Canadian pharmacy students and interns unified for excellence, advocacy and academics in pharmacy.

International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation (IPSF)

What is IPSF?

“Leading international advocacy organization for pharmacy and pharmaceutical science students and recent graduates, promoting improved public health through the provision of information, education, networking and a range of publications and professional initiatives.”

 

  • Official partner of WHO, FIP & UNESCO.
  • The representative body for 500,000 pharmacy students and recent graduates in 100 countries worldwide

IPSF Projects and Activities

  • Health Campaign
  • Student Exchange Program (SEP)
  • World Congress 2022 will be held in Hurghada, Egypt, WC 2023 will be held in Bali, Indonesia
  • Pan American Regional Symposium (Santiago, Chile 2022)
  • World Health Assembly (Geneva, Switzerland)
  • WHO Internships
  • And much more!

What is the Student Exchange Program (SEP)?

  • A student-run program providing pharmacy students a unique opportunity to experience pharmacy practice in countries around the world
  • AIM: To provide pharmacy students a unique opportunity to experience and learn about pharmacy on an international level

Testimonials from Incoming and Outgoing Students

  • “SEP in Cyprus became one of the most rewarding experiences of my degree. Each day on the island offered a new adventure. I would go to my community pharmacy in the morning and learn about medications, common disease states, drug ordering, OTC counselling, and so much more. In the afternoon, I would explore the island with the other SEP students. Each student was here to learn something new about themselves and about the profession, which connected us regardless of the physical boundaries that separated us. Together, we would go to the beach, to new restaurants, or sightsee so we could immerse ourselves within the Turkish culture. I am grateful that I was welcomed at my community pharmacy with such enthusiasm that made each day of work enjoyable. I am fortunate to have met so many incredible pharmacy students from other parts of the world with whom I now share an unbreakable bond.”

    Saima, University of Alberta
  • “I am very happy to recommend SEP as it was very beneficial in advancing my career and knowledge in pharmacy. I was placed in a community pharmacy in Strasbourg and I got the chance to practice my communication skills in French as well as learn about the healthcare system in Europe. The pharmacists that I worked with trusted my competencies and this in turn allowed me to build my confidence while working in the pharmacy. During my internship I also learned about how the independent pharmacy business model works in France. Finally, I had the opportunity of travelling to Alsace and visiting the northernmost part called Wissembourg and learning about their culture and language. As a result, I developed good friendships and connections with people who I would happily host at my home. I look forward to applying what I learned from this exchange to my pharmacy practice in Canada!”

    Aniko Yeats, University of Toronto
  • “I had the opportunity to participate in the IPSF KNAPS Visiting Program. We visited many places including various museums, pharmaceutical industries, hospitals, and community pharmacies. In addition to the pharmacy-related sites, we also had excursions during the weekends. One of my favourite places we went to was the Korean Folk Village - it was very neat to see what Korea was like in the past.

    I think what really made this Visiting Program special was the gatherings with KNAPS members and other SEP students after seeing the main sites. This was a great way to strengthen friendships and get to know each other better. We would go to karaoke, play games and hang out at the park. 

    Many memories were made during my time in South Korea, and I will never forget the times I had together with everyone, and the new friendships I made. I would highly recommend South Korea to any student interested in taking part of SEP.”

    Courtney, University of Saskatchewan
  • “I truly enjoyed my time in Taiwan during SEP. It was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to learn about innovative practices and bring over my own insights and experiences at the same time. The students I met are extremely friendly and helpful. I was deeply engaged in the local culture by visiting historical and modern attraction sites. The food at night markets was awesome! I am really thankful for this opportunity to go on exchange in Taiwan. It is quite different to be visiting a city as a student than as a tourist, allowing for a much deeper understanding of the local culture while learning about pharmacy at the same time.”

    Katherine, University of British Columbia
  • “Je m’appelle Candice, je viens de France et cet été j’ai eu la chance de participer au SEP pendant 3 semaines près de Montréal. J’ai fait mon stage dans une pharmacie communautaire à Côte-St-Luc et j’ai vraiment adoré cette expérience ! 

    Bien évidemment, l’expérience SEP ne se résume pas qu’au stage mais aussi aux très belles rencontres que j’ai pu faire avec les étudiants Canadiens et les autres étudiantes SEP, avec qui nous avons vadrouillé quotidiennement pour découvrir et s’accoutumer à cette magnifique ville de Montréal. Ce voyage a été pour moi une expérience inoubliable avec à la clé de nouvelles amitiés et une grande envie de revenir !”

    Candice Jeanne, France
  • “I did my internship in Pharmaprix community pharmacy in Montreal, where I obtained an insight into pharmacy in Canada, which strongly differs from Europe. Altogether, I can highly recommend SEP to anyone who seeks the adventure of living far away from home while getting to know amazing and caring people and working in a different environment, which will serve as an incomparable experience in anyone’s life.”

    Anne-Sophie Delmas, Austria
  • “I did an exchange program in Dunedin, New Zealand with University of Otago. I learned a lot regarding community pharmacy practices in New Zealand, and the staff members also showed me good food and attractions around Dunedin. Dunedin is a beautiful city not only because of its natural sceneries, but also because of endangered wildlife, such as royal albatross and yellow-eyed penguins. I am very glad and grateful for meeting so many great people and making friends with them! This summer is indeed one of the most unforgettable moments in my life and I highly recommend future students to have their exchange in New Zealand.”

    Crystal, University of Toronto
  • “My SEP took place in St. John's at School of Pharmacy where I worked with Dr. Weber studying neuroprotective effects of blueberry extracts to determine their potential use in neurodegenerative diseases. I was working in the laboratory treating the cells and analyzing the results with different methods, such as immunocytochemistry and fluorescence imaging. I also met many people that made me feel at home. We went on trips to some stunning places in St. John's and its surroundings, such as Cape Spear, East coast trail and even went whale watching. I am really glad I visited this lovely town and am so grateful to have met amazing friends. I would recommend everyone to do a SEP exchange!”

    Karin Korelc, Slovenia
  • “This past summer I had the opportunity to participate in SEP in Japan. Having the opportunity to travel to the opposite side of the world and learn about a completely different healthcare system was an amazing experience. I experienced various areas of pharmacy including community, hospital, and industry. As part of the exchange, we were able to see how pharmacists incorporate aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine into western medicine in drug therapy. Being a part of a pharmacy exchange program was a very unique experience and I would highly recommend anyone who is thinking about participating to take that leap and go explore.”

    Gigi, University of Toronto
  • “My exchange took place in the Kansai prefecture of Japan for two weeks. The SEP staff were amazingly kind and helpful, which made the foreign students feel at home in the middle of a huge cultural shock. Indeed, our itineraries consisted of sightseeing, local food tasting and culture exchange with students from other countries. The most insightful experience of my trip was the visit to the Red Cross hospital pharmacy. Its humanitarian mission, its volunteer services and its noble approach are deeply heartwarming to me. Furthermore, I was truly amazed by how the pharmacist’s practice is framed by technology. In fact, all drugs are stored in distribution machines and these robots even mix some of the medications. Also, they receive prescriptions electronically, which not only is eco-friendly,  but also reduces errors. Overall, I encourage all of us, the new generation of pharmacists, to reach out, to learn and to exchange with our colleagues from far away, in order to improve both of our practices and our systems.”

    Yu Chen, Laval University

Why Participate in SEP?

  • Benefit from an educational AND cultural experience
  • Broaden your understanding of pharmaceutical practices and social conditions in different countries
  • Enhance awareness of Canadian healthcare system by comparing similarities and differences among other nations
  • Meet new pharmacy students/friends
  • Travel to new places

Who Can Participate?

  • Any IPSF member (including individual members up to 4 years after graduating)

When Would I Go?

  • Anytime throughout the year (May-August most common)

How Long Would I Stay?

  • 2 weeks to 2 months

Where Would I Work?

  • Retail, hospital, research or industry

Searching for Host Sites

Do you know of any passionate pharmacists who want to learn more about pharmacy in other countries? Would you like to help international students learn about what pharmacy is like in Canada? If so, the perfect opportunity to do both would be to find a host pharmacist for an international student for the Student Exchange Program through the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns and the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Association. As a host pharmacist, they would have the flexibility in determining the hours and dates most convenient for them to have a student shadow at their pharmacy or institution. Host responsibilities are exclusively related to student shadowing, as CAPSI finds accommodations and organizes travel arrangements. If this sounds like something a pharmacist you know would like to be involved in, please have them fill out the following questionnaire: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaTqIGL_UrMOh2JDUr_snzZXDq4oFfWtOnTbXKe4YWcPntyw/viewform?usp=sf_linkAdditional information can be found in the attached PDF, and additional questions can be directed to Jenna Melanson, the Student Exchange Officer for Canada, at seo@capsi.ca.

Letter to Potential Hosts

Application Required information

  • CV (resume)
  • Motivational letter
  • Picture (mandatory, even though it is listed as “optional”)
  • Preferred field of pharmacy
  • Intended exchange start/end dates
  • Preferred host associations/countries (ranked 1-3)
  • Study program details (university, year of study, etc.)

Application deadline in late December

  • Submit application form
  • Pay SEP fees $170 to CAPSI (on CAPSI website – look at bottom of this page)
  • Application Approved by CAPSI SEO
  • Your preferred countries try to place you
  • Find out results after PDW
  • If not placed, receive portion of fees back.
  • If placed, travel abroad and experience pharmacy!

World Congress

  • An International Pharmacy Conference
  • World Congress 2022 will be held in Hurghada, Egypt, WC 2023 will be held in Bali, Indonesia

An opportunity to...

  • Meet students from around the world
  • Learn about pharmacy practices in other countries
  • Attend Education and Scientific Symposia
  • Listen to renowned guest speakers
  • Compete in Patient Counseling Events (PCE), Clinical Skills Events (CSE) and Compounding Competitions
  • Social and Cultural Events (excursions, international night, cultural night)

PARS

  • PARS or the Pan American Regional Symposium is an annual conference for students in the Pan-American region of IPSF. Join pharmacy students from North and South America for an event filled with presentations, seminars, workshops, competitions and social events to explore the culture of the host country! It is an exciting opportunity to network with fellow pharmacy students, learn about their culture, pharmacy practice in their country, and make new friends! An important component of PARS is the Regional Assembly, where decisions that affect the region are discussed and voted on.
  • This year PARS will be held in Santiago, Chile. Check out their website and Instagram!

Ready to pay your fees? Click here!