September 2023
Dear Colleagues,
It is an honor to continue my service to the Section of Pharmacy Educators (SPE) and to have the privilege of serving as your Chair of the SPE for 2023-2024. First of all, I would like to acknowledge the Executive Committee (EC) that led the section this past year and thank them for their service to the SPE!
I am pleased to welcome the new and returning members of the SPE EC:
- We are delighted to have Jennifer Arnoldi, PharmD, BCPS as Chair-Elect. Dr. Arnoldi is a Clinical Professor and Assistant Director of Experiential Education at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SIUE-SOP).
- Dale E. English II, PharmD, BSPharm, RPh, FASHP has joined the EC as Director-at-Large Elect. Dr. English is the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Sullivan University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Tim Brown, PharmD, BCACP, FASHP will continue his term as Director-at-Large. Dr. Brown is the Director of Interprofessional Education for the University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy and Professor in Pharmacology and Toxicology for Augusta University Medical College of Georgia and UGA Partnership.
- Kevin W. Chamberlin, BS, PharmD, RPh, FASCP will also be continuing his term as Director-at-Large. Dr. Chamberlin is the University Director of Pharmacy Residency Programs at University of Connecticut (UConn) Health, Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at the UConn Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, and core faculty and pharmacist for the Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center.
- James A. Trovato, PharmD, MBA, FASHP will be serving as Immediate Past Chair. Dr. Trovato is professor and vice chair of academic affairs at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore.
Special appreciation to ASHP staff Gina Luchen, PharmD for her support of this section and also our outgoing SPE Immediate Past Chair Marie A. Chisholm-Burns, PharmD, MBA, FASHP, FAST, FCCP and outgoing Board Liaison Melanie Dodd, PharmD, PhC, BCPS, FASHP.
Thank you to our Section Advisory Groups (SAG) and Committee Chairs, Vice Chairs, and members for all the work completed this past year. The SAGs continued to produce several webinars, podcasts, publications, and educational programming. One of the major accomplishments to highlight was the ASHP Statement on Precepting as a Professional Obligation which was approved at the House of Delegates at the ASHP Summer Meeting in June.
This year, we continue to have over 100 volunteers through our four SAGs: SAG on Collaboration between Health Systems and Academia, SAG on Development of the Educational Workforce, SAG on Post-Graduate Education and Learning Experiences, and SAG on Student Education and Learning Experiences.
Key priorities for the section which will be carried out by our SAGs include:
- Supporting pharmacy residency program directors and preceptors.
- Enhancing the partnerships between academia and healthcare institutions.
- Supporting preceptor development, faculty development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Promoting interprofessional learning experiences and models for incorporating learners into health-system pharmacy practice.
- Supporting the well-being and resilience for learners, faculty, and preceptors.
Since the introduction of this section, the SPE EC has been working to maintain our commitment to ASHP priorities, address issues relating to pharmacy education, and support the strategic focus of the section. The inaugural SPE Executive Committee members developed the Crystal Ball project which consisted of a survey to explore issues affecting pharmacy, the pharmacy workforce and academia. The ASHP Section of Pharmacy Educators Crystal Ball project: Insight into the future of pharmacy education was published in AJHP earlier this year and an educational session, The Crystal Ball Project: Insight and Recommendations for Improving the Future of Pharmacy Education and Workforce, will be presented at the 2023 Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in December.
The SPE will be conducting three roundtable discussions during the Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition in 2023 on the following topics:
- Precepting Learners: Challenges and Opportunities on Sunday, Dec 3 at 11:15am
- Interprofessional Education Resources and Best Practices on Monday, Dec 4 at 11:15am
- Writing Letters of Reference: Pitfalls and Opportunities on Tuesday, Dec 5 at 11:15am
We hope you can join us at the SPE sponsored sessions during Midyear. Additional Midyear programming can be found on the conference’s online session itinerary planner.
This is your section and we would love to hear from you. We want to know what issues you are facing and how SPE can better meet your needs. Please send questions, comments, or suggestions to [email protected].
Looking forward to a great and productive year!
Best Regards,
Cher Enderby, PharmD, BCPS, BCNSP, FFSHP
Chair, Section of Pharmacy Educators
[email protected]