My First Day with MPA

by Erica Boroughs, CPhT

I would like to thank Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) for reaching out to the Genesee County Pharmacists Association (GCPA), and offering the opportunity for one of its members to join in the presentation of the Good Public Health Policy Award to Sen. Jim Ananich. Secondly, I would like to thank my fellow GCPA members for once again supporting me in my journey on becoming a pharmacist and always offering me the best opportunities to help me grow professionally.

When I pulled into the parking lot of the MPA office in Lansing, that’s when everything started to set in. Not only would this be my first time at MPA, but also my first time at the Capitol. The first thing I did before I got out of my car was say a prayer to thank God for all the wonderful things that have occurred in my  the last two years, since I have started this new adventure in pharmacy. While walking toward the building, I saw the sign outside with a little history about how MPA was established, and I immediately took a picture. I wanted to capture every moment of this day. After walking in, I was greeted by some of the friendliest staff I have ever met; they all seemed just as excited for me to be there as I was myself.

Meeting the manager of advocacy, governmental and regulatory affairs Amanda Lick for the first time was intriguing to say the least. Within the first five minutes of meeting her, I saw this powerhouse personality that shines through in everything that she talked with me about. Amanda started with introducing me to all of the staff as we walked by and went on to explain how the day’s events would occur. This was the first of many moments of the day that I found myself to be speechless.

Our last stop before leaving was chief executive officer (CEO) Larry Wagenknecht’s office. Amanda had asked for me to sit with Larry while the others were getting ready to join us to head over to the Capitol. As a pharmacy technician, I am assuming it is normal to feel like a little fish in a big pond while sitting across from the CEO of MPA. I never once felt like the little fish while I was with the members of the MPA staff. Larry finished an e-mail and was eager to hear my story about my involvement with GCPA and my goals of attending pharmacy school. We talked about my recent recognition as Local Member of the Year and the Board position that I now hold with GCPA.

One of the highlights of my day, aside from meeting Sen. Ananich, was our trip over to the Capitol. I found myself smiling, as I watched Larry, Amanda, director of professional practice Eric Roath and director of communications Leah Ball interacting with one another. They seemed so comfortable, almost like a family. Each one would take a turn talking about upcoming events, while occasionally throwing out a lighthearted joke. It made the experience all that more enjoyable and I felt included in their conversations. As we were walking up to the Capitol, I expressed that this was my first time ever being in Lansing and that I have never seen the Capitol in person. They all decided that after we met with Sen. Ananich, they would show me around.

Meeting with Sen. Ananich to present the Good Public Health Policy Award made me nervous. Before that day, I had never been to the Capitol, let alone met with a Senator in their office. Although Sen. Ananich has been active with GCPA, this happened to be my first time meeting him. The Senator warmly welcomed us into his office and took the time to speak about his appreciation for the award. After the video and pictures, I personally spoke with him about the upcoming GCPA legislative breakfast and how I looked forward to his future work with MPA and my local association. Sen. Ananich notably received the Good Public Health Policy Award for his work with MPA, GCPA and his efforts on health policy, supporting pharmacy issues such as Maximum Allowable Cost pricing and the new technician licensure law.

Once we arrived back at MPA, Amanda brought me into her office and went over a new initiative called the Pharmacy Advocacy Response Team (PART) that MPA and the Michigan Pharmacy Political Action Council began in 2014. Out of all of the events that day, this might be my favorite one. Pharmacy law is something that I am passionate about. Amanda explained how PART gives a sense of accomplishment and why being an advocate for pharmacy is so important. There are many misconceptions about the pharmacy profession and it is our job to make sure that we educate our legislators. 

Sen. Ananich, thank you for all of your efforts in working with MPA and GCPA. In my opinion, pharmacy technician licensure is a positive change for pharmacy; this will open many new possibilities for fellow technicians and myself. To the staff at MPA, thank you for allowing me to join in this wonderful experience. Advocating will now be a big part of my future in pharmacy. I may only be one person, but when we all come together I believe that we truly can make a difference.