Featuring: Vassilia Plakas, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and Frances Alexis Dela Cruz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024
By: Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024
*Meet Vassilia (Lia) Plakas
Lia is a fifth-year pharmacy student and the current President of the Rho Chi Honor Society – Beta Delta Chapter. Lia decided to pursue pharmacy as a result of being a NICU graduate. This experience gave her a close relationship with her medical team and instilled the importance of a strong patient-provider relationship. Lia has always had an affinity to medicine and science. She found that pharmacy encompasses these topics while also delving into patient care. She is interested in seeing the continued expansion of the pharmacist’s role and impact on patients and families.
What is the purpose of the LEADS Initiative?
The purpose of the LEADS Initiative is to serve as a mentor-mentee program where Rho Chi members lead underclassmen as mentors. It is a way for Rho Chi members to continue to give back to the younger pharmacy students, and to serve as leaders. In this program, mentors and mentees write an article together for the Rho Chi Post and participate in different service/professional events. These different program initiatives allow pairs to form a network while also promoting professional development and growth.
What inspired you to pursue the creation of the LEADS Initiative?
This initiative has allowed the groups to explore what it means to be a pharmacist at its core through attending the Oath of the Pharmacist event, writing articles for the Rho Chi Post, and sharpening other skillsets along the way. In addition, mentees have a mentor they can talk to if they have any questions regarding the pharmacy program. It stems from each feature mentioned, including leadership, ethics, academics, development, and service. The Rho Chi Society embraces those values at their core. It is fitting that the acronym of this leadership initiative ultimately spelled LEADS!
What is your favorite part of the LEADS Initiative?
The best part has been watching the initiative unfold and see all of the pieces come together. Figuring out which events would classify under each letter of the acronym and seeing everything come to fruition with the mentors and mentees connecting and writing together has been a super exciting experience.
Is there anything you would like to see the LEADS Initiative expand on in the future?
We have completed a lot of virtual opportunities over the last couple of years with COVID, which has been wonderful. However, as we transition back to in-person learning and service opportunities, the goal is to increase in-person opportunities available in the future.
What advice would you give future mentors and mentees?
The advice I would give to mentors and mentees is to be open to new experiences within the LEADS Initiative. Regarding advice to the mentees, I suggest keeping an open mind about writing, especially if this is their first publication.
*Meet Frances Alexis Dela Cruz
Frances is a fifth-year pharmacy student and the current Vice President of the Rho Chi Honor Society – Beta Delta Chapter. Frances attributes her passion for pharmacy to her father, who had been hospitalized when she was younger. Seeing how something as small as a pill could make such a big difference in his life solidified the pursuit of pharmacy practice for Frances, as she wanted to serve as an advocate to optimize his healthcare and answer any and all of his medication questions.
What is the purpose of the LEADS Initiative?
The LEADS Initiative is a pilot academic mentorship program centered on writing an article for the Rho Chi Post and building an increased sense of community between Rho Chi members and underclassmen. Mentor/mentee groups also participate in several service and professional development activities which promote personal and professional growth.
What inspired you to pursue the creation of the LEADS Initiative?
It all stemmed from trying to fill an unmet need because we saw that a lot of younger pharmacy students were hesitant to write for the Rho Chi Post, whether it be because they lacked experience or were unaware of the opportunity. The LEADS Initiative was built upon trying to meet that need and transformed to become a mentor/mentee program. With this foundation, we were inspired to also include aspects of leadership, ethics, academics, professional development, and service.
What is your favorite part of the LEADS Initiative?
My favorite part of this opportunity has been the ability to create and establish a platform for different years to connect with and learn from one another. Seeing the groups and having all the pieces and activities come together has been extremely rewarding.
Is there anything you would like to see the LEADS Initiative expand on in the future?
I would like to see the LEADS Initiative further expand and include more mentoring groups. Also, in the initial planning stages of the LEADS Initiative, we aimed to include a scavenger hunt as part of the Ethics component for the mentorship groups to bond and get to know each other. I hope to see this come to fruition in the future.
What advice would you give future mentors and mentees?
Don’t be afraid to take that step and sign up because participation in the LEADS Initiative provides an opportunity for personal and professional growth. The initiative emphasizes attributes that are rooted in the pharmacy profession at its core. It is a wonderful way to learn and build yourself professionally and network with other pharmacy students.
On behalf of the Rho Chi Post, we would like to thank Lia and Frances for all the time and effort they put in to bring the LEADS Initiative to life!
