Every year our ICHP student chapter from the University of Illinois at Chicago-Rockford hosts the local Clinical Skills Competition (CSC) for both campuses. The competition is open to all students, from P1s to P4s. The CSC is a highly interactive case-based scenario followed by an oral presentation to a panel of clinical faculty judges. The local CSC is a great opportunity for students to practice what they have learned in their therapeutics curriculum, and further develop their pharmacy knowledge, teamwork, and clinical skills.

This year we had a total of 13 (2-person) teams compete in the local competition held on campus this September and October 2017. Among the 13 teams (from both campuses), only one team is chosen to advance and represent our University at the national level, which was held at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in December 2017. This year Dovydas Krolis (P4) and Francisco Castaneda (P4) from the Rockford Campus blew the judges away, and got the opportunity to represent UIC COP at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting which was held in Orlando, Florida.

They faced over a hundred teams from the best schools in the nation. The competition at the national level was similar to the local, however, the cases were far more complex and multifaceted. They had the opportunity to put their pharmacy skills to the test and apply everything they have learned at the competition.

Overall the national CSC is a wonderful experience, and despite not qualifying for Round 2 of the competition, the two P4s were not discouraged. They stated that it was highly rewarding for them to be able to utilize all the hard work they put into learning and studying clinical practice at the competition. Local and national level variations previously discussed aside, the competition overall was a wonderful opportunity for them to make connections with other like-minded peers from across the United States and represent the college at the national level.