Jennifer Barrio, Associate Editor

RESPy winner Eliza Dy uses her pharmacy skills to help her community and motivate her classmates. 

Eliza Dy, the winner of the October Walmart and 

 RESPy award, chose pharmacy because it allows her to put a human touch on her love of the sciences. A 2011 PharmD candidate at Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS), Dy has had a big impact on her campus community and the community surrounding Butler’s Indianapolis, Indiana, campus.

Dy was cofounder of the Smoke Free Butler Initiative, a student-led drive to limit smoking on the university’s campus and improve the health of the college community. She helped gather more than 750 signatures in support of the measure and met with university officials to implement the plan. Dy saw smoking restrictions from the Smoke Free Butler Initiative implemented in the fall 2010 semester.

The creation of the Butler University Community Outreach Pharmacy (BUCOP) also stands out among Dy’s accomplishments. As its founding committee chair, Dy helped create this studentled pharmacy to provide free medication and counseling to underserved patients. Working in conjunction with a studentrun health care clinic staffed by students from the Indiana University School of Medicine, BUCOP both helps pharmacy students practice their clinical skills and improves the lives of Indianapolis residents in need.

 about the moment at BUCOP that made all her efforts worthwhile, and the challenges she sees awaiting her after graduation.

What has been your most rewarding extracurricular activity?

 The most rewarding activity has been my involvement with the BUCOP. My work as the founding committee chair has meant so much to me, because the BUCOP started out as just an idea for a seemingly impossible project. With a lot of hard work from the COPHS students and faculty, it blossomed into a reality. I will never forget the grand opening day and filling our first prescription. All the long meetings, phone calls, and stress that we had faced to open our doors did not seem to matter anymore. It was amazing that we had accomplished our goal to serve our community with free health care. For everything that I gave to the BUCOP, I know that the BUCOP gave back to me 2-fold.

How would you say you have helped advance the profession of pharmacy?

 I believe that serving as a resource in the public health arena is vital to bridging the health care gap that exists in our society today. By exposing students to a free clinic in an economically challenged community, my hope is that I have taught them about the important role pharmacists can play in this setting. If at least one of those student volunteers walks away inspired to use their profession to give back to those in need of health care, I believe that I will have advanced the profession in a truly positive way.

 My goal after graduation is to continue building upon my clinical skills by doing a pharmacy residency. My longterm professional goal is to build my career in both the clinical and academic settings. My dream job would allow me to practice as a clinical pharmacist while also allowing me to work with students as a lecturer, preceptor, and advisor.

 What do you think is the most important issue in the field of pharmacy today?

The inability to adequately manage our patients. While we are taught the information and skills needed to counsel patients on medications, lifestyle modifications, and disease states, I have experienced that patients are not completely exposed to this information. Understaffed pharmacies, overcrowded waiting rooms/ hospital units, and lack of funding for counseling services lead to an overall disservice to our patients. I believe that we need to generate more awareness about this issue and develop new ideas on how to cope with these barriers to better approach patient care.

Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS), located in Indianapolis, Indiana, was founded in 1904 and renamed the Indianapolis College of Pharmacy (ICP) in 1914. In 1945, ICP and Butler University merged. Today, Butler’s COPHS offers the Doctor of Pharmacy, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, and Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Studies degrees.

The RESPy (Respect, Excellence, and Service in Pharmacy) Award is presented to the student who has made a difference in his or her community by demonstrating excellence in pharmaceutical care. For more information, please visit 

Articles

Advancing the Profession by Inspiring Others

Next-Generation Pharmacist™ is a new program to salute pharmacy professionals defining the industry’s future. The program includes groundbreaking new research that identifies future trends and a national awards program to recognize those who embody that future vision. 

Awarded to a pharmacist who is an owner, whole or in part, of the pharmacy and who demonstrates distinctive entrepreneurial spirit and passion, such that his or her contribution has made an indelible mark on the reputation of the pharmacy.

The naming of the inaugural Next-Generation Pharmacist was not an easy task. The esteemed judges had 8 immensely qualified and inspiring pharmacy professionals from whom to choose, representing the categories Entrepreneur of the Year, Green Pharmacist of the Year, Civic Leader of the Year, Technology Advocate of the Year, Patient Advocate of the Year, Industry Advocate of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement.

From the 10 category winners, Mark Aurit, RPh, stood out as the pharmacist who embodied not only the spirit of entrepreneurism in pharmacy, but the values of the Next-Generation Pharmacist Awards program as well. A registered pharmacist since 1976, Mark Aurit maintains the philosophy that “the patient comes first.” Aurit puts patients first by offering them preventive care and comprehensive counseling services at Gateway Health Mart Pharmacy in Bismarck, North Dakota, which he has owned since 1989.

Gateway Health Mart conducts extensive preventive and diagnostic screenings and offers counseling for diabetes and Medicare Part D in a counseling booth and 2 private counseling rooms. Gateway Health Mart also boasts a specialty compounding service, in partnership with Professional Compounding Centers of America, which provides custom medications from a state-of-the-art laboratory. Providing quality patient care is a high priority for Aurit, but professional development for his staff is equally important. Gateway Health Mart offers its pharmacists and technicians additional training in compounding, diabetes management, health fairs, public speaking, immunizations, and other areas of their interest. President-elect of the North Dakota Pharmacists Association and a member of the National Community Pharmacists Association, Aurit is also actively involved in his local legislative district, supporting legislation that promotes pharmacy ownership in North Dakota.

The success of Gateway Health Mart and the resulting improved health of Aurit’s patients is the end product of his entrepreneurial commitment to keeping in touch with the needs of his patients, the community, and the profession as a whole. Pharmacy Times and Parata Systems are pleased to name Aurit Entrepreneur of the Year and the 2010 Next-Generation Pharmacist.

Awarded to a pharmacist who most successfully and creatively integrates exemplary environmental practices in his or her daily operations to advance the reputation and business of his or her pharmacy. 

Whit Moose Jr is known throughout his community as a strong advocate for the environment. Moose was one of the first to adopt the Protect Your Pharmacy Now! Prescription Drug Disposal program. Moose Pharmacy uses water coolers and reusable cups, and established a recycling program for medication bottles, prescription containers, and extra paper in the pharmacy. Moose Pharmacy recycles an estimated 10 tons of materials per month. Moose had an energy audit performed on his pharmacy to reduce the store’s energy consumption and improve efficiency.

Moose is an active member of the Cabarrus Sustainability Council of Carrabus county, North Carolina. He is also working with Mount Pleasant’s mayor to establish a recycling drop-off for area residents and businesses who do not have curbside recycling.

Awarded to a pharmacist who donates his or her time and other resources with the principal objective of improving the community in which the pharmacist resides and/or the pharmacy operates. 

Terry Spears is known in his community for going the extra mile. He provides a medication planner to patients who have a difficult time remembering to take their medications, and reviews the planners with them weekly as part of his pharmacy’s routine service.

Spears understands that nonadherence often stems from an inability to pay for medications. He connects seniors with assistance programs that help them to qualify for complete or partial subsidies through Medication Part D. The local Social Security office routinely sends individuals to Spears’ pharmacy for help with the forms for medication reimbursement. Spears also helps his elderly patients on fixed incomes by reminding them to ask about generic alternatives for their medications.

Awarded to the pharmacist who most successfully, creatively and comprehensively utilizes technology in its myriad forms to advance the reputation and business of his or her pharmacy. 

On Twitter, Dr. Tim Davis is simply known as @PharmacyTim. Dr. Davis, the current owner of Beaver Health Mart Pharmacy in Beaver, Pennsylvania, offers patients personalized care enhanced by the most current and efficient technologies available.

Dr. Davis jumped at the chance to register his pharmacy as a test site for McKesson’s Navigator workflow system. Dr. Davis also incorporates smartphones and social media into his pharmacy practice, and encourages others to do the same. In a recent tweet, Dr. Davis announced he had completed all his medication therapy management consults using only his iPad and Mirixa’s online tool.

Awarded to a pharmacist whose focus on patient care and customer service, through a specific occasion, personal action, or activity, has established him or her as an exemplary patient advocate. 

Dr. Strucko consistently makes patient care a priority. Dr. Strucko helped expand Leesburg Pharmacy’s clinical services program, which offers patients a full range of compounding, medication management, and immunization services, as well as a robust women’s health program.

Dr. Strucko touches the lives of countless patients, particularly those coping with a new diagnosis of Lyme’s disease. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Autism Pathways Foundation. Through counseling, Dr. Strucko helps families of children with autism understand the important connections between medication therapy, diet, and lifestyle. Local health care practitioners refer patients to Dr. Strucko daily for nutritional or women’s health consultations. As a preceptor, Dr. Strucko has also educated many future pharmacists.

Awarded to the pharmacist whose singular focus on advancing the pharmacy profession, through patient care, customer service, a specific occasion, personal action or activity, has established him or her as an unmistakable industry advocate.

Forest Hills Pharmacy, PRS Pharmacy Services, NASI HME Supplier Network

Harry Lattanzio assesses the needs of the pharmacy industry and develops innovative ways to solve problems. Lattanzio started his first company, PRS Pharmacy Services, to help fill short-term positions with qualified pharmacists. PRS Pharmacy Services has expanded to include a program to put pharmacies into grocery stores, as well as software to help pharmacies remain compliant with state and federal guidelines.

Lattanzio founded Network Accreditation Services, Inc to help independent pharmacies meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirements for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies accreditation. A third company started by Lattanzio, NASI HME Supplier Network (HSN), is creating a nationwide network of independent DMEPOS-accredited pharmacies and helping them connect with third party payors.

Awarded to a pharmacy technician for exhibiting the highest professional standards in patient care, while performing to the highest possible job standards of his or her pharmacy. 

Deborah Boland works hard to support the pharmacists with whom she works. In her more than 20 years in pharmacy, Boland has amassed knowledge and developed skills that she gladly shares with others. She assists with the administration of immunizations, and helps teach the skill to less experienced pharmacists.

The winners for the Next-Generation Pharmacist Award categories are revealed along with the 2010 NGP Pharmacist of the Year. 

Announcing the 2010 Next-Generation Pharmacist Award Winners

Pharmacists Improving the Nation’s Health

For pharmacy students who fel the cal to public service after graduation, a carer in the US Public Health Service (USPHS) Commisioned Corps is a good option. The corps offers a setting where pharmacists put their knowledge into practice to help others and improve the overall health of the country.

The Commissioned Corps was formally established in 1889 as the uniformed services branch of the Marine Hospital Service. Its original mission was to protect US citizens from infectious diseases—such as smallpox and yellow fever&mdash; through immunization and quarantine.

As the nation’s public health needs grew, so did the corps. Official duties over the years have included inspecting immigrants entering the country, working to improve sanitation conditions, and taking the lead in researching human diseases. Corps officers assisted in the federal government’s response to the anthrax and terrorist attacks in 2001, hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti in 2009.

Today, the USPHS Commissioned Corps consists of more than 6000 full-time, highly-skilled professionals from a number of health care fields. All pharmacists in the corps are uniformed officers, and they serve throughout the US Department of Health and Human Services and in other federal agencies (see page 24).

Rear Admiral Scott F. Giberson, assistant surgeon general and chief pharmacy officer, USPHS Commissioned Corps, says, “PHS Pharmacy allows for unparalleled diversity and opportunity. Our pharmacists become an integral part of a unique career path that can involve advanced pharmacy practice, health policy development, emergency and humanitarian response, public health leadership, global health, and much more.”

According to the Commissioned Corps Web site, the mission of the corps is to provide for the health and safety of the nation through “rapid and effective response to public health needs, leadership and excellence in public health practices, and advancement of public health science.”

Captain Carmen Clelland, PharmD, MPA, director of the Health Professions Support Branch of the Indian Health Service (IHS), says that the majority of career opportunities in the corps are focused on patient care and counseling. Captain Clelland explains, “There are many opportunities for recent graduates with the corps. Primary care, ambulatory care, and institutional practice opportunities include working with the IHS, Division of Immigration Health Services, and US Coast Guard. Many initiatives of these 3 organizations allow pharmacists to utilize their clinical skills recently learned in pharmacy school.”

For recent graduates who are interested in policymaking, academia, or administration, other agencies can provide important employment opportunities. The FDA, for example, has many regulatory positions for which pharmacists provide their expertise and knowledge. Other agencies, such as the Health Care Financing Administration, Health Resource and Services Administration, National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also utilize corps pharmacists, although Clelland says that many of these positions are not entry level.

To become a member of the Commissioned Corps, pharmacy graduates need to meet a number of basic qualifications. Candidates must be citizens of the United States, be aged 44 years or younger, and pass a physical examination.

Pharmacy graduates also need to hold a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy or a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from a program accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education. Corps candidates need a current, valid, and unrestricted pharmacy license for 1 of the 50 states; Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; the US Virgin Islands; or Guam. Recent pharmacy graduates who do not yet have a valid license may still apply to the corps, but will be appointed for a limited tour of duty until licensure is complete.

Once accepted into the Commissioned Corps, the required length of service is 2 years with the same agency. If a pharmacist qualifies for and receives a sign-on bonus, the length of service is 4 years at the initial duty station. After that term, corps pharmacists have the opportunity to apply for positions at different agencies, so that they can continue to grow professionally.

The benefits of a career with the Commissioned Corps are generous. According to the USPHS Commissioned Corps Web site, new pharmacists who enroll in the corps receive the following benefits:

• Competitive starting pay that increases with promotions and years of service

• Low-cost medical care for family members

• 30 days paid vacation, beginning the first year

• Retirement plan with benefits eligibility after 20 years of service

For newly commissioned pharmacists, the Commissioned Corps offers a $30,000 accession bonus for signing a 4-year active duty agreement. Pharmacists serving in the corps may also be eligible for an annual $15,000 retention bonus.

In addition to these benefits, the USPHS will cover moving expenses incurred during relocation as well as job-related travel expenses. In recognition of the financial burden a pharmacy student accepts by going through professional schooling, the USPHS, in coordination with other federal agencies, also offers loan repayment and other educational and family support programs for those who qualify.

Captain Clelland notes that there are nonmonetary benefits to a career in the corps as well. Flexibility and career growth are 2 big benefits—in his 20-year career with the IHS, Captain Clelland has served in both rural and urban settings, and has had the opportunity to take positions in patient care, administration, and policymaking.

“One other unique quality that may not be experienced by other personnel systems is the esprit de corp that develops,” Captain Clelland explains. “This is especially true among the pharmacy profession within the corps. In the IHS we have over 600 pharmacists, of whom 500 are corps pharmacists. This makes a statement regarding the relationship and the commitment to the ideals of the USPHS and the corps.”

Although the Commissioned Corps maintains a low profile in the national consciousness, it provides valuable services to benefit public health in our country and around the world. Rear Admiral Giberson says, “We [in the Commissioned Corps] desire professionals and pharmacists that want to serve a mission, become part of something special, and that want to make a difference in the lives of people.”

In addition to the many career opportunities available after graduation, the Commissioned Corps also has programs for current students. Students who have completed at least 1 year of study in a master’s or doctoral program or 2 years in a professionally accredited bachelor’s program may qualify for the Junior Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program (JRCOSTEP). JRCOSTEP participants work in the same types of positions as commissioned officers, and enjoy some of the same benefits. Assignments in JRCOSTEP last from 31 to 120 days, and are scheduled during school breaks and the summer months. Students are paid for their time and are not obligated to join the corps upon graduation.

A similar program, the Senior Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program (SRCOSTEP), was created for full-time students entering their last year of professional training in an accredited program. SRCOSTEP participants receive financial assistance to complete school, and agree to serve in the corps after graduation for twice the amount of time for which they received assistance. Students interested in the JRCOSTEP and SRCOSTEP programs can check their eligibility at 

https://dcpweb.psc.gov/ rab/scripts/app_main_menu.htm

The Commissioned Corps recently established a call center specifically to answer questions about careers with the corps. Pharmacy students who are interested in careers with the USPHS Commissioned Corps can call 800-279-1605 for more information. To apply for a position online, visit 

USPHS Commissioned Corps pharmacy officers work in a variety of agencies, offices, bureaus, and departments in the federal government, including the following:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

AHRQ sponsors, conducts, and disseminates health care research designed to provide the public with information that will lead to healthier choices. The AHRQ conducts research that addresses topics such as the cost, quality, and accessibility of health care services in the United States, patient safety, and medication errors.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

The CDC exists to generate the information and tools that people and communities in the United States and around the world need to protect their health. The agency accomplishes this goal by monitoring public health, investigating health problems, conducting research, and serving as advocates for healthy behaviors, strategies, and environments.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 

The mission of CMS is to ensure effective health care coverage and quality patient care for beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid. CMS administers programs such as the State Children’s Health Insurance Program; the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act; and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

The Department of Homeland Security guards the nation against outside threats, and plays a critical role in helping communities through all stages of man-made or natural disasters, from preparation to response to long-term recovery. This agency has also taken the lead in coordinating the government’s response to the H1N1 virus.

The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by assuring the safety of drugs, vaccines, medical devices, the nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and products that give off radiation. The FDA also advances public health by helping speed product innovation and by providing the public with accurate, science-based information on medicines and foods. 

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 

The HRSA is the primary federal agency responsible for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. Comprising 3 bureaus and 13 offices, the HRSA has numerous responsibilities, including granting financial support to health care providers, helping provide health insurance to needy populations, overseeing organ donations, and compensating individuals harmed by vaccination.

The IHS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The IHS is the principal federal health care provider and health advocate for American Indian people, and its goal is to raise their health status to the highest possible level.

The US Public Health Service has opportunities for recent graduates and current students that offer excellent benefits and the chance to improve public health. 

Pharmacists Improving the Nation's Health

The new Next-Generation Pharmacist Program, sponsored by Pharmacy Times and Parata Systems, is saluting the best and brightest in the pharmacy profession. The research portion of the program will provide an intimate snapshot of the current state and future vision of the practice of pharmacy, and identify the qualities and values of those who are leading the way. The second component is a national awards program that will recognize and honor those pharmacists, technicians, and student pharmacists who embrace and embody the future vision of the industry.

Meet the Student Finalists in the Next-Generation Pharmacist Awards

The Future Pharmacist Award is designed to honor a pharmacy student who demonstrates spirit and passion for the profession through academic achievement and one or more of the following criteria: industry advocacy, patient advocacy, technology innovation, civic leadership, and environmentalism. For the inaugural year, 3 exceptional pharmacy students were chosen as finalists: Timmellyn Buchanan, Adrienne Giddens, and Kathryn McDonald.

The 2010 Future Pharmacist will be named on October 25, 2010, at an awards banquet held concurrently with the National Community Pharmacists Association’s annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. To find out which of these excellent candidates is the 2010 Future Pharmacist, and to learn more about the Next-Generation Pharmacist Awards Program, visit www.PharmacyTimes.com or www.nextgenerationpharmacist.org.

A student at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, Buchanan balances her time between a rigorous academic schedule and her passion for community service. Buchanan’s community service activities involve helping underserved populations who rarely receive quality health care. In her first semester, she organized a collection drive for the City Rescue Mission Homeless Health Fair and Safety Blitz and worked with other volunteers to provide screenings and other health services for individuals at the mission. Buchanan also volunteers at Manos Juntas, a free indigent clinic where she sees patients in need of pharmaceutical services. She often sees more than 100 patients in 3 hours on a Saturday morning, filling their prescriptions and providing patient counseling. Buchanan has participated in medical mission trips to Peru and Haiti.

Buchanan serves as the vice president and senate chair on the executive board of the Health Science Center Student Association, which is an interdisciplinary body consisting of delegates from the schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, allied health, public health, and pharmacy, as well as the graduate college. She is president of the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society and chapter president of Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International. She is also a member of the National Community Pharmacists Association.

Adrienne Giddens works to raise the standards of professionalism in the field of pharmacy on the local and state levels and is actively involved in breast cancer awareness and fundraising campaigns.

A student at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Giddens serves on the professionalism committee. She has worked to revise the way standards of professionalism are assessed at the school and helped to modify the requirements for graduation. Giddens was selected as a teaching assistant for the pharmaceutical care laboratories, a high honor at the school.

Giddens is a student representative on the Vision 2015 Task Force for the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists. This task force is working to develop a plan for the future practice of pharmacy in North Carolina, based on the vision statement from the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners.

Giddens is also president of the UNC chapter of the pharmacy fraternity Kappa Epsilon (KE), whose national service project is breast cancer awareness. Under Giddens’ leadership, KE began an outreach program with cancer patients in local hospitals and initiated an education program for undergraduates. Through her creative fundraising, the UNC chapter of KE was able to significantly increase their donations to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in 2010.

Kathryn McDonald is committed to educating herself and her fellow students about diabetes and to helping patients living with this prevalent disease state. Currently pursuing coursework at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, with the intention of graduating with a dual Master of Business Administration/Doctor of Pharmacy degree with a Diabetes concentration, McDonald still finds time to do volunteer work in the community.

McDonald’s commitment to diabetes education begins with her own focus on learning as much about the disease as possible. Her diabetes concentration requires 10 hours each of focused coursework and clinical advanced practice. As chair of Operation Diabetes for the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) for the past 2 years, McDonald secures speakers to educate her fellow students on the disease and the importance of blood glucose monitoring.

In her APhA-ASP role, McDonald also organizes diabetes screening events, during which she and other volunteers perform blood glucose screenings and educate patients about the disease. McDonald has also been instrumental in raising funds for the American Diabetes Association and Camp Herkto Hollow, a camp for Iowa children with diabetes. She served as a preceptor at the camp, fulfilling her clinical practice hours while helping children learn about and manage their disease.

The Next-Generation Pharmacist Awards program will recognize one of the 3 outstanding pharmacy students as the 2010 Future Pharmacist. 

The field of pharmacy is growing and changing, and the role of the pharmacist is expanding. Once considered primarily dispensers of prescriptions, pharmacists are increasingly recognized today for their ability to provide specialized, quality health care through patient education, disease state management counseling, and medication therapy management.

Many pharmacists choose to specialize their practices to meet the needs of certain populations of patients. The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) is an independent agency of the American Pharmacists Association created in 1976 to certify pharmacists’ specialized knowledge and skills.

BPS currently offers specialization certificates in 6 key areas: nuclear pharmacy, nutrition support pharmacy, oncology pharmacy, pharmacotherapy, psychiatric pharmacy, and ambulatory care pharmacy. Each initial certification examination consists of 200 multiple choice questions in the specialty area. Examinations are given nationwide once per year.

There is also an increasing need for focused areas within these 6 pharmacy specialties. BPScertified pharmacists who specialize in pharmacotherapy may apply for an “Added Qualification,” which denotes an enhanced level of training and experience in 1 of 2 areas: cardiology or infectious diseases. Pharmacists interested in obtaining Added Qualifications must submit a professional portfolio to BPS for review.

Certifications issued by BPS are valid for 7 years. At the end of the certification period, pharmacists become recertified either through the successful completion of a 100-question multiple choice exam in their area of specialty or by fulfilling a specialty-specific continuing education requirement from a BPS-approved provider. After 7 years, pharmacists with Added Qualifications must resubmit their portfolios.

Specialization offers pharmacists many benefits. In many settings, employers will offer promotions and salary increases once a pharmacist obtains a BPS certificate. Some employers will even require specialized certification for advancement.

In addition to the monetary benefits, BPS certification offers pharmacists the distinction of being experts in their field. This garners respect from employers, other health care professionals, and the general public.

Additional information about certification test dates, fees, and the application process is available on the BPS Web site, 

Pharmacists can bring their practice to the next level through certification from the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. 