Advises the Board of Directors on standards for affiliation, implementation of the standards, methods of strengthening affiliates, and methods of building affiliate relationships that help advance ASHP's objectives. The work of the Commission is an on-going, yearlong process. The Commission meets formally in Bethesda, MD twice a year.

• The COAR Experience

  During September I had the privilege of participating in ASHP’s annual Policy Week as a student member of the Commission on Affiliate Relations (COAR). About two weeks before heading to Bethesda, I joined the other Commission members on a conference call for a short orientation and discussion of COAR responsibilities. Leading up to Policy Week I found myself spending most of my free time reading and evaluating applications for state affiliation as well as results of state affiliate surveys about student and new practitioner membership and PPMI promotion. Policy Week in Bethesda was an amazing experience, from the welcoming lunch with other students and new practitioners through lobbying on Capitol Hill on Legislative Day. Most of my time was spent working closely with the COAR to develop recommendations for the ASHP Board of Directors about the affiliate applications, but we also discussed lots of ways for state affiliates to collaborate with their student and new practitioner members and how ASHP can utilize state affiliates in promoting PPMI. In addition to my COAR activities, I loved socializing with the leaders of health-system pharmacy; I was able to connect with some amazing people and got plenty of much appreciated advice as I look ahead to beginning my pharmacy career. The week finished with the excitement of lobbying our Senators and Representatives about pharmacy issues, especially the critical problem of drug shortages. Needless to say, I truly enjoyed the week and I’m eager to continue my national involvement with ASHP.

Student education, postgraduate education and training, specialization, assessment and maintenance of competence, credentialing, balance between workforce supply and demand, development of technicians, and related matters.

• The COEWD Experience

  I currently serve as the student member of the Council on Education and Workforce Development (CEWD). During Policy Week in September, CEWD met to discuss issues related to the pharmacy technician workforce, pharmacy students, and residency. I thoroughly enjoyed every topic that we discussed, but the topic of national pharmacy technician licensure was my favorite. In my opinion, the creation of a national pharmacy technician licensure by state Boards of Pharmacy would ensure a qualified technician workforce and help build a technician career ladder. Currently, pharmacy technicians serve in several specialized roles within hospitals and health-systems. Some examples include tech-check-tech, narcotic technician, and taking medication histories or performing medication reconciliation. How can we assure the technicians in these roles are qualified to perform these roles that are associated with greater liability than traditional roles? Licensure is one way that we can accomplish this. Requiring licensure to work in a specialized role would also help form pharmacy technician as a career rather than a job. Our pharmacy technician workforce should be knowledgeable and held accountable for their role in providing excellent patient care.

  My experience at Policy Week extended far beyond the discussions we had on CEWD. I got to know leaders in pharmacy and developed great respect for the views and ideas that they bring to ASHP. Members of CEWD went to dinner together and got to know one another on a personal level. On Legislative Day on Capitol Hill, myself and other Minnesota leaders in pharmacy met with representatives of Senators Klobuchar and Franken and Representative Keith Ellison. Senator Amy Klobuchar spoke to Policy Week attendants about the bill that she drafted on drug shortages. As a Minnesota constituent, I had the great pleasure of meeting Senator Klobuchar. She is very down-to-earth and is truly Minnesota through and through. My experience at Policy Week is unforgettable and it was a great honor to serve ASHP as a member of Council.

Development and deployment of resources, fostering cost-effective use of medicines, payment for services and products, applications of technology in the medication-use process, efficiency and safety of medication-use systems, continuity of care, and related matters.

• The COPM Experience

  My experience during ASHP Policy week left a lasting impression on professional activism and the democratic process guiding health-system professional practices. Pharmacy leaders from throughout the United States came together for four days to discuss, debate, and make recommendations on today’s most pressing pharmacy management issues. As a student representative, I had the profound opportunity to participate in the numerous topics faced by pharmacy managers. I was surrounded by a variety of pharmacy managers with a breadth of experience in healthcare organizations, large and small. Their “boots on the ground” analysis involved sharing their personal successes or challenges and what ASHP policy should be implemented to help drive positive and/or supportive change within the health-system pharmacy management arena.

  Though all council agenda topics were relevant and important, I found a couple topics of personal interest given my impending graduation. The interface of health care reform and pharmacy practice model discussion was an especially important given the recent changes to government sponsored health care initiatives. Additionally, the discussion on pharmacists’ scope of practice with respect to certification, credentialing, and privileging especially peaked my interest. From a student’s point of view, I was asked to offer my input on the importance of supporting credentialing or certification service consolidation and standardization in order to establish a recognized level of pharmacist’s competencies. My Policy Week experience culminated with a trip to Capitol Hill to discuss medication shortages and 340B expansion with South Dakota Legislators. The gravity of representing South Dakota and ASHP didn’t hit me until I was 35,000 feet in the air headed back to Sioux Falls, SD when I realized this was the beginning of another exciting chapter in my professional pharmacy career.

  Overall, I was inspired by the motivation of so many skilled, professional, and experienced pharmacists taking time away from their lives to invest in Policy Week. The friendly atmosphere and cordial conversation led to many new professional acquaintances offering their advice and insight on my immediate future as a new pharmacist. I have already shared my experience with dozens of students eager for the chance to serve and will continue to encourage student involvement in health-system pharmacy at the local, regional, and national levels.

Practitioner care for individual patients, practitioner activities in public health, pharmacy practice standards and quality, professional ethics, interprofessional and public relations, and related matters.

• The COPhP Experience

  My experience at ASHP Policy Week proved to be very educational and fun, as well as a great opportunity for networking. With a very vocal council made up of many experienced practitioners I got to learn about a lot of different aspects of practice that I haven't had exposure to yet as a student. I also feel that I was able to offer the student perspective, and so I felt that my presence served a good purpose. I was especially able to contribute on issues relating to pharmacist credentialing and BPS as well as medication reconciliation. The networking opportunities were wonderful as well! I met some influential practitioners who offered me advice on future career decisions and the paths to take to get there. One of the best connections I had over the experience was with the New Practitioner member of my own council. She was able to not only offer advice on policy week and ASHP involvement, but also the application and Match process and life as a resident. Overall it was a very positive experience and I feel very fotunate to have had the opportunity to be on an ASHP council!

Federal laws and regulations, state laws and regulations, analysis of public policy proposals that are designed to address important health issues, professional liability as defined by the courts, and related matters.

• The COPP Experience

  Upon arriving in Bethesda, Maryland on Monday, September 19; my only expectation was to learn a lot about ASHP policy to help keep the SSHP chapter at Campbell University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences better informed. As the orientation began on Monday afternoon, those expectations were drastically changed upon the realization that the room was full of some of the most go-getter type of pharmacists from all over the country. The introductions that were begun at orientation continued during the opening reception and helped me quickly understand the significance of being invited to attend ASHP Policy Week. There were residency directors, deans of pharmacy schools, health-system pharmacists, new practitioners, student pharmacists, ASHP staff, and members of ASHP’s Board of Directors gathering to discuss and begin to draft policy for ASHP. Although the reception was casual in nature and formally brought to order in a comical manner by ASHP President Stan Kent, the importance of being part of this gathered group became more and more apparent.

  Introductions during dinner with the members of the Council on Public Policy helped to form the team that would come together over the next few days to work on developing the policy items that will eventually go before the ASHP Board of Directors or the House of Delegates at the 2012 Summer Meeting in Baltimore. The development of our team was begun as Chair of the Council on Public Policy, Amber Lucas, used an icebreaker to really help all the council members to get to know each other better. With the team formed, the stage was set to begin the real work of ASHP Policy Week.

  Over the next two days in a meeting room in the Hyatt, the Council on Public Policy discussed several policies assigned to the council. From the state licensing of pharmacy technicians to a statement on confidentiality of patient healthcare information, each policy item brought before the council was thoroughly presented by the council members with background and other relevant material emphasized. On a personal note, my assignment of presenting information on the statement on confidentiality of patient healthcare was not only very appropriate for me as a former pharmaceutical sales representative when HIPAA went into effect, it was interesting to relate the emergence of electronic records and identity theft to the official ASHP statement. After presentations of each policy item, there was lively and informative discussion about each item and what action needed to be taken by the Council on Public Policy regarding future actions on the each topic. Being employed as a pharmaceutical sales representative in the community and a hospital sales specialist in the past, my personal vantage point for some of the policies was a little different than the average student pharmacist. This perspective enabled me to offer some insights into some of the policies that were directly related to issues involving the pharmaceutical industry or hospital contracts with pharmaceutical companies. In fact, this past industry experience was beneficial while working on the policy regarding biosimilar interchangeability with another council member, Dr. Mitchell Pelter, to finalize the wording to be brought before the ASHP House of Delegates at the 2012 Summer Meeting.

  Overall, the experience of reviewing, discussing, drafting, and sometimes tabling policy items was an eye-opening and invigorating experience that has whet my appetite for future work with ASHP policy councils. In addition, the William A. Zellmer lecture presented by Jimmy R. Mitchell was another aspect of ASHP Policy Week that gave me motivation to work even harder to become an oncology pharmacist that makes a difference in the lives of cancer patients as part of a collaborative team. Mr. Mitchell’s question to students about what can be done to ensure collaborative efforts become a standard of care led me to answer, “Do not allow current students to know anything else.” This objective is being met by pharmacy school faculty throughout the United States and it is encouraging to know that leadership in ASHP is proactive in making sure that the goal of collaborative health teams which include pharmacists is considered the standard of care.

  Beyond the council meetings and luncheon lecture with Mr. Mitchell, the reception on Tuesday night allowed us all to better understand the work of ASHP staff and the great things they do to help all of us who are student pharmacists and those who are health-system pharmacists. This was yet another time to better understand the caliber of people at ASHP Policy Week and their roles in advancing the profession of pharmacy. The contacts made during this week of developing policy have already proven to be key in helping pave the way for me to reach my goal of becoming an oncology pharmacist. This experience just added more proof that pharmacy is a small world and the people who are part of this small world want nothing more than for the profession to advance, especially through current student pharmacists who will become pharmacy leaders in the near future.

  Then came the icing on the cake: Legislative Day. All of us were energized by Senator Klobuchar and ASHP President Stan Kent before beginning our visits on Capitol Hill. With three other members of the delegation from North Carolina, visits were made to the offices of Senator Burr and Senator Hagan. Although not a practicing pharmacist dealing with the drug shortages firsthand, I am a breast cancer survivor who is passionate about other women not being able to get the recommended treatment for their breast cancers. While discussing the drug shortage situation with Senator Burr’s aide, emotions bubbled to the surface as I recalled being treated with Adriamycin and Cytoxan while pregnant and how pregnant women today may be facing a situation where these drugs are not available and time for treatment is very time-sensitive. Hopefully my perspective added to the already gained knowledge about the drug shortages and put a story and a face to the situation.

  Hearing the key points iterated from the lead of the NC delegation, Dr. Larry Buie, and another leading member, Dr. Paul Bush, to the aides of Senators Burr and Hagan enabled me to emphasize them better when meeting with Congresswoman Ellmers’ aide. As a whole, it was a great day on Capitol Hill and one where the voice of pharmacists and student pharmacists were heard loud and clear.

  All in all, the experience of being a third year pharmacy student at ASHP Policy Week is best described as phenomenal, yet words cannot adequately describe the experience. I am humbled to know that I had the honor of being amongst the thought leaders in the world of health-system pharmacy and the opportunity to join them in helping to develop future ASHP policy. Therefore, missing four days of lectures in therapeutics, jurisprudence, and biostats and returning to a therapeutics case presentation on Friday morning was well worth the benefits of attending ASHP Policy Week.

Benefits and risks of drug products, evidence-based use of medicines, the application of drug information in practice, and related matters.

• The COT Experience

  Being a part of ASHP Policy Week was a unique and exciting experience. As the student member of the Council on Therapeutics I spent most of my days working with some of the country’s brilliant clinicians and discussing emerging issues in pharmacy. The topics we considered included all aspects of therapeutics: the appropriate use of medications, the correct methods for therapy evaluation, and the most effective ways to assess patients.

  Most of the week was spent in conference rooms discussing the issues set forth on the agenda for the year. The Council considered each issue carefully, and while an agreement was not always reached, interesting points were brought forth and wonderful debate took place.

  There was a great deal to do throughout the week outside of the conference room as well. Monday was the first day the councils met in Bethesda and we were welcomed by orientation, a reception and dinner. On Tuesday and Wednesday our luncheons were supplemented with informative presentations and we were able to enjoy the company of the members of the other councils. Tuesday night was a formal dinner, a great experience to meet new people and a considerable amount of fun.

  Finally, as members of ASHP, we lobbied on Capitol Hill to the Senators and Representatives from our home states. The topic discussed was drug shortages - the urgency of this matter made a discussion with our government both exciting and important. Drug shortages have had a serious impact on patient safety and welfare the last few years. As pharmacists, we are in a key position to stress the importance of this matter. I truly enjoyed being a part of the advocacy for our profession as well as for patients who desperately need their medication.

  ASHP Policy Week was an experience unlike any other I have has thus far as a student. I learned a great deal within the span of that short time, met many fantastic people, and came away with a great new perspective on practice, my career, and the importance of advocacy within our profession.