Kayla Johnson

Biographical Information 
Dr. Johnson graduated from Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy and went on to complete a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency followed by a specialty PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency. Dr. Johnson is able to facilitate patient care with insight to the continuum of care from her inpatient and outpatient experience, and for each patient to be the forethought when building standard operating procedures and developing pharmacist and technician roles. Her current goals include advancing the role of the specialty pharmacist within a clinic space through the utilization of collaborative practice agreements.

Current employment, practice, and academic responsibilities:
Dr. Kayla Johnson, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP is currently a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, an academic medical center with an integrated specialty pharmacy in Nashville, TN. In her current role, Dr. Johnson has a focus on medications within the non-multiple sclerosis neurology and psychiatry realms including epilepsy and movement disorders.

Significant projects and accomplishments:
Dr. Johnson routinely engages in the education of pharmacy students/residents; additionally, she presents her research activities concerning the advancement of the pharmacist role and clinical aspects of patient care through a combination of conference posters and publications. She serves as a mentor and resource for other pharmacists who are unfamiliar with the student mentoring process during longitudinal research projects.

Promotion of Health System Pharmacy Practice
Dr. Johnson is involved in outcomes research and in precepting PGY1 residents and APPE students through longitudinal research experiences and monthly clinical rotations. During her clinical rotations, learners are exposed to a variety of patient populations through integration into clinics in which interprofessional teams care for patient with conditions such as Huntington’s Disease (HD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Learners are able to meet these patients in clinic and then walk through the access process of a specialty medication from decision to treat until initial delivery is completed and then follow-up if rotation length allows.

Professional Engagement & SSPP 
Dr. Johnson has served in a variety of leadership positions within ASHP since pharmacy school when she joined to enhance her knowledge about Health-System Pharmacy, and is currently the Vice-Chair of the Educational Steering Committee within the ASHP Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners for the 2023-2024 year.

Please describe ASHP’s value as a professional organization in contributing to the education of the pharmacy workforce? What do you think are some key success, resources, and opportunities? Please describe in at least 3-5 sentences.
Throughout her involvement with ASHP, Dr. Johnson has enjoyed watching the expansion of educational resources and increased diversity in practice area resources offered by ASHP. Of particular notice is the development of the ASHP Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners due to her practice interests; however, the advancement of the Pharmacy Technician and the growth in this area seem to be a clear success and fulfill a previously unmet need on a national level. As the pharmacy workforce as a whole continues to advance and more specialty medications are brought to market, Dr. Johnson feels the growth potential in these two areas to continue to unite practitioners is an exciting one in which to be involved.

Professional Advice
When Dr. Johnson began her pharmacy career, she would not have been able to imagine practicing in the role she is in today. The best piece of advice she can offer is to always keep an open mind and take every opportunity available for exposure to unknown practice areas. If not for living by this motto during her early career days, Dr. Johnson would likely not be practicing in the outpatient specialty space or as involved with the profession she loves.