ASHP continues to make meaningful contributions to pharmacy practice. I am pleased to announce that the next cycle of our Guided Mentorship Program is launching soon. This six-month program aims to connect emerging pharmacy professionals with seasoned practitioners to provide a guided mentorship experience through structured, virtual one-on-one mentor/mentee relationships. The program is currently accepting applications for both mentors and student mentees. It is an excellent opportunity for pharmacy professionals to continue to give back to the pharmacy profession and for students to connect with a pharmacy mentor outside their current network. Participation in the 2022-2023 cycle is limited, and the application deadline is Sept. 19, 2022. For more information about the ASHP Guided Mentorship Program or to submit your application, please visit ashp.org/guidedmentorship. For a firsthand account of what the Guided Mentorship experience entails, I invite you to listen to the ASHP podcast, Propel Your Professional Development with ASHP’s Guided Mentorship Program, which features mentor-mentee pairs who participated in the inaugural cohort of the ASHP Guided Mentorship Program. 

I am delighted to share that more than 100 ASHP members will attend this year’s Policy Week, which will take place Sept. 12-15. ASHP’s Policy Week serves as the kickoff to the ASHP policymaking process and the foundation of ASHP's advocacy efforts. This year, like others, several major issues are being discussed, including the vital roles pharmacy technicians play and enhancements to those roles, pharmacist prescribing authority for antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, pharmacoequity, and others. On our annual legislative day, which takes place on Sept. 14, ASHP members will meet with members of Congress and their staff to educate them about pharmacists’ patient care roles and to gain support for ASHP’s top legislative priorities. If you would like to support ASHP’s advocacy efforts and help ensure that every member of Congress hears about the vital role pharmacists play in patient care, I invite you to send an email to your congressional representatives highlighting your work on the healthcare team. You can also follow ASHP’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts to see our legislative activities in action during Policy Week.

In October, ASHP will be holding two very important in-person events. The ASHP Conference for Pharmacy Leaders will take place Oct. 17-18 in Chicago. This meeting is a learning experience for current and aspiring leaders to develop focused skills in critical areas such as strategic planning, systems thinking, and building teams to advance pharmacy services. It also offers a forum to exchange ideas and discuss pressing pharmacy practice management topics. Registration for the ASHP Conference for Pharmacy Leaders is now open. The ASHP National Pharmacy Preceptors Conference will take place Oct. 19-20 in Chicago as well. Specifically for pharmacy preceptors and residency directors, this event provides education about the latest updates on accreditation standards and advanced practice area goals. Attendees will learn about ways to improve residency programs, address implicit bias in residency program recruitment, how to use microlearning techniques to facilitate teaching, and much more. Registration for the National Pharmacy Preceptors Conference is now open.

The third week of October is National Pharmacy Week, which showcases the exceptional service pharmacists and technicians provide to patients every day. This week is an opportunity to spotlight the remarkable impact you have on your patients and raise awareness about your role on the healthcare team. Please check out some of ASHP’s many National Pharmacy Week resources, including an engagement calendar, strategies for success, a timeline, and information about National Pharmacy Technician Day.

Finally, I hope to see you at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in Las Vegas from Dec. 4-8.

ASHP remains committed to supporting you, our members, in every way we can. Over the next several months, we look forward to providing you with exceptional opportunities to network, learn, collaborate, and advocate.

As always, thank you for all that you do for your patients and our profession.

Sincerely,

Paul

Posted on September 9, 2022