Many of the state affiliates have begun to focus on developing programs and services for new practitioners to encourage this group to become actively involved in their state organizations.  According to a recent ASHP New Practitioners Forum survey and the 2008 Affiliate Benchmarking Survey, about 50% of the affiliates offer programming and/or services specifically for this group of practitioners.  Additionally, in about 40% of state organizations, new practitioners are represented on committees, as members of Boards, and as delegates in their respective affiliates' House of Delegates.

Based on information collected by the ASHP New Practitioners Forum, four affiliates have demonstrated strong services for new practitioners.  The states are Illinois, Iowa/Wisconsin, and Tennessee.  The Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists (ICHP) has a New Practitioners Network so that new practitioner members have a mechanism to discuss issues of common interest.  Additionally, ICHP sponsors a networking dinner during the winter quarter; enables attendance of residents and new practitioners at sporting events; and sponsors a new practitioner reception at their Annual Meeting in the fall.

Three pharmacy groups sponsor Leadership Conferences for their new practitioners. The Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) jointly sponsor a conference each year.  And, the Tennessee Society of Health-System Pharmacists/Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TSHP/TPA) also sponsor a retreat for this group of practitioners.

In August, ten Iowa new practitioners join with ten new practitioners from Wisconsin to attend the joint Leadership Pharmacy Conference.  Pharmacists must be in their first ten years of practice to participate.  The conference is comprised of leadership training, workshops, formal and informal networking sessions, and opportunities to meet with current state association leadership.  This conference has taken place for over twenty years and about 500 pharmacists from Iowa and Wisconsin have participated.

For over six years, TPA and its societies, including TSHP, have identified student and new pharmacists and invited them to participate in a Professional Development and Leadership Conference.  It is designed to educate and prepare prospective pharmacy leaders and allow them to network with current leaders of TPA and its societies.  Through networking with the organization's current leaders, participants learn about the importance of involvement in their professional organization, leadership and communication skills.  Many of TPA and TSHP's current elected leadership and committee members are graduates of previous new practitioner leadership conferences.

On November 18, 2009, Jill Haug, Director of ASHP's New Practitioners Forum, will present a webinar to offer ideas and suggestions to affiliates on programs and services that might attract new practitioners to your state organization.