- Email: [email protected]
2003 Election Results, and the Inestimable Value of Mentoring
A SSO CIA T I O N R EP OR T
2003 Election Results, and the Inestimable Value of Mentoring 2003 Election Results On September 26, 2003, the results of the fall 2003 election of officers and trustees of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the leadership of the APhA-Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM), and the leadership of the APhA-Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Sciences were certified by the APhA Committee of Canvassers. The results follow. APhA members elected a future president and approved several modernizing changes to Association Bylaws. Eugene M. Lutz, a community pharmacist in Altoona, Iowa, was chosen as 2004-2005 president-elect of APhA. Elected with Lutz to serve on the APhA Board of Trustees, beginning March 30, 2004 through March 20, 2007, were Daniel F. Luce of Nashotah, Wis., Ed L. Hamilton of Lake Alfred, Fla. (reelected), and Jenelle L. Sobotka of Cincinnati, Ohio (reelected). Joseph D. Williams of Morristown, N.J., was elected honorary president for 2004-2005. The new officers will be installed at the APhA Annual Meeting &
660
Exposition in Seattle, Wash., March 26-30, 2004. PresidentElect Lutz will automatically succeed to the office of president on April 5, 2005, at the conclusion of the 2005 APhA Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla. Lutz is president of Lutz Pharmacy in Altoona, Iowa. He is past president of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and APhAAPPM. Lutz Lutz has served two terms on the APhA Board of Trustees. He has served on numerous local, state, and national committees and as a member of the APhA House of Delegates since 1980. His practice includes long-term care; compounding; lipid, asthma, and diabetes management; and immunizations. Hamilton is currently director of pharmacy at the Regency Medical Center in Winter Haven, Fla. He has served as president of the Hamilton Florida Pharmacy Association (FPA), president of the FPA
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
Foundation, and Speaker of the FPA House of Delegates. Hamilton has also served APhA as president of APhAAPPM and as chair of the APhA-APPM policy, education, and awards committees. Sobotka is manager of pharmacy relations with Procter & Gamble (P&G) in Cincinnati, Ohio. In this position, she serves as a Sobotka liaison to the pharmacy profession, working with U.S. colleges of pharmacy and state and national pharmacy organizations. Prior to joining P&G, Sobotka was associate executive director of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and director of the Iowa Center for Pharmaceutical Care. Her practice background includes community pharmacy and clinical practice, and she has also worked in academia. Luce is corporate manager of patient care services with the Walgreen Company in Deerfield, Ill. He is responsible for development and implementation of Luce disease state management programs in diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and osteoporosis. In addition, he oversees college of pharmacy shared faculty and residency programs for Walgreens. Williams, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Warner-Lambert Company, has devoted his 47-year career to the pharmaceutical indus-
try. He joined Parke-Davis as a sales representative in 1950 and subsequently held Williams numerous executive positions. Following the Parke-Davis merger with Warner-Lambert, Williams was elected president of Warner-Lambert in 1979 and chairman and chief executive officer in 1985. He retired from the Warner-Lambert board in 1997. The 2003 APhA Committee of Canvassers, which certified the election results, consisted of Jimmy R. Mitchell of Bethesda, Md.; Elizabeth A. Nolan of Washington, D.C.; and Ronald L. Williams of Washington, D.C. At the same time APhA members were casting their ballots, they were asked to consider several Bylaws amendments proposed by the Board of Trustees to increase the Association’s flexibility. Members voted to merge current active and associate membership categories to allow for full participation by nonpharmacists—for example, nonpharmacist faculty at schools and colleges of pharmacy, state pharmacist association executives, and consumer members of state boards of pharmacy. This new category will be titled Member. The remaining categories of membership will be Student Pharmacist Member and Pharmacy Technician Member. Members also voted to modify the composition of the APhA Board of Trustees to allow for more streamlined governance. Under the ap-
November/December 2003
Vol. 43, No. 6
ASSOCIATION REPORT
proved Bylaws, the size of the APhA Board will be decreased to 15 and be composed of the president, president-elect, immediate past president, treasurer, Speaker of the House of Delegates, the three presidents of APhA’s Academies, the APhA executive vice president, and six at-large trustees. The majority of the APhA Board positions must be held by pharmacists. The new Bylaws extend the term of office of the Speaker of the House from a 2-year term (1 as speaker-elect and 1 as Speaker) to a 3-year term (1 year as speaker-elect and 2 years as Speaker). The APhA speaker will serve as a member of the APhA Board of Trustees for 2 years but will not serve on the APhA Board during the Speaker-elect year. In addition, a Speaker-elect candidate must now be from the newly created Member category and must be a delegate in the APhA House. APhA–APPM
Paying It Forward Through Mentorship: Your Gift to the Profession Rebecca W. Chater
There are people throughout your life who inspire you. They give wind to your sails and impart wisdom. They cause you to be more curious and more confident.
Vol. 43, No. 6
November/December 2003
The influence of these very special individuals, your mentors, defines you both personally and professionally. You learn so much from your mentors. They bestow knowledge and help you acquire skills. They affect your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By far, the greatest gift you receive from your mentors is the gift of learning how to be an effective mentor yourself. Within the pharmacy profession, the continuity of mentoring relationships, with one generation of proteges becoming the next generations’ mentors, gives practitioners strength and the profession effective leadership. Mentoring is the source of both tradition and innovation. Pharmacists have a tremendous responsibility for stewardship of the profession. There is no better way to be an effective steward than to extend oneself for the professional growth of a colleague. Regardless of practice area, age, degrees, or professional interests, your ability to contribute to pharmacy’s future is limited only by your willingness and your vision. Through mentoring, you keep the bright future in clear sight and maintain the fortitude that positioned the profession where it is today. One of the greatest opportunities for having a lasting impact on the life of a colleague is to serve as a residency preceptor. Residencies offer a breadth and depth of exposure to quality mentors that is truly unique. Residencies can serve to springboard careers, catapulting the best and the brightest young phar-
macists to positions of leadership and influence much earlier than would otherwise be the case.
M entoring Pearls It is far greater to shine a light than to stand in its glow. An effective mentor knows how to shine the spotlight on his or her protege. Mentoring knows no age constraints. There may be a great difference or very little difference in the ages of two people in a mentoring relationship. Regardless of the age proximity, a good mentor is never threatened by the accomplishments of his or her protege, but rather lifts her up to cast her in the best possible light. What are the essential characteristics of a mentor? Passion is one. It truly takes love of the profession and a desire to help others succeed to become a great mentor. With the right motivation, the rewards of mentoring are limitless. The ability to take care of others while also taking care of yourself is another essential trait. Want to optimize your mentoring potential? Start by caring for yourself. Take time to recharge your own batteries—physically and mentally. It is amazing how much a little change in perspective can rejuvenate you. Also, be sure to get adequate continuing education. Career-long learning is the key to continual improvement as a mentor. Challenge yourself to learn as much as you can from those you mentor. Your experience with each protege can help you be a better mentor to the next.
And finally, know that you are never too old to have a mentor, nor are you ever too young to be one. You find qualities in colleagues throughout your professional lives that influence you in some meaningful, positive way. Embracing these qualities and seeking opportunities to further this type of interaction make you better a professional and person.
Com m on Q ualities of Leader–M entors The pharmacy profession is blessed with a rich tradition of great leader–mentors. Because every pharmacist has unique professional needs, there is no skill set, personality type, or any other attribute that singly enables a mentor to meet them. Further, while there is no formula for greatness in the mentoring realm, there are certainly qualities common to the great leader– mentors of pharmacy. n Inspiring. They make you want to reach higher, to do better. n Visionary. They see the big picture of pharmacy’s future and have a road map and the navigational gear to help you get there. n Motivating. They give you a kick in the pants when you need it. n Approachable. They always take your needs seriously, without taking themselves too seriously. n Generous. They give of their time. n Challenging. They keep you honest with yourself. n Captivating. They hold your interest. n Energizing. They give you energy instead of draining it
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
661
ASSOCIATION REPORT
from you. n Supportive. They are always happy to give a hand up—handouts are not offered. n Selfless. They relish your victories. n Caring. They have your best interests at heart. n Experienced. They have been there, done that, and want to help you do it even better. n Trusted. They will not steer you wrong. n Receptive. They are great listeners. n Positive. They help you see the best in yourself. Think about your personal mentors—all the different pharmacists in your past and present who possess these qualities. Take an opportunity to thank them for their role in shaping your career and in advancing this great profession. Now, think about yourself as a mentor. Consider your own qualities as a mentor, especially those that you have generously shared with students and colleagues over the years. Thank you for your many gifts and for paying them forward. Rebecca W. Chater is group manager of clinical services, Kerr Drug in Asheville, N.C., and a member of the APhA–APPM Administrative Practice Section and recipient of the 1996 Gloria Niemeyer Francke Leadership Mentor Award.
A PhA–APRS
Follow in Your Mentor’s Footsteps Loyd V. Allen Jr.
People learn new things every day, whether through organized instruction or through their daily activities. This is as much to say that pharmacists’ educations are never complete. Pharmacists learn while they are in school and while on the job. New drugs and drug delivery systems come onto the market every year, and new therapeutic approaches using familiar products are constantly being developed. But as pharmacists must learn, so must they teach and serve as mentors. Pharmacists teach every day when counseling patients or responding to inquiries from other health care providers. Pharmacists also mentor pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, staff, and students/interns. A mentor is more than a teacher. A mentor is a trusted counselor or guide, a tutor, a coach, and one entrusted with the education of another.
Provide Insight Into the Real W orld What makes a good mentor? And what makes a good student? A good mentor is someone who takes time to share with a
662
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
student, is knowledgeable in his or her field, and has good teaching and listening skills. A good mentor is a person who has the ability to assess students’ needs and teach them at their current level of understanding. And a good mentor is a person who can draw upon his or her experiences in the real world of pharmacy and cite examples of problems students may face when they enter practice. A problem with formal pharmacy education is that a large number of college faculty—practice as well as science instructors—often lack experience in the real world of pharmacy, especially community-based. Upon graduating, the great majority of student pharmacists take positions in community pharmacy, but their training in academic health sciences center practice sites does not always prepare them for the challenges of community-based practice. In the real world of community pharmacy, individual pharmacists must make quick decisions concerning drug therapy or the status of a prescription. As community pharmacists, new graduates must take responsibility for their decisions, not simply in an advisory capacity but as the responsible person calling the shots. They need to be able to make informed decisions based on their education and experience and cannot pass the buck to someone else when they cannot find a relevant case study in the literature. A good mentor is an individual in the real world who has been through the fire and has a deep commitment to the profession and a desire to
share his or her expertise and experience with students.
Be Ready and W illing to Learn A good student has a strong desire to learn and is truly interested in the subject at hand. He or she is also motivated and has developed effective study habits and a good background in the prerequisite material. A good student is someone who never develops the attitude of knowing it all; a good student is always willing to learn and is teachable. Both mentors and students must be considerate of each other’s responsibilities and time and respect each other’s roles. Tim e to G ive Som ething Back It is true that pharmacy is a great profession that provides excellent financial rewards. But today’s pharmacists are reaping the benefits of the hard work of all those who have gone before and made the way easier. For the profession to continue to prosper and grow, its members must regularly and routinely give back time, money, intellectual stimulation, encouragement, instruction, and mentoring. How about the future of pharmacy? Will we see the day when robots take over the distribution function? What happens when computers, the Internet, or artificial intelligence programs take over counseling and pharmacotherapeutics functions? Why has the profession been unable, in more than 30 years, to convince managed care providers
November/December 2003
Vol. 43, No. 6
ASSOCIATION REPORT
and third party payers that pharmacists’ services are valuable and should be financially reimbursed? Could it be that too many pharmacists are only interested in getting their paychecks and living their individual lives without concern for the health of the profession? These are difficult questions to answer. However, it is certain that pharmacists need to become more professionally, politically, and socially active to further the profession and its ideals. One way of doing this is to serve as a mentor to a pharmacy students or young pharmacists.
Both Student and M entor Can Learn I encourage practicing pharmacists to become involved with a college of pharmacy and spend time with students. Many mentors have said that they learn as much as the students they work with. This may be true. When a student in the pharmacy is always asking questions, a pharmacist is challenged to keep up with new ideas and new ways of doing things. I encourage each reader to think about a person who has been a mentor to you and helped you become a better pharmacist. Let them know you appreciate the time they spent with you and that you are doing for others what they did for you. Loyd V. Allen Jr., PhD, is professor emeritus, College of Pharmacy, University of Oklahoma, and member, APhA–APRS Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences Section.
Vol. 43, No. 6
November/December 2003
A PhA–ASP
Mentor Program Provides a Glimpse Into Pharmacy’s Future Anne Fulton
Each August at the University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (UOP), new students embark on their journey through pharmacy school. Although they quickly become oriented to the close-knit campus, where the students all know each other by face if not by first name, new students are quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of material to be learned and the number of assignments to be completed. All the projects, quizzes, and tests, however, are not enough to prepare them for life after pharmacy school. Students often leave school without acquiring two key components of any decent education: experience and knowledge of how the system of pharmacy works. To prevent this, in addition to requiring early experiential hours at a local community pharmacy and clerkship rotations, UOP has found an interesting way to expose new students to the vast opportunities that exist within the field of pharmacy during their first two semesters. The Rx E-Mentor Program pairs each student with a
pharmacist–mentor with whom the student can discuss current topics in pharmacy and any other issues that may arise. The program began about 8 years ago under former Assistant Dean Robert Supernaw, PharmD. It continues for the first two semesters of the curriculum as part of Pharmacy Systems and Experience I and II. In these courses, students explore the role of pharmacy in the health care system and work to develop their skills in oral, written, and electronic communication, problem solving, and initial practice competencies. The assignment for the mentoring program is to “establish and maintain a personal and professional dialogue with a practitioner via the Internet. Provide documentation of ongoing interactions with your mentor. Maintain a current record of all e-mails sent and received. [And] log and file copies of emails in your portfolio.” During the first semester, students are assigned one topic a month. They are expected to reflect on the topic and to consult and engage their mentor, not merely ask the mentor what he or she thinks. All e-mail correspondence must be printed out, logged, and turned in at the end of the class as part of a professional portfolio.
The M entor Is a Source of Inform ation The Rx E-Mentor program has five specific goals. The first is to provide each student with e-mail access to a pharmacist. The participating
pharmacists range from practitioners at local chain drugstores to hospital CEOs to presidents of national publications and current and former pharmacy association leaders. Mentors are instructed to check their e-mail once weekly and to give their honest opinions on the topics students bring to their attention. The second goal is to introduce students to the value of networking with colleagues and the value of colleagues as resources. Past mentors have given students advice about career options, as well as the benefit of their “having been there before.” Many mentors, being UOP alumni, still remember certain professors and have given advice on how to handle certain classes. In general, the mentors serve as sources of information on a variety of topics that concern—and sometimes frustrate—the pharmacy students they work with. Another program goal is to provide students with discussion assignments, to be completed in consultation with their mentors, that coincide with the competencies being taught in class. For example, while the students are learning to measure blood pressure in the lab, they are asked to speak with their mentors about having pharmacists take blood pressures for all patients picking up antihypertensives. While students learn about smoking cessation, they correspond with their mentors about whether pharmacies should sell tobacco products, and they also engage their mentors in discussions on timely topics such as whether pharmacists should give
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
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ASSOCIATION REPORT
immunizations and how dispensing errors can be minimized. Topics are tailored for each class and chosen with consideration of the current issues in pharmacy practice. The fourth goal is to use email to improve students’ written communication skills. This is achieved in several ways. All students are asked to maintain a certain level of professionalism while corresponding with mentors, and the e-mails are included in a professional portfolio. In turn, mentors are advised to main-
664
tain a certain level of formality when responding to students’ e-mails, although communications often become less formal as students and mentors grow better acquainted. Lastly, establishing documentation as a routine part of daily activities is a goal of the Rx E-Mentor program. This is done by having the students keep records of all e-mails sent and received and of when specific topics are completed. As previously mentioned, the record, along with each print-
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
ed e-mail, must be included in a professional portfolio to be handed in and graded.
A D oor-O pener As the final step in the program, students send their mentors a note thanking them for their advice and participation. Many students maintain contact with their mentors beyond the assignment, whereas others may never speak with their mentor again. Whether or not the mentor remains a valued advisor or
becomes a friend, the Rx EMentor program gives pharmacy students an opportunity to get a glimpse into their future career and opens up doors for students who may have experienced only a small portion of what pharmacy has to offer. Anne Fulton is a second-year PharmD candidate, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, Calif.
November/December 2003
Vol. 43, No. 6
2003 Election Results, and the Inestimable Value of Mentoring 2003 Election Results On September 26, 2003, the results of the fall 2003 election of officers and trustees of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the leadership of the APhA-Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM), and the leadership of the APhA-Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Sciences were certified by the APhA Committee of Canvassers. The results follow. APhA members elected a future president and approved several modernizing changes to Association Bylaws. Eugene M. Lutz, a community pharmacist in Altoona, Iowa, was chosen as 2004-2005 president-elect of APhA. Elected with Lutz to serve on the APhA Board of Trustees, beginning March 30, 2004 through March 20, 2007, were Daniel F. Luce of Nashotah, Wis., Ed L. Hamilton of Lake Alfred, Fla. (reelected), and Jenelle L. Sobotka of Cincinnati, Ohio (reelected). Joseph D. Williams of Morristown, N.J., was elected honorary president for 2004-2005. The new officers will be installed at the APhA Annual Meeting &
660
Exposition in Seattle, Wash., March 26-30, 2004. PresidentElect Lutz will automatically succeed to the office of president on April 5, 2005, at the conclusion of the 2005 APhA Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla. Lutz is president of Lutz Pharmacy in Altoona, Iowa. He is past president of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and APhAAPPM. Lutz Lutz has served two terms on the APhA Board of Trustees. He has served on numerous local, state, and national committees and as a member of the APhA House of Delegates since 1980. His practice includes long-term care; compounding; lipid, asthma, and diabetes management; and immunizations. Hamilton is currently director of pharmacy at the Regency Medical Center in Winter Haven, Fla. He has served as president of the Hamilton Florida Pharmacy Association (FPA), president of the FPA
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
Foundation, and Speaker of the FPA House of Delegates. Hamilton has also served APhA as president of APhAAPPM and as chair of the APhA-APPM policy, education, and awards committees. Sobotka is manager of pharmacy relations with Procter & Gamble (P&G) in Cincinnati, Ohio. In this position, she serves as a Sobotka liaison to the pharmacy profession, working with U.S. colleges of pharmacy and state and national pharmacy organizations. Prior to joining P&G, Sobotka was associate executive director of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and director of the Iowa Center for Pharmaceutical Care. Her practice background includes community pharmacy and clinical practice, and she has also worked in academia. Luce is corporate manager of patient care services with the Walgreen Company in Deerfield, Ill. He is responsible for development and implementation of Luce disease state management programs in diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and osteoporosis. In addition, he oversees college of pharmacy shared faculty and residency programs for Walgreens. Williams, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Warner-Lambert Company, has devoted his 47-year career to the pharmaceutical indus-
try. He joined Parke-Davis as a sales representative in 1950 and subsequently held Williams numerous executive positions. Following the Parke-Davis merger with Warner-Lambert, Williams was elected president of Warner-Lambert in 1979 and chairman and chief executive officer in 1985. He retired from the Warner-Lambert board in 1997. The 2003 APhA Committee of Canvassers, which certified the election results, consisted of Jimmy R. Mitchell of Bethesda, Md.; Elizabeth A. Nolan of Washington, D.C.; and Ronald L. Williams of Washington, D.C. At the same time APhA members were casting their ballots, they were asked to consider several Bylaws amendments proposed by the Board of Trustees to increase the Association’s flexibility. Members voted to merge current active and associate membership categories to allow for full participation by nonpharmacists—for example, nonpharmacist faculty at schools and colleges of pharmacy, state pharmacist association executives, and consumer members of state boards of pharmacy. This new category will be titled Member. The remaining categories of membership will be Student Pharmacist Member and Pharmacy Technician Member. Members also voted to modify the composition of the APhA Board of Trustees to allow for more streamlined governance. Under the ap-
November/December 2003
Vol. 43, No. 6
ASSOCIATION REPORT
proved Bylaws, the size of the APhA Board will be decreased to 15 and be composed of the president, president-elect, immediate past president, treasurer, Speaker of the House of Delegates, the three presidents of APhA’s Academies, the APhA executive vice president, and six at-large trustees. The majority of the APhA Board positions must be held by pharmacists. The new Bylaws extend the term of office of the Speaker of the House from a 2-year term (1 as speaker-elect and 1 as Speaker) to a 3-year term (1 year as speaker-elect and 2 years as Speaker). The APhA speaker will serve as a member of the APhA Board of Trustees for 2 years but will not serve on the APhA Board during the Speaker-elect year. In addition, a Speaker-elect candidate must now be from the newly created Member category and must be a delegate in the APhA House. APhA–APPM
Paying It Forward Through Mentorship: Your Gift to the Profession Rebecca W. Chater
There are people throughout your life who inspire you. They give wind to your sails and impart wisdom. They cause you to be more curious and more confident.
Vol. 43, No. 6
November/December 2003
The influence of these very special individuals, your mentors, defines you both personally and professionally. You learn so much from your mentors. They bestow knowledge and help you acquire skills. They affect your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By far, the greatest gift you receive from your mentors is the gift of learning how to be an effective mentor yourself. Within the pharmacy profession, the continuity of mentoring relationships, with one generation of proteges becoming the next generations’ mentors, gives practitioners strength and the profession effective leadership. Mentoring is the source of both tradition and innovation. Pharmacists have a tremendous responsibility for stewardship of the profession. There is no better way to be an effective steward than to extend oneself for the professional growth of a colleague. Regardless of practice area, age, degrees, or professional interests, your ability to contribute to pharmacy’s future is limited only by your willingness and your vision. Through mentoring, you keep the bright future in clear sight and maintain the fortitude that positioned the profession where it is today. One of the greatest opportunities for having a lasting impact on the life of a colleague is to serve as a residency preceptor. Residencies offer a breadth and depth of exposure to quality mentors that is truly unique. Residencies can serve to springboard careers, catapulting the best and the brightest young phar-
macists to positions of leadership and influence much earlier than would otherwise be the case.
M entoring Pearls It is far greater to shine a light than to stand in its glow. An effective mentor knows how to shine the spotlight on his or her protege. Mentoring knows no age constraints. There may be a great difference or very little difference in the ages of two people in a mentoring relationship. Regardless of the age proximity, a good mentor is never threatened by the accomplishments of his or her protege, but rather lifts her up to cast her in the best possible light. What are the essential characteristics of a mentor? Passion is one. It truly takes love of the profession and a desire to help others succeed to become a great mentor. With the right motivation, the rewards of mentoring are limitless. The ability to take care of others while also taking care of yourself is another essential trait. Want to optimize your mentoring potential? Start by caring for yourself. Take time to recharge your own batteries—physically and mentally. It is amazing how much a little change in perspective can rejuvenate you. Also, be sure to get adequate continuing education. Career-long learning is the key to continual improvement as a mentor. Challenge yourself to learn as much as you can from those you mentor. Your experience with each protege can help you be a better mentor to the next.
And finally, know that you are never too old to have a mentor, nor are you ever too young to be one. You find qualities in colleagues throughout your professional lives that influence you in some meaningful, positive way. Embracing these qualities and seeking opportunities to further this type of interaction make you better a professional and person.
Com m on Q ualities of Leader–M entors The pharmacy profession is blessed with a rich tradition of great leader–mentors. Because every pharmacist has unique professional needs, there is no skill set, personality type, or any other attribute that singly enables a mentor to meet them. Further, while there is no formula for greatness in the mentoring realm, there are certainly qualities common to the great leader– mentors of pharmacy. n Inspiring. They make you want to reach higher, to do better. n Visionary. They see the big picture of pharmacy’s future and have a road map and the navigational gear to help you get there. n Motivating. They give you a kick in the pants when you need it. n Approachable. They always take your needs seriously, without taking themselves too seriously. n Generous. They give of their time. n Challenging. They keep you honest with yourself. n Captivating. They hold your interest. n Energizing. They give you energy instead of draining it
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
661
ASSOCIATION REPORT
from you. n Supportive. They are always happy to give a hand up—handouts are not offered. n Selfless. They relish your victories. n Caring. They have your best interests at heart. n Experienced. They have been there, done that, and want to help you do it even better. n Trusted. They will not steer you wrong. n Receptive. They are great listeners. n Positive. They help you see the best in yourself. Think about your personal mentors—all the different pharmacists in your past and present who possess these qualities. Take an opportunity to thank them for their role in shaping your career and in advancing this great profession. Now, think about yourself as a mentor. Consider your own qualities as a mentor, especially those that you have generously shared with students and colleagues over the years. Thank you for your many gifts and for paying them forward. Rebecca W. Chater is group manager of clinical services, Kerr Drug in Asheville, N.C., and a member of the APhA–APPM Administrative Practice Section and recipient of the 1996 Gloria Niemeyer Francke Leadership Mentor Award.
A PhA–APRS
Follow in Your Mentor’s Footsteps Loyd V. Allen Jr.
People learn new things every day, whether through organized instruction or through their daily activities. This is as much to say that pharmacists’ educations are never complete. Pharmacists learn while they are in school and while on the job. New drugs and drug delivery systems come onto the market every year, and new therapeutic approaches using familiar products are constantly being developed. But as pharmacists must learn, so must they teach and serve as mentors. Pharmacists teach every day when counseling patients or responding to inquiries from other health care providers. Pharmacists also mentor pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, staff, and students/interns. A mentor is more than a teacher. A mentor is a trusted counselor or guide, a tutor, a coach, and one entrusted with the education of another.
Provide Insight Into the Real W orld What makes a good mentor? And what makes a good student? A good mentor is someone who takes time to share with a
662
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
student, is knowledgeable in his or her field, and has good teaching and listening skills. A good mentor is a person who has the ability to assess students’ needs and teach them at their current level of understanding. And a good mentor is a person who can draw upon his or her experiences in the real world of pharmacy and cite examples of problems students may face when they enter practice. A problem with formal pharmacy education is that a large number of college faculty—practice as well as science instructors—often lack experience in the real world of pharmacy, especially community-based. Upon graduating, the great majority of student pharmacists take positions in community pharmacy, but their training in academic health sciences center practice sites does not always prepare them for the challenges of community-based practice. In the real world of community pharmacy, individual pharmacists must make quick decisions concerning drug therapy or the status of a prescription. As community pharmacists, new graduates must take responsibility for their decisions, not simply in an advisory capacity but as the responsible person calling the shots. They need to be able to make informed decisions based on their education and experience and cannot pass the buck to someone else when they cannot find a relevant case study in the literature. A good mentor is an individual in the real world who has been through the fire and has a deep commitment to the profession and a desire to
share his or her expertise and experience with students.
Be Ready and W illing to Learn A good student has a strong desire to learn and is truly interested in the subject at hand. He or she is also motivated and has developed effective study habits and a good background in the prerequisite material. A good student is someone who never develops the attitude of knowing it all; a good student is always willing to learn and is teachable. Both mentors and students must be considerate of each other’s responsibilities and time and respect each other’s roles. Tim e to G ive Som ething Back It is true that pharmacy is a great profession that provides excellent financial rewards. But today’s pharmacists are reaping the benefits of the hard work of all those who have gone before and made the way easier. For the profession to continue to prosper and grow, its members must regularly and routinely give back time, money, intellectual stimulation, encouragement, instruction, and mentoring. How about the future of pharmacy? Will we see the day when robots take over the distribution function? What happens when computers, the Internet, or artificial intelligence programs take over counseling and pharmacotherapeutics functions? Why has the profession been unable, in more than 30 years, to convince managed care providers
November/December 2003
Vol. 43, No. 6
ASSOCIATION REPORT
and third party payers that pharmacists’ services are valuable and should be financially reimbursed? Could it be that too many pharmacists are only interested in getting their paychecks and living their individual lives without concern for the health of the profession? These are difficult questions to answer. However, it is certain that pharmacists need to become more professionally, politically, and socially active to further the profession and its ideals. One way of doing this is to serve as a mentor to a pharmacy students or young pharmacists.
Both Student and M entor Can Learn I encourage practicing pharmacists to become involved with a college of pharmacy and spend time with students. Many mentors have said that they learn as much as the students they work with. This may be true. When a student in the pharmacy is always asking questions, a pharmacist is challenged to keep up with new ideas and new ways of doing things. I encourage each reader to think about a person who has been a mentor to you and helped you become a better pharmacist. Let them know you appreciate the time they spent with you and that you are doing for others what they did for you. Loyd V. Allen Jr., PhD, is professor emeritus, College of Pharmacy, University of Oklahoma, and member, APhA–APRS Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences Section.
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November/December 2003
A PhA–ASP
Mentor Program Provides a Glimpse Into Pharmacy’s Future Anne Fulton
Each August at the University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (UOP), new students embark on their journey through pharmacy school. Although they quickly become oriented to the close-knit campus, where the students all know each other by face if not by first name, new students are quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of material to be learned and the number of assignments to be completed. All the projects, quizzes, and tests, however, are not enough to prepare them for life after pharmacy school. Students often leave school without acquiring two key components of any decent education: experience and knowledge of how the system of pharmacy works. To prevent this, in addition to requiring early experiential hours at a local community pharmacy and clerkship rotations, UOP has found an interesting way to expose new students to the vast opportunities that exist within the field of pharmacy during their first two semesters. The Rx E-Mentor Program pairs each student with a
pharmacist–mentor with whom the student can discuss current topics in pharmacy and any other issues that may arise. The program began about 8 years ago under former Assistant Dean Robert Supernaw, PharmD. It continues for the first two semesters of the curriculum as part of Pharmacy Systems and Experience I and II. In these courses, students explore the role of pharmacy in the health care system and work to develop their skills in oral, written, and electronic communication, problem solving, and initial practice competencies. The assignment for the mentoring program is to “establish and maintain a personal and professional dialogue with a practitioner via the Internet. Provide documentation of ongoing interactions with your mentor. Maintain a current record of all e-mails sent and received. [And] log and file copies of emails in your portfolio.” During the first semester, students are assigned one topic a month. They are expected to reflect on the topic and to consult and engage their mentor, not merely ask the mentor what he or she thinks. All e-mail correspondence must be printed out, logged, and turned in at the end of the class as part of a professional portfolio.
The M entor Is a Source of Inform ation The Rx E-Mentor program has five specific goals. The first is to provide each student with e-mail access to a pharmacist. The participating
pharmacists range from practitioners at local chain drugstores to hospital CEOs to presidents of national publications and current and former pharmacy association leaders. Mentors are instructed to check their e-mail once weekly and to give their honest opinions on the topics students bring to their attention. The second goal is to introduce students to the value of networking with colleagues and the value of colleagues as resources. Past mentors have given students advice about career options, as well as the benefit of their “having been there before.” Many mentors, being UOP alumni, still remember certain professors and have given advice on how to handle certain classes. In general, the mentors serve as sources of information on a variety of topics that concern—and sometimes frustrate—the pharmacy students they work with. Another program goal is to provide students with discussion assignments, to be completed in consultation with their mentors, that coincide with the competencies being taught in class. For example, while the students are learning to measure blood pressure in the lab, they are asked to speak with their mentors about having pharmacists take blood pressures for all patients picking up antihypertensives. While students learn about smoking cessation, they correspond with their mentors about whether pharmacies should sell tobacco products, and they also engage their mentors in discussions on timely topics such as whether pharmacists should give
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immunizations and how dispensing errors can be minimized. Topics are tailored for each class and chosen with consideration of the current issues in pharmacy practice. The fourth goal is to use email to improve students’ written communication skills. This is achieved in several ways. All students are asked to maintain a certain level of professionalism while corresponding with mentors, and the e-mails are included in a professional portfolio. In turn, mentors are advised to main-
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tain a certain level of formality when responding to students’ e-mails, although communications often become less formal as students and mentors grow better acquainted. Lastly, establishing documentation as a routine part of daily activities is a goal of the Rx E-Mentor program. This is done by having the students keep records of all e-mails sent and received and of when specific topics are completed. As previously mentioned, the record, along with each print-
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org)
ed e-mail, must be included in a professional portfolio to be handed in and graded.
A D oor-O pener As the final step in the program, students send their mentors a note thanking them for their advice and participation. Many students maintain contact with their mentors beyond the assignment, whereas others may never speak with their mentor again. Whether or not the mentor remains a valued advisor or
becomes a friend, the Rx EMentor program gives pharmacy students an opportunity to get a glimpse into their future career and opens up doors for students who may have experienced only a small portion of what pharmacy has to offer. Anne Fulton is a second-year PharmD candidate, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, Calif.
November/December 2003
Vol. 43, No. 6