region.
Current Full Members
- CAPSI (Canada)
- FEFE (Ecuador)
- ASEQFBO (El Salvador)
- ACEF (Peru)
- APhA-ASP (USA)
Current Members-in-Association
- APH (Haiti)
Regional Working Group
- Regional Chairperson: Shawna Cordon (USA)
- Regional Relations Officer: (position open)
- Regional Secretary: (position open)
- Regional Projects Coordinator: (position open)
- Regional Internal Communication Officer: (position open)
The Regional Working Group consists of five student or young pharmacist volunteers that together work to promote region-specific IPSF activities, health awareness campaigns, and student exchange programs. The RWG is also responsible for facilitating and assisting the organizing committees of countries selected to host the Pan-American Regional Symposium (PARS).
Email the RWG at paro@ipsf.org to talk with any of the RWG members and get more information about committees, projects, events, and newsletters.
Regional Committees
Want to get more involved? Put your passion and enthusiasm for IPSF to good use by joining any of the following regional committees:
Translation Committee
Help spread the word about IPSF! Participation in this committee requires knowledge of Spanish and English to help with the translation of written documents and emails. This committee is very flexible and involves a small time commitment. Volunteers to translate between French and English and Portuguese and English would also be appreciated.
Pan-American Regional Symposium (PARS) Development Committee
Help make the next PARS a success! Assist the organization committee by finding speakers from your country to present at the next PARS and help to secure sponsorship. You can also give your opinion on the theme, topics, and workshops.
Projects
Amigos de Americana
Want to connect to a fellow pharmacy student and learn how pharmacy is practiced in another country? The American Amigos program allows you to do just that! In this new program, students are matched to international “buddies” by interest and language abilities. Amigos will then maintain email contact with one another at least every couple of weeks. As a participant in this program, students will also have the opportunity to publish articles about pharmacy in different countries in the regional newsletter! A working knowledge of a second language (Spanish, French, Portuguese, or English) would be helpful.
Student Exchange Program
Have you ever wanted to experience the pharmacy profession in another country? The IPSF Student Exchange Program can make this dream a reality! Get involved in this program by opening up a host site for an international student in your own country, and/or go on an exchange yourself to another country. Host sites involve both the establishment of a work site, as well as, living accommodations. Visit the IPSF Student Exchange Program webpage at the following link for more details: http://www.ipsf.org/website/html/SEP/main.html
Events
Pan-American Regional Symposium (PARS)
This exciting, 4-day long event is held in the late spring each year in Pan-America. Learn about the challenges facing the profession in different countries, attend lectures by distinguished health science professionals from around the world, network with your international colleagues, learn the local customs of different countries, and have fun! PARS 2008 will be held in May in Cuernavaca, Mexico. More details to come soon!
World Congress
The IPSF World Congress is the largest annual event of the year! This 10-day long congress rotates locations around the world and brings together students from across all 4 corners of the globe to celebrate the international profession of pharmacy. World Congress involves health workshops, educational lectures and seminars, a patient counseling competition, and an optional Post-Congress Tour of the host country. For more information about next year’s IPSF World Congress in Romania, please visit the official congress website at the following address: http://www.ipsf-2008.org/
Communication
Newsletter
The official PARO newsletter is currently being developed. Feel free to contact the RWG about submitting an article about pharmacy or IPSF in your country. Articles can be written in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese and cannot be longer than 275 words (approximately ?page) with 2 photos. Articles written in Spanish, French, or Portuguese will also be translated into English, unless otherwise noted.
Regional Email list
Want to receive new and important IPSF information? Join the regional email list by emailing the RWG Chairperson at paro@ipsf.org