2025 is already proving to be a big year for both NAPSA and the profession. Our national team has just returned from NAPSA Congress 2025 at the University of Queensland, where nearly 250 pharmacy students from across Australia and New Zealand gathered for the event of the year. The Brisbane Congress Organising Committee put together a week full of education, networking, and opportunities for lasting connections.
Plans for NAPSA Congress 2026 at the University of Sydney are already underway, and we’re excited to make it the biggest Congress yet.
We're also continuing our efforts to address placement poverty for pharmacy and allied health students with the launch of the Health Students Alliance on the first night of Congress. This growing coalition of 32+ organisations represents pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, and other disciplines impacted by the financial burden of mandatory placements. Together, this new organisation of health students is ready to take the fight to Canberra.
At the Congress gala, we announced our plan to solidify all that NAPSA has become over the last decade and its path into the future. NAPSA 2030 will outline a five-year vision designed to benefit our members, stakeholders and the public. Developed collaboratively across all levels of the organisation, this first-of-its-kind document will be released publicly to ensure the current team’s legacy is defined by transparency and accountability.
In November 2024, the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, made the exciting announcement: those who graduate with approved Australian Qualifications Framework Level 9 Masters (Extended) of Pharmacy will earn the title of Doctor of Pharmacy. Since this announcement, NAPSA has worked closely with all stakeholders to ensure this historic change meets the needs of pharmacy students.
As students return to campus over the next few weeks, it’s time for NAPSA members to renew their membership with their local branch and spread the word to friends and classmates about the benefits of joining. Head to https://www.napsa.org.au/how-to-join/ for more information. We look forward to your continued support over the coming year.
