Week 1:
National Association of Chain Drug Stores

June 24, 2013

Week 1 is finally in the books! My time here in DC has just begun, but it has been a blast so far! I have met some amazing people, learned more than I ever imagined, and seen some really cool places. I still have 7 weeks left. On my first day at the office, the CEO of NACDS, Steve Anderson (Cornell Alum), took me out to lunch at the Capitol Hill Club. It is an incredible experience to be so close to all of the political action our country makes. Mr. Anderson has been so helpful in getting acclimated to living and working in DC, and he has had some great advice, as well. Yet another example of a very successful Cornell alumni! During my first week, I met with the heads of each department, and found out what they did to contribute to the overall mission of NACDS and its members. All of the departments work together to help further NACDS. I learned so much from these meetings, such as the various issues that pharmacies and pharmacists face in their day-to-day operations. Daily, NACDS seeks to promote and lobby for legislation that will improve pharmacy efficiency, which will in turn improve the lives of the patients.

I was also fortunate enough to attend a couple of conferences. On Tuesday, I went to AACP (American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy) in Alexandria, VA. While here, we were able to discuss the problems with the over-saturation of pharmacists, and ways to differentiate ourselves to potential employers. Though I am not going to Pharmacy school, this was very beneficial to me. The ways that they mentioned could be applied to all graduate schools, including medical school. I also got to network with some brilliant people. You never know when someone can help out in the future! On Thursday, I also went to ASHP (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) in Bethesda, MD. This conference opened my eyes to so many new professions and opportunities, such as being a pharmacist in a hospital or being a pediatric pharmacist. This conference really showed me all of the various opportunities in the healthcare field. Again, I was able to practice my networking and actually met a woman who is on the board of admission at a medical school! Both of these conferences were great experiences.

I also got my first project of the summer. As a part of the Pharmacy and Patient Advocacy department, we seek to improve the lives of patients by advocating for policies that make medications and treatments cheaper and more accessible. As part of my project, I am attempting to implement free Hepatitis C testings throughout the nation. Hepatitis C is currently the most lethal virus in the United States, killing more people than HIV. In most people, it causes liver disease and cirrhosis. The CDC recently released a statement that recommended all “Baby Boomers” (those born between 1946-1964) get tested. They estimated that over 3 million people are affected with Hep C that do not know it, with many of these individuals being baby boomers. Unfortunately, Hep C testing is not free, and many people simply cannot afford it. Thus, we are working on getting free Hep C testing. This is a very worthwhile and interesting project! I am also assisting in the Total Store Expo, which is NACDS’ national conference in August. I will continue to get more projects from various other departments throughout the summer. It’s great to be busy!

I have also had time to do some sightseeing and other fun things. I am living with a Cornell alumni (Merci Wolff ’12) who has shown me all around the city. She got us tickets to tour the Capitol and Library of Congress. Being in both of these places is an incredible experience. To think about all of the history that has happened in these two places, along with all of the great men who have helped shape this nation, is truly humbling. We also visited Eastern Market, which is essentially a historic outdoor market with food, art, clothes, and anything else you could imagine. This past weekend, we went to see a Washington Nationals game! The stadium is beautiful, and close to our house! We can see the stadium from our front door.

All in all, I am so thankful for this opportunity. Getting a chance to intern at such a prestigious company, in a historic city, is a dream come true.