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President's Memo
President's Memo
The Power of Excellence By John F. Schlegel, PharmD
BECOME ANAPhA MEMBER AND BENEFIT There are 12 ways to benefi t by becoming a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association: 1) National Representation, 2) The APhA Political Action Committee, 3) Periodicals and Publications, 4) Meetings, 5) The Pharmacists Insurance Programs, 6) Membership Academies, 7) The Professional Placement Center, 8) The Pharmacy Intelligence Center, 9) The Pharmacists Network, 10) The APhA Credit Union, 11) Discounts on Car Rentals and the Gold MasterCard, 12) Comprehensive National Awards Program.
APhA
For an APhA membership application see pages 62-63.
C
harles Lamb, the 19th century English essayist and critic, once said, "We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself." That profound statement is the glue that holds associations together, and in the case of APhA, it is strong glue indeed. APhA is blessed with a wealth of the kind of members that Charles Lamb would have wanted to be withthose who truly excel, and even more importantly, are willing to share their excellence with their colleagues. The pursuit of excellence need not be limited to one's field of endeavor. For example, phannacists who wish to excel in home health care undeniably can learn much from colleagues who are involved in home health care; but they also can gain as much, if not more, by applying to their own practice situations basic principles that they have learned from persons who have excelled in other areas of the profession. It is important, then, that they have the opportunity to associate with such people. APhA is unique in its ability to bring together those in all areas of the pharmacy community so that they may share their excellence, their experiences, and their aspirations. Although the APhA Annual Meeting is the most obvious example of such an opportunity, others abound in the APhA Midyear Regional Meetings, in the three academies and their standing committees and sections, in the APhA House of Delegates and its policy and reference committees, and in the APhA advisory committees. All provide fertile ground for pursuing excellence. APhA, like its members, also strives constantly to excel. Many judge the excellence of an association by the quality ofits leaders and the decisions which they make. There is no question but that this is one valid yardstick, and it is one to which APhA clearly measures up. From the Board of Trustees to the leaders in our three academies, few can dispute that the quality of APhA's leadership-and the consistency of their decisions-is high. But can APhA claim excellence on the basis of that measure alone? I think not. The true measure of the excellence of any association is the collective quality of its individuallnembers. In my judgment, APhA scores high in that regard as well. I sincerely believe that APhA is blessed with an uncharacteristically high percentage of members who display true excellence. I have yet to participate in a meeting of APhA members where that is not clearly evident. Proof abounds elsewhere as well-in the writings that appear in our journals, in the manner in which our members represent APhA and the profession to the outside world, in the excellent work of our student chapters, and in the quality of educational offerings developed and presented by our members. It is also clearly evident in the open and unselfish way that members personally interact when they come together and in their obvious willingness to share their excellence with one another. If excellence is power, and I feel strongly that it is, then it is clear that both APhA and the majority of its members are in very good shape! ®
American Pharmacy, Vol. NS27, No.3, March 1987/167
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The Power of Excellence By John F. Schlegel, PharmD
BECOME ANAPhA MEMBER AND BENEFIT There are 12 ways to benefi t by becoming a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association: 1) National Representation, 2) The APhA Political Action Committee, 3) Periodicals and Publications, 4) Meetings, 5) The Pharmacists Insurance Programs, 6) Membership Academies, 7) The Professional Placement Center, 8) The Pharmacy Intelligence Center, 9) The Pharmacists Network, 10) The APhA Credit Union, 11) Discounts on Car Rentals and the Gold MasterCard, 12) Comprehensive National Awards Program.
APhA
For an APhA membership application see pages 62-63.
C
harles Lamb, the 19th century English essayist and critic, once said, "We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself." That profound statement is the glue that holds associations together, and in the case of APhA, it is strong glue indeed. APhA is blessed with a wealth of the kind of members that Charles Lamb would have wanted to be withthose who truly excel, and even more importantly, are willing to share their excellence with their colleagues. The pursuit of excellence need not be limited to one's field of endeavor. For example, phannacists who wish to excel in home health care undeniably can learn much from colleagues who are involved in home health care; but they also can gain as much, if not more, by applying to their own practice situations basic principles that they have learned from persons who have excelled in other areas of the profession. It is important, then, that they have the opportunity to associate with such people. APhA is unique in its ability to bring together those in all areas of the pharmacy community so that they may share their excellence, their experiences, and their aspirations. Although the APhA Annual Meeting is the most obvious example of such an opportunity, others abound in the APhA Midyear Regional Meetings, in the three academies and their standing committees and sections, in the APhA House of Delegates and its policy and reference committees, and in the APhA advisory committees. All provide fertile ground for pursuing excellence. APhA, like its members, also strives constantly to excel. Many judge the excellence of an association by the quality ofits leaders and the decisions which they make. There is no question but that this is one valid yardstick, and it is one to which APhA clearly measures up. From the Board of Trustees to the leaders in our three academies, few can dispute that the quality of APhA's leadership-and the consistency of their decisions-is high. But can APhA claim excellence on the basis of that measure alone? I think not. The true measure of the excellence of any association is the collective quality of its individuallnembers. In my judgment, APhA scores high in that regard as well. I sincerely believe that APhA is blessed with an uncharacteristically high percentage of members who display true excellence. I have yet to participate in a meeting of APhA members where that is not clearly evident. Proof abounds elsewhere as well-in the writings that appear in our journals, in the manner in which our members represent APhA and the profession to the outside world, in the excellent work of our student chapters, and in the quality of educational offerings developed and presented by our members. It is also clearly evident in the open and unselfish way that members personally interact when they come together and in their obvious willingness to share their excellence with one another. If excellence is power, and I feel strongly that it is, then it is clear that both APhA and the majority of its members are in very good shape! ®
American Pharmacy, Vol. NS27, No.3, March 1987/167
3