Amber Douglass

Dr. Amber Douglass graduated from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2010 and completed a PGY1 residency program with Sullivan University College of Pharmacy/Central State Hospital in 2011. She is dual certified by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties in pharmacotherapy and psychiatry. Dr. Douglass recently completed Adult Mental Health First Aid training and earned the ASHP Well-Being and Resilience Certificate. In 2023, she was recognized by the VA Clinical Pharmacy Practice Office for an Innovative Practice in Telehealth.

Current employment, practice, and academic responsibilities:
Dr. Douglass is a mental health clinical pharmacist practitioner with the VISN 1 Clinical Resource Hub in the VA. Clinical Resource Hubs are programs that provide support to increase access to clinical services for veterans when local facilities have gaps in care. In her role, Dr. Douglass has provided mental health prescriber coverage via telehealth for a residential rehabilitation treatment program in Massachusetts and now sees patients in the outpatient setting in Maine. Dr. Douglass is also involved in virtual precepting and teaching activities with various programs, including the West Haven, CT VA PGY1 and PGY2 in psychiatry, the Meharry Medical College Psychopharmacology Series, and the Advanced Psychiatry Elective for Belmont University College of Pharmacy in Nashville, TN.

Significant projects and accomplishments:
While working for the Tennessee Valley VA, Dr. Douglass developed and facilitated the Teaching Certificate Program for their PGY2 pharmacy programs. She was also the inaugural Preceptor Development Coordinator for their PGY1 and PGY2 programs and co-developed the Preceptor Development Seminar which has grown to become a virtual offering across the VA nationwide.

Promotion of Health System Pharmacy Practice:
Dr. Douglass enjoys sharing her pharmacy path with learners and is involved in mentoring programs through her alma mater and with other pharmacy organizations. In April 2024, she will be presenting on her substance use disorders practice site during the Student Programming portion of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists Annual Meeting.

Professional Engagement & SPE: 
Dr. Douglass has been involved with ASHP since she was a pharmacy student and more recently has been serving as a member of the Section of Pharmacy Educators Post-Graduate Education and Learning Experiences Section Advisory Group since 2021. She also had the honor of co-presenting a session on sleep disorders at the 2023 ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting.

ASHP & Pharmacy Education:
ASHP is an invaluable organization for the pharmacy workforce across many spectrums. ASHP offers numerous avenues for engagement, networking and training opportunities which are accessible in multiple formats. And while this spans far outside of educating pharmacy professionals, Dr. Douglass is excited about the recently launched public awareness campaign to educate the public on the value and services of hospital and health-system pharmacists.

Professional Advice:
Dr. Douglass encourages colleagues to seek balance and recall that situations ebb and flow. While it may seem unnatural, it's important to prioritize self-care to set yourself up for success in your work and personal life. Choose opportunities that you are passionate about and consider letting others go that do not align with your priorities or do not fit into your schedule. Set boundaries and respect them whenever feasible!