Carlos García Ardanaz y Laura Dolado -students in their 4th year of Pharmacy at the University of Navarra-, along with Carlos Escolano (University of Alcalá de Henares) have been the winners of the fourth edition of the essay contest for pharmacy studentsconvened by the association Spanish Social Pharmacy (AEFAS), Pharmaceutical Mail and the Spanish Federation of Pharmacy Students (FEEF).

In his essay Carlos García stated that in the development of a Study program -such as that of Pharmacy- it is critical to anticipate the changes that the profession will undergo in the future, so that the Study program will always be adapting to these changes. To this end, Carlos turned to the Hegel's dialecticsIn the work I also set out to break with this false antagonism between science and literature," explains the student. In his opinion, "it is very positive to carry out this analysis work subject because it encourages you to ask yourself questions such as subject "why did we receive this subject? What curricula do other Schools offer? And you realize what real needs are met by what you are studying". "It's like studying what you're studying about," stresses student.

What will the pharmacy of the 21st century be like?

Laura, for her part, also stated in her essay that the Schools of Pharmacy must foresee the challenges they will face in order to anticipate possible scenarios: "The increase in life expectancy (even more so in the case of women), and the consequent aging of the population - with the higher incidence and prevalence of degenerative diseases such as dementias; as well as the complications of chronic diseases - such as hypertension hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus; and the chronification of diseases that were previously incurable - such as many types of cancer - are emerging situations that require study." 

Regarding what the experience of participating in the competition trials has given her, Laura emphasizes that it has given her "a general vision of what the pharmacy of the 21st century should be like, in accordance with the needs of the population".

The three winners of the 2017 edition received diplomas at the closing ceremony of Farmaforum, organized by the association Salmantina de Estudiantes de Farmacia. Their work will also be published in Correo Farmacéutico and in the "No excipients" section of the AEFAS website.

The jury of the competition was composed of Jesús Aguilar SantamaríaPresident of committee General de Colegios Oficiales de Farmacéuticos; Francisco J. Fernandezdirector of Farmaindustria; Sergio GarceránVice-president of Communication of the Spanish Federation of Pharmacy Students; Rosario García del Rio, editor of Correo Farmacéutico; José López GuzmánPresident of the Spanish Social Pharmacy association ; Alejandro Parejo García-SaavedraPresident of the Spanish Federation of Pharmacy Students; Enrique Soler Companydirector de Farmacia del Hospital Arnau de Vilanova de Valencia; Concepción Tros de IlarduyaProfessor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Navarra; and José Manuel VegaPresident of the lecture of Deans of Pharmacy Schools ; as well as the three winners of the previous edition: Alejandro Forcada, Pilar de Torre y María Barbería.