Kelsie Ellis

Reasons for selecting pharmacy:
Rounding with an infectious diseases team at the NIH Clinical Center sparked my passion for pharmacy. During this experience, I helped work-up a patient with a rare autoimmune disease and quite literally put a face to a pathology I had only read about in textbooks. l discovered that pharmacy blended my desire for patient interaction with practical applications of the science I had grown to love. Afterwards, I sought a volunteer opportunity at a local independent pharmacy, an opportunity that allowed me to observe first-hand the bonds that develop between pharmacists and their patients. At that point, I knew the PCAT and PharmCAS applications were the next steps to my dream career.

Professional Interests: 

• Pediatrics/Neonatology
• Health-System Pharmacy Administration 
•  Infectious Disease

Interest in the PSF Executive Committee:

Fortunately, I found my professional home early in my career. During my first-year of pharmacy school, I felt drawn to the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists at my college of pharmacy. What started as an Antibiotic Awareness and Medication Safety co-chair position evolved into serving as President of The University of Texas’ student society. During my time as President, I witnessed the growth of our student society. This growth is largely due to access to and utilization of the various ASHP student society resources, such as the recruitment posters and flyers to boost membership, the social media resources to increase our electronic presence, and the advocacy for students resources to promote member engagement in policy and advocacy efforts.

My comfort and knowledge of the resources provided by the Pharmacy Student Forum came after I spent a summer as an intern with ASHP. There I was able to learn the inner workings of the society at a national level and see the true impact these resources can have on a student society. Recognizing the direct impact of these resources, I applied and was selected to serve as a member of the Student Society Development Advisory Group. This position allowed me to promote ASHP resources to other student societies, through improvement of the ASHP Graduation Cord Program and successful promotion of the SSHP Liaison webinars.

Having gained much insight and benefit from the various levels of ASHP, I wanted to continue my involvement by serving on the PSF Executive Committee. All of my experiences with ASHP thus far have been positive and helped me grow as a future pharmacist. I foresee a position on the PSF Executive Committee as a way to serve ASHP while helping current and future pharmacy leaders discover their passion.

How being a member of ASHP has assisted in my personal and professional development:

The multitude of available student resources offered by ASHP have allowed personal and professional growth. I have received invaluable feedback through participation in the CV Review Program, impressed preceptors by utilizing the AHFS Clinical Drug Information resource during IPPEs, and simply learned a great deal about residency programs and how pursuing a residency can benefit my career. My personal experience using ASHP resources as a student illustrates just how impactful they can be on health-system pharmacy practice.

Aside from the benefits of numerous student resources, ASHP offered me a phenomenal opportunity to serve as a summer intern. This experience allowed me to network with ASHP staff and members, advocate on Capitol Hill for more transparent shortage regulations, and seek opportunities that promote my growth as a future practitioner. ASHP has helped me strengthen my ability to connect and communicate with others and increased my awareness of relevant issues. I look forward to continuing my development as a student and soon as a new practitioner through the many benefits ASHP offers.

Goals for the year as a PSFEC Member:

• Develop tools and resources that will allow student societies to continue to thrive
• Promote and increase awareness of Pharmacy Student Forum resources
• Advocate for ASHP initiatives to continually advance the profession of pharmacy
• Empower students to become involved at each level (school, local, state, and national)

Fun Fact: I am a board game enthusiast with 39 board games in my repertoire, ranging from simple card games like Phase 10 to more complex, day-long adventures like Eldritch Horror and Twilight Imperium!