SHANEEL KUMAR, B.Pharm (Fiji), PGDipClinPharm (UTAS), MSHP
Lecturer Pharmacy
Department of Health Science
Fiji School of Medicine
College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences
Fiji National University
W: (679) 3233727 M: (679) 9247295
E: [email protected]
W:www.fnu.ac.fj
W: (679) 3233727 M: (679) 9247295
I am thrilled and honored to be the recipient of the prestigious FIP/WPPF Travel Scholarships to
attend the FIP Centennial Congress in Amsterdam, in October 2012.
My sincere gratitude to the President of WPPF and its Executive Committee for this award
which will have great influence in supporting the development of modern pharmacy practice and
education in Fiji and the Pacific. Appreciation also to the Dean of the Fiji School of Medicine at
the Fiji National University and my fellow pharmacy colleagues in practice and academia in Fiji
who saw the professional development value of the FIP Congress in meeting our countries health
goals.
My participation at this year’s FIP Congress can be seen as a ‘Pacific Pharmacist Ambassador’
due to my role as a pharmacy lecturer at the oldest medical school in the Pacific, the Fiji School
of Medicine and continuing medical education provider for pharmacist’s organizations in Fiji.
These roles will allow me to share my experiences from the Pacific and hopefully take back
ideas for improvement from distinguished speakers and participants at the Congress. Based on
the notion that the FIP Centennial is the Future of Pharmacy, the contacts that I will be able to
make in Amsterdam will go a long way in moving forward my vision for good pharmacy
practice and education back home.
The overall theme of “Improving Health through Responsible Medicines Use” at this year’s FIP
Congress has much relevance and potential to impact my current work with pharmacy students
and pharmacists in Fiji. My special interests from the Congress are sessions on Ensuring
Responsible Medicine Use, Medication Adherence and Integrating Multidisciplinary Education into Pharmacy Curricula. FIPs “Pharmabridge” project and “Foundation for Education and
Research” is also of particular interest to me as this can establish link between pharmacy schools,
pharmacists associations and individual pharmacists from around the world with Fiji and, be a
medium for ‘fertile’ research on medicine use with pharmacists who share similar research
interests.
The after Congress plan sees me providing feedback of my experiences to Fiji School of
Medicine faculty staff, hospital pharmacists and members of the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society
(through CME sessions) and to my pharmacy students. Hopefully I can bring back ideas for
infusing fruitful change.
Fiji Islands is a ‘world away’ from Amsterdam. It’s a great feeling to have this once in a lifetime
opportunity to visit a country in Europe and be at the premier event where FIP will celebrate its
100 years of progress and set the stage for the future. I am very much looking forward to making
new friends from around the globe. Amsterdam – tot ziens!
