This past weekend, on the 11th and 12th of June, we had one of our flagship events  virtually, which was the MPS-YPC PLUS Workshop. It is a platform where members from all YPC state chapters, namely Selangor (Central), Kedah/Perlis, Pahang, Penang, Perak and Johor  are welcomed to join the collaborative space for the greater good of current and future pharmacists. The annual gathering aims to bridge the various ideas/projects that each state committee has and work in tandem to develop them into becoming reality.

On the first day of the workshop, we had the representative/chairperson of each YPC state chapter give us a rundown of what has and what will be going on in their committee. As we don’t usually get to convene together like this, it was refreshing and insightful to learn about each other’s course of action and future plans. Therefore, providing a free space to gauge on any potential collaborations in the future. Following that, we had a short but fun ice-breaking session in separate breakout rooms. Given that there was an even mix of participants from each YPC state chapter, everyone had the opportunity to get to know each other and further expand their network. 

Then, we had a SWOT brainstorming session focusing on Advocacy, Pharmacist Development, Public Image & Perception and People Organization. Almost 2 months of planning by the organising team and 1 month of preparation as well as pre-discussion from all states went into prior to this actual session. The participants were split into 4 groups with each state representative presenting their ideas pertaining to the topic and discussing among themselves to finalise the project that could be worked on, either on a central or state level. Needless to say, it was a very interactive and stimulating session as these were the future projects that we as young pharmacists in this organisation would be working on. The discussion took around 2 hours to be finalised and was later on proposed to all state chairs. If you’re curious to know more about what projects we finally decided on, stay tuned to all our socials to find out.

One of the highlights of the event was definitely the soft skills talk by Mr.Ewe Kheng Huat. The talk titled “Maximising Impact with Leadership Coaching” is one of Mr.Ewe’s forte for he is currently a Senior Director in LNS integration, a consulting company in which he is involved in coaching young executives and CEOs to become better leaders among many other things. 

Having worked as a registered pharmacist in the pharmaceutical industry for over 30 years, Mr.Ewe is passionate about creating awareness and opportunities for healthcare undergraduates regarding the industry sector through lectures and forums. Among the many feathers in his cap, Mr.Ewe was the Country Manager at Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and is currently a board member of Clinical Research Malaysia as well as a trainer for Non-Manufacturing PRP Master Preceptors.

Mr.Ewe was pointblank about the fact that in learning and development, mindsets are very important as it can make or break the direction of growth that the person undertakes. His three points were:

• To embrace change within ourselves to allow one to experience the transformation it brings about
• Having a gap or speed bump (akin to red) allows opportunities for growth
• Establishing standards in terms of the end goal we want to achieve – to improve competency and recognize the success

He also went on to stress that a leader does not necessarily need to only be a leader. A leader can also be a manager or a coach. In the context of a pharmacist, leading a team requires trust. So, for that, the leader has to be clear about the path he/she wants to take on and align them accordingly. Team bonding and culture is also crucial as it reflects on the trust and motivation that the team pours into their work. 

Looking from the perspective of a manager, meticulousness in the analysis and planning of their operations is crucial as it directly impacts their productivity. Similarly, as healthcare professionals, he reiterated how vital it is for us to be forward minded and grab opportunities/resources to learn and to create the impact we want to the public. 

From a broader horizon, leaders are also coaches who mold the team’s learning and help them achieve performance standards that enable an individual to become competent. Although the hat that a leader has to wear varies based on the situation, they are all of equal importance when it comes to managing a team. 

As we in the Young Pharmacist Chapter aim to mold future pharmacists, it’s important to note these three basic coaching skills which are:

• Active listening
• Build confidence
• Encourage self-discovery

Essentially, Mr.Ewe wrapped up the session with words on the core components of coaching which are competency and willingness. They each encompass:

• Competency – Past experience, Knowledge, Skills and application
• Willingness – Commitment, Eagerness, Motivation 

On the second day of this workshop was more of a networking session among all the participants. As COVID-19 had loomed over us these past 2 years, this fun session prepared by the Professional Networking team enabled both the old and new faces of the organisation to get to know each other and bond. Overall, it was quite an interesting session that wrapped up this year’s MPS-YPC PLUS Workshop on a sweet note.