Atlantic Province
Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity
Collin Fair - Beta Xi
Brother Fair is a 2018 initiate of the Beta Xi chapter.
Brother Fair's leadership roles:
I currently serve as Recruitment Chair for the Beta Xi chapter, while also involved with the Kappa Psi International Executive Committee (Public Relations). In addition to these, other leadership roles include: Chief Intern of the UNC Health Care Pharmacy Internship Program and Chapel Hill Liaison for The Asheville Summit’s annual healthcare conference. Lastly, I serve as a recruitment ambassador for the school and a mentor to pre-pharmacy students.
Some of Brother Fair's accomplishments are:
I received the opportunity to help alter standards of practice by creating educational tools and working with providers at a local FQHC surrounding alternative oral anti-diabetic combination agents to better utilize their 340B pricing, optimize medication regimens, and reduce both prescription costs and pill burden for undeserved patients at the clinic.
Regarding Kappa Psi accomplishments, I am ecstatic about this year's 100% bid acceptance rate and could not have done it without the help of all of our phenomenal brothers. All 22 of our neophytes will be attending province this year, so be sure to say hello and welcome!
Continue reading below to get to know a little bit more about Brother Collin Fair!
Q: Why did you choose pharmacy?
A: I chose to pursue pharmacy due to the value that I place on communication, relationship-building, and serving as a liaison to assist others. The ever-evolving role of the pharmacist as a patient advocate, medications expert, and resource to vulnerable populations is specifically why I wanted to enter the field of pharmacy and continue to grow with it.
Q: Why did you choose Kappa Psi?
A: I chose Kappa Psi to find my home away from home. Being from out-of-state, the transition to pharmacy school and a new life was extremely tough for me. Through Kappa Psi, I found a family that consistently welcomed and supported me through every endeavor! In addition to this, the professional development and networking opportunities afforded by Kappa Psi are unlike any other organization or fraternity on our campus.
Q: What are your future plans?
A: Although only a PY2, I have been fortunate to engage in many direct patient care experiences. I am confident that I would like to pursue a career in ambulatory care, specifically internal medicine! Through this career trajectory, I could further my passions for population health, inter-professional education, and chronic disease state management.
Q: Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
A: I was born on February 29th, so I will be celebrating my 6th “real” birthday in 2020!
Q: How has Kappa Psi positively influenced your life and/or career?
A: Kappa Psi has positively influenced my life and career in a multitude of ways! In addition to being a constant source of both emotional and mental support, I have had some of the best times in pharmacy school with my brothers! Furthermore, I have been able to meet and network with both collegiate and graduate brothers to advance my career goals. Both my internship director at the hospital, as well as my faculty research mentor at the school are Kappa Psi. I am forever grateful for the opportunities that this brotherhood has afforded me.
Q: What inspired or motivated you to begin the activities for which you are being recognized?
A: In everything that I do, I try to place Kappa Psi at the forefront of all decisions. I attribute much of this passion and style of thinking to having a phenomenal pledgemaster last year who taught me that whatever you put into this fraternity, it will come back to you ten-fold.
This year, I have had the pleasure of mentoring and working with our neophytes through recruitment, as a friend, and now as a brother to help connect them with resources and connections to succeed in various capacities at the school and medical center. I want to ensure that our chapter is consistently growing, advancing, and producing increasingly more leaders in pharmacy. As the best pharmaceutical fraternity in the nation, I hope to further aid in solidifying our presence at our school-- so that all students, regardless of fraternity affiliation, know that Kappa Psi is the best too!
I have thoroughly enjoyed getting the opportunity to mentor others, as well as be involved with many of our committees. All in all, seeing my brothers and our fraternity grow and succeed is motivation to continue giving as much as I can to Kappa Psi!
Q: Did you face any challenges along the way? If so, how did you overcome them?
A: During my pledging semester, I faced a lot of interpersonal conflict and changes surrounding my transition to pharmacy school in a new state. Only two weeks after receiving our bids, I went through several hardships that made me consider taking time off from school or potentially applying the next cycle back home.
Fortunately, my pledge brothers, who I barely knew at the time, stepped up and helped me through the most difficult point in my entire life. It was at this moment that I saw what Kappa Psi truly was and the importance of unity.
As student pharmacists, our lives can become quite hectic and our mental health can often be challenged. Through Kappa Psi and the connections that I’ve made, I know that I will consistently have unwavering support and people in my corner through every endeavor. I attribute much of my success to this fraternity and the supportive network that we maintain!
