Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Professional Organizations: College of Pharmacy


Colleges  > College of Pharmacy  > Professional Organizations: College of Pharmacy

The College of Pharmacy offers opportunities for participation in activities outside the formal classroom. The faculty encourages participation in student professional organizations, but reserves the right to advise students upon the extent of participation when their scholastic performance is deficient. The college recognizes the following professional organizations:

Pharmacy Council: This organization is comprised of an elected representative and alternate from each pharmacy student organization and from each class, who then elect a president, vice president and secretary. The council coordinates pharmacy student organizational activities and acts as a liaison with the administration and faculty of the college. Activities include hosting the annual school picnic, organizing Texas Pharmacy Week, and holding a canned goods drive at Thanksgiving.

Academy of Students Pharmacists (APhA-ASP): The APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists is the student section of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), representing over 18,000 student pharmacists at all colleges of pharmacy in the United States and Puerto Rico. Student pharmacists and pre-pharmacy students enrolled at any ACPE-accredited pharmacy school or college are eligible for membership in APhAASP. The organization’s mission is to be the collective voice of student pharmacists, and to prepare student pharmacists to be professionals who provide and promote pharmaceutical care. Founded in 1852, APhA is the first established and largest professional association of pharmacists in the U.S. APhA-ASP sponsors three main projects in which students from chapters across the U.S. go into their communities and provide direct patient care and education on topics, such as immunization, diabetes, and heartburn awareness. The UH Chapter of APhA-ASP offers a great outlet for students who wish to become directly involved in promoting the pharmacy profession. There is an annual membership fee.

Christian Pharmacist Fellowship International (CPFI): CPFI is a worldwide, interdenominational ministry of individuals working in all areas of pharmaceutical service and practice. The mission of CPFI is to help pharmacy professionals grow spiritually and to promote fellowship among pharmacists. There is an annual membership fee.

Mexican-American Pharmacy Students Association (MAPSA): The purpose of MAPSA is to promote unity among pharmacy students with common interest, values, and backgrounds. Members participate in a variety of activities including peer tutoring and counseling, fundraising for MAPSA projects, and educational programs regarding contemporary issues affecting the practice of pharmacy and healthcare systems. MAPSA serves to promote the academic excellence and public relations of the College of Pharmacy.

Student National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA): NCPA is a national organization that represents the interests of independent and private practice pharmacists. This representation includes specialties within pharmacy, such as home health, veterinary, disease-state management and many others. Scholarships and loans are available to student members. The membership fee includes a monthly journal, quarterly student newsletters, and NIPCO module discounts.

Student Industrial Pharmacy Society (SIPS): SIPS is designed for students interested in possible careers in the pharmaceutical industry. The mission of SIPS is to provide a growth environment for pharmacy students to explore opportunities, prepare for challenges, and be groomed for successful careers in the pharmaceutical industry. Some of the activities available to SIPS members include research projects, professional presentations, workshops, guest speakers and on-site visits to pharmaceutical companies. In addition, members will also gain valuable exposure to successful pharmaceutical companies. There is an annual membership fee. Meetings are held twice a month.

Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA): SNPhA was founded in 1972 as an affiliate of the National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA). SNPhA is an educational and service association of students who are concerned about pharmacy issues, professional development, and the lack of minority representation in pharmacy and other health-related professions. Members reach out to the community by working with high school students and sharing with them the art of compounding in pharmacy labs in addition to participating in health awareness activities. Members host an annual reception for alumni and prepharmacy students and participate in the recruiting of minority students to the college during the fall semester. The organization attends regional meetings during the spring and national conventions during the summer. There is an annual membership fee.

Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP): SSHP focuses on the interests of hospital and allied health professionals. It is affiliated with GCSHP (Gulf Coast), TSHP (Texas), and ASHP (American). The society hosts bimonthly meetings with guest speakers from many different areas of the profession such as ambulatory care, consulting, hospital, and many more. In addition, SSHP supports the CE and organizational meetings of GCSHP. SSHP is involved in Poison Prevention Week and hosts an annual social event known as the mentoring social as well as an annual event called the career forum. The society also supports the national clinical skills competition and holds a school competition each September. The membership fee includes a subscription to the bimonthly American Journal of Health-System Pharmacists, TSHP monthly newsletter, ASHP newsletter, GCSAHP newsletter, and first-hand access to residency information. Scholarships also are available.

Vietnamese American Pharmacy Student Society (VAPSS): The mission of VAPAT-VAPSS is to encourage all Vietnamese-American pharmacy students to participate and become well-informed in all aspects of the pharmacy profession.

Fraternities

Kappa Epsilon (KE): KE is a co-ed professional pharmacy fraternity, whose mission is to empower its members to achieve personal and professional fulfillment. The fraternity was founded in 1921 and the UH chapter, Upsilon, was formed in 1953. KE supports breast cancer awareness through various events such as Awareness Week, and the Susan G. Komen Fun Run. KE also serves the community through activities at the Ronald McDonald House and Texas Children’s Hospital. Active members meet twice monthly and plan at least one activity per month. There is a relaxed pledge period. First year membership fee, which includes a pin and subscription to the Bond magazine.

Kappa Psi (KY): Kappa Psi is a co-ed pharmaceutical fraternity. It is the world’s oldest and largest pharmaceutical fraternity, founded in 1879. The Delta Delta chapter at UH was chartered in 1963. The goals of the fraternity are to develop fellowship, industry, and sobriety and to foster high ideals, scholarship, and pharmaceutical research. Members are instilled with a strong sense of brotherhood and help each other out with both studies and fun. Past activities include helping with Habitat for Humanity, Star of Hope, and the Children ‘s Museum. Social activities include  Regional and National conventions, a Spring Formal, Senior Banquet, pool-side BBQs, and more. Pledging is a 10-week process and has a membership fee per semester. This includes your initiation fees, T- shirt, and a subscription to the MASK magazine. Pledge meetings are held weekly, and Active meetings are held bi-monthly.

Phi Delta Chi (PDC): Phi Delta Chi was chartered in 1883. UH obtained its charter in 1953. The PDC Alpha Tau Chapter at UH is a co-ed fraternity of professional men and women who are striving for success as future pharmacists by becoming involved in national, state, and local activities. PDC offers its members a strong brotherhood of friendship and support as well as instilling values of leadership and community involvement. In addition to professional and academic support, PDC also organizes social events on weekends to help relieve the stress and pressures of pharmacy school. It takes one semester to pledge and meetings are held once a week for about an hour. There is an annual membership fee, which includes a subscription to Communicator magazine, pledge shirt and pin.

Honor Societies

Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS): The Upsilon Chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma at the University of Houston was chartered in 1988. The purpose of Phi Lambda Sigma is to promote the development of leadership qualities in pharmacy, especially amongst pharmacy students. Since membership crosses fraternal and organizational lines, the Society does not compete with other pharmacy organizations. Rather, Phi Lambda Sigma recognizes and promotes leadership. At the Upsilon Chapter, we strive to improve the quality of our leaders in pharmacy school so that they may acquire the skills needed to be an effective pharmacist and an active future leader in the profession of pharmacy. Eligible students for membership must submit an application demonstrating their dedication, service, and leadership in the profession of pharmacy. There is a one-time initiation fee and an annual membership fee.

Rho Chi: The Rho Chi Society is the honorary organization for the profession of pharmacy. The Beta Omicron chapter of UH was established in 1956. Membership is by invitation and is based on high academic achievement in the professional curriculum. Eligible members are invited to join after their fourth semester. Additional members may be added in the sixth and eighth semesters. Up to 20 percent of each graduating class may be invited to join. Members sponsor an initiation banquet for new members as well as the Teaching Excellence Award to recognize and honor outstanding pharmacy instructors. Society members also help recruit academic merit scholars. There is a one-time initiation fee.

Student-Run Clinic

HOMES: Houston Outreach Medicine, Education, and Social Services (H.O.M.E.S.) is a multiinstitutional, multi-discipline student-run free clinic program for Houston’s homeless. HOMES is an innovative and exciting new program in which the major higher educational institutions of Houston collaborate with community organizations to provide quality, accessible health care and social services to the homeless, as well as provide a unique learning experience for students from a variety of different disciplines. More than 200 students from Baylor College of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, as well as from the UH College of Pharmacy work together. HOMES is also an integral part of the groundbreaking community organization - Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston, a unique, strategic alliance of healthcare providers and community-based agencies dedicated to improving the health of Houston-area homeless people.

Graduates and Alumni in Pharmacy Administration (GPA)

Mission

GPA is an organization of the Students and Alumni of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research at University of Houston, College of Pharmacy. Our aim is to bring together the students and alumni of the pharmacy administration graduate program in order to engage in various academic, research, professional, and extra-curricular activities and projects.

When it founded: 2001

Membership fees:

$35 for new members

$20 for past/already existing members

ISPOR - UH Student Chapter

Mission Statement:

The University of Houston International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Student Chapter (UH-ISPOR) is dedicated to

  • provide an environment where students can share knowledge in Pharmacoeconomics and health outcome research.
  • represent students need and wants in regard to pharmacoeconomics and health outcome research.
  • promote interest and awareness about pharmacoeconomics and health outcome research to various disciplines across University of Houston
  • increase student’s knowledge about pharmacoeconomics and health outcome from a global prospective.
  • Act as a resource for new students interested in pharmacoeconomics and health outcome research
  • Provide an opportunity for student chapter members to become familiar with the ISPOR as well as have representation in its affairs.

When it founded: 2002

*Members of the GPA automatically become members of ISPOR-UH Student Chapter