Some key points to consider when identifying a mentor are:

• Are they doing (or have they done) what you aspire to do personally and professionally in your career (and life)?
• Are they respected by their peers (colleagues)?
• Do you feel comfortable with them (good “personal chemistry”)?
• Do you trust that your conversations will be held in confidence?
• Are you willing to have them be candid, supportive, and demanding as they assist you in reaching your career goals?

Some tips for having a successful (productive) mentor-mentee relationship are: (and these are all YOUR responsibility)

• Take the time to develop a personal relationship (getting to know them and vice a versa)
• Express to the best of your ability your personal and professional aspirations.
• Ask them to help you develop a written career plan that includes specific goals, action plans, and a timeline.
• Maintain frequent contact (face-face, e-mail, phone calls, etc.) with progress status reports and needed plan updates. Do not forget to pre-schedule time together at professional meetings even if you work together. Ask for suggested professional opportunities to explore.
• Periodically discuss how to make the relationship more effective (what is working and what could be better)
• Remain open to the advice and suggestions of your mentor.

It may be useful to have several mentors: one that covers the professional development aspect, another that you can truly be candid (vent) with and someone who provides you with encouragement and support. This may be one person, but don’t hesitate to use others to fulfill these roles.

Here are some ideas that have led to leadership opportunities:

• Staff governed committees that solve departmental problems or make recommendations for performance improvement.
• Involvement on the P&T Committee or one of its related sub-committees that address topics such as Medication Safety or Performance Improvement
• Volunteering for a Pharmacy-Nursing committee

There are many ways one can contribute to the leadership of an organization. Let it be known that you want to be included and are interested in developing your leadership skills. Good luck!!

Completing a management or administrative rotation within a hospital setting will broaden your horizon on pharmacy practice and expose you to a variety of leadership experiences. The process of learning how to manage requires you to fully understand clinical pharmacy practice and its impact on patients, physicians, nurses and other healthcare personnel. You will be exposed to situations where leadership is required to implement evidence based principles or best practices to advance patient care. In addition to gaining experience in management, you will begin to develop a skill set for assessing and implementing practices that affect large numbers of patients.

If you are interested in pursuing a management or administrative rotation, you should first contact your experiential coordinator to determine whether such a rotation exists in your state. If one does not exist in your state and you are willing and able to complete a management/administrative rotation in another state, you should inquire about this. If a management rotation is not currently available, the experiential coordinator may assist you with the development and establishment of a management rotation site. Contact preceptors at local hospitals to set up a meeting with the director or assistant director of pharmacy. Inform them that you would like the opportunity to gain a more thorough understanding of hospital pharmacy management, and inquire whether they would be available and willing to precept you for a rotation. Provide the director or assistant director with the information packet that your school provides to all preceptors, as well as a copy of the article, “Student rotations in health-system pharmacy management and leadership” published in the AJHP in 2005. This article can be used as a template to facilitate the development of a successful student management rotation within a hospital setting.

Knoer, SJ; Rough, S; Gouveia , WA. Student rotations in health-system pharmacy management and leadership. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2005; 62:2539-41.

Management training can be found in a variety of places. There may be management training opportunities in your current facility. Many hospitals and health-systems offer leadership development seminars and workgroups to interested employees. Additionally, formalized education can be pursued at colleges and universities. Certificate programs or an associates, bachelors or masters degree are all potential options for management education. There are also opportunities within specialized residencies in pharmacy administration, some of which are affiliated with a college or university allowing for a combined program that results in completion of a Masters degree.

Pharmacy as a profession relies on managers and leaders that have the skills and the vision to further promote the future of pharmacy. With a limited number of resources, management can be challenging, but is also rewarding, especially when you can make a difference in patient care and the profession of pharmacy.

For those who wish to further pursue opportunities in fellowship training, specialized residency training is highly recommended before applying for a fellowship. A fellowship can open doors to positions in academia, outcomes research, and a host of other possibilities. If you are unsure whether fellowship training is right for you, you should first complete a specialized residency in administration/management (preferably with concurrent graduate school training) then decide on a fellowship afterwards.

If you do not wish to pursue a specialized residency, there is the option of independently pursuing further education (i.e., Masters in Business Administration or a Masters of Science degree) while working as a pharmacist. This option may take a longer period of time to complete, may be challenging to balance with a full-time pharmacist job, and may not provide the level of networking and mentoring that can be obtained through the completion of a residency.

The first step is to understand your total life priorities. One way to begin this process is to determine your major roles such as:

• Pharmacist
• Son/daughter
• Mother/father
• Spouse
• Personal time (hobbies, exercise, etc)
• Community member (i.e. church, professional organizations, etc.
• Others as appropriate

The second step is to consciously allocate your time to each of these priorities (perhaps 2-4 weeks) by:

• Formally scheduling time for each of your priorities (even if for some it’s a small amount of time). Perhaps schedule a date night every week with your spouse or a game night with your family.
• Putting your schedule in writing and keeping it in easy daily view
• Leaving some unscheduled time for unexpected things that come up
• Using your schedule and your list of priorities as a basis of saying Yes/No to new demands on your time
• Reviewing your satisfaction at the end of the time period with your new integrated life and make adjustments in time and priorities as you formally plan the next time period. Don’t try for perfection-just the best you can do.
• On a regular basis, take a hard look and review your schedule and your life for activities not relating to your priority roles. If you are not gaining something from an activity, consider forgoing this activity or review your level of involvement.

You are always going to have to make some trade-off decisions, do them consciously versus being swept along by other peoples’ agendas. If you had to put off a priority, pick it up on the next schedule or readjust your priorities. If you feel guilty or feel like you are sacrificing an aspect of your life, readjust your priorities and your allocation of time and acknowledge that it’s the journey that brings satisfaction rather than any one time period.

Two excellent references are Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First which can be found in any bookstore.

I would encourage you to start off by applying for positions that seem to be a good fit, based on your experience and training. Applying for a high level leadership position before being a member of the committee or advisory group may limit your opportunities. Also, when stating your interest for the position, make sure you understand the goals of the organization/committee and how you as a member could contribute, including any ideas you feel might benefit the organization/committee and its members.

Other Tips:

• Become an active member of pharmacy organizations at the local, state, and national levels.
• Start by running for a local leadership position which will allow you to network with leaders at the state level.
• Apply for a committee or leadership position at the state level after you have established yourself as a leader at the local level.
• Apply for a committee or run for a leadership position at the national level after you have established yourself as a leader/contributor at the state level.
• The Sky’s the Limit!

Any new technology or patient care services? Examples of technology may be new compounding equipment for TPN or a new pharmacy computer system. Examples of new services could be anti-coagulation management, medication reconciliation, etc.

What are your core patient care services or areas of excellence within your institution? (oncology, cardiology, critical care, etc). It is best to provide annual updates in these areas as new medication therapies and treatment modalities evolve.

What is happening at similar institutions? What deficiencies have been identified by national associations/organizations? What are the "hot topics" being addressed at meetings such as ASHP Midyear and state organization meetings?

It is important to think of these things in terms of both your pharmacists and your support staff (technicians, interns). Also think about staff development needs in terms of assigned areas of responsibility or scope of position. A pharmacist working in the ED would have very different staff development needs than an oncology specialist.

Last, but certainly not least, ask YOUR STAFF for input. They may be your best source of information!

Once you have determined your priorities, develop a plan. Decide how and how often you will offer staff development programs? Will they be delivered live? Will you use annual computer based learning modules? Who will be the speakers? Who will set up and coordinate the programs? Will coverage for staff be provided? What time of day? All shifts? Will technician and pharmacist development programs be separate? Once complete, create an annual calendar of staff development to be shared with pharmacy staff.

"CPD is a self-directed, ongoing, systematic and outcomes-focused approach to learning and professional development."

The Institute of Medicine (IOM), among others, has called for an overhaul of the education and training of healthcare professionals and recommended that regulatory boards move toward requiring licensed professionals to demonstrate their ability to deliver patient care. The principles of CPD have already been incorporated into continuing education systems in several countries, including Great Britain, Canada and New Zealand. In the US, several national pharmacy organizations, including ACPE, have adopted statements or policy regarding CPD. During 2006-2007, five states (Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin) are piloting a program that aims to provide pharmacists with the knowledge and skills to accept the responsibility to fully engage in and document their learning through reflecting on their practice, assessing and identifying professional learning needs and opportunities, developing and implementing a personal learning plan, and evaluating their learning outcomes.

As with all continuing education, the goal of CPD is to enhance the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required by pharmacists for their practice. It is important to stress that CPD is not a replacement for CE; CE (as defined by ACPE) is an integral and essential component of CPD. CPD is, therefore, being considered as a quality improvement to current systems for continuing education. Research has shown that traditional approaches to CE can be effective in both learning and practice change, but that outcomes of learning can be improved if the learning is in an area of interest or preference, related to daily practice, selected in response to identified need, interactive and hands-on, self-directed, focused on specific outcomes and objectives, and if the learning uses more than one intervention (i.e., is continuing, not opportunistic) and includes a "commitment to change." These principles are incorporated into the CPD approach.

Step 1 – Understand your current professional and personal situation
Depending on the stage of your career and life, you will experience different circumstances. Before writing your plan, you should critically and honestly evaluate your personal and professional strengths and weaknesses and write them down. Professional strengths should include those experiences and achievements that you are most proud of accomplishing, while professional weaknesses should include any areas where you have been unable to gain experience or regrettably avoided. After examining your professional life, evaluate the current stage of your personal life, including your relationships (spouse, associations, religion, etc.), financial situation, health, how you use discretionary time, and any other aspect of life that is important to you.

Step 2 – Examine yourself in 5 years and evaluate your future situation
As a new practitioner (0 to 5 years post graduation/residency), the 5-year plan should include expanding your scope, responsibility and breadth of professional involvement and influence as much as possible. Look at every situation as an opportunity to expand your knowledge base and experience. Critically think about the nature of pharmacy practice in 5 years and ask yourself, “what qualities, skills, or abilities will I need to be a successful leader in pharmacy in 5 years?” Assess the nature of evolving technologies, practices, and ideas that may be present in 5 years. Evaluate how involvement in professional organizations can broaden your perspective and networking opportunities to help you achieve success. In addition, you should assess the style or professional image you would like to have in 5 years. For example, do you want to project a mature image or a lighthearted image? From a personal view, think of all the changes that could happen over the next 5 years. Would a spouse be in the picture? How about children? Will your belief system play a substantial part in your life in 5 years? All of these considerations must be taken into account in order to achieve work-life balance.

If you are having difficulty assessing your hypothetical situation 5 years down the road, seek out someone who models (or closely models) the attributes most aligned with your ideal 5-year vision. Find someone who currently has a position you strive to hold one day, meet with them to trace their career path and organizational involvement, and then work to mimic what they have done to be successful. If you cannot find someone within your organization or network of colleagues that holds a position or distinction that you desire, begin researching elsewhere (read Whitney Award speeches, ask leaders in your respective state organization, broaden your network at national meetings, etc.). After “interviewing” the individual who holds the desired position or distinction, write down specific attributes that you find desirable in that person or that person’s career journey. These attributes may include, but are not limited to: their strengths, outlook on the profession of pharmacy, personal and professional goals, knowledge gained from past failures/mistakes/shortcomings, avenues taken to reach desirable goals/positions, and other pearls learned from various experiences.

After you have identified and written out your ideal situation or characteristics that you hope to possess in 5 years, identify the gaps that exist between yourself today and your idealized future self. Examine what opportunities could help you fill these gaps and pursue those opportunities. Be willing to accept tasks or responsibilities outside of your comfort zone – accomplishing these will provide a higher yield. When writing your plan for pursuing these opportunities, use positive language and avoid negative words such as “not,” “never,” “won’t,” or “can’t.”

Step 3 – Seek out mentorship
Finding a mentor is vital in the progression of a 5-year plan. If you find desirable professional or personal qualities in a person and you wish to develop a mentor-protégé relationship, you should approach and ask him or her to be a mentor. It is important that you “connect” with a mentor and take time to develop a functioning relationship.

As you grow, you may need to consider mentorship succession. In five years, you may have needs for a different or additional mentor. While certain mentors may remain with you throughout your entire career, it is important that you re-evaluate every 5 years to determine whether adding other mentors would be appropriate.

Step 4 – Make a “wish list” of everything you want to accomplish in 5 years
In addition to envisioning your idealized self in five years and making necessary strides to fulfill areas needing improvement, you should keep a “wish list” of professional and personal items you hope to accomplish in the next five years. This “wish list” should be a running list can entail anything that would provide you pleasure in accomplishing.

Step 5 – Reevaluate your plan in 5 years
After five years, examine any gaps in your accomplishment of your original 5 year plan, explore reasons why some elements of your plan were not accomplished, re-evaluate your plan or create a new one. Evaluate where you were five years prior, your accomplishments over five years, and what the next five years will bring. Remember to make all statements in the “positive tense.”

Get to know the staff, understand the culture within the department as well as the processes and operations. Spend time in the work areas and consider working or shadowing a few shifts on a monthly basis to effectively assess the operational work flow and efficiency of the department. In so doing, you establish the fact that you are interested and ready to jump in when needed, also, you remain well connected to the staff and are able to identify and represent their needs. You also make yourself more accessible by doing this and become a viable resource to them. As you interact with your staff, remember to exhibit the skill sets that appeal to human nature: listen actively, be sincere and fair, be prudent with judgment, and prompt in response to the needs of your staff.

Work on developing a relationship with your predecessor. Cultivate a mentor/mentee relationship if possible and maintain an open line of communication. By doing so, you can learn from their knowledge and style, and maintain continuity within the department during the transition. In the event that you are being promoted to this new position, consider working with your predecessor to develop and adhere to a transition plan, where you work closely with them for a specified period of time before you take over the position. During this transition make a list of the information and tools you feel you need to obtain, and share the list with the other individual. Remember that he/she has amassed a great deal of knowledge over the past 20 years and it is important that you properly align yourself with this individual and learn from them so that you are better prepared in your new role.

• You are not replacing a person, only taking over responsibilities
• Build credibility and trust with staff
• Establish a network of resources and support for yourself
• Get to know your staff and the departmental operations
• Cultivate a relationship with your predecessor
• Develop a transition plan