Nicole Larroza is a final-year PharmD candidate at the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy.
For student pharmacists interested in quality-based care, or just curious as to what pharmacists do in these spaces, the APhA Quality-Based Care Community is the perfect place to get involved! It’s a great learning environment and opens student pharmacists up to another side of pharmacy practice they might not have known about.
Plenty of support from mentors
I am proud to serve as a student liaison to the Quality-Based Care Community, which encompasses members of all practice areas who engage in quality and/or value-based care and payment models. I have learned so much being a part of the Community, from the day operations of a pharmacist in this space to the lingo used in the quality-based care world. There’s a great tool on our Community’s page that provides handy examples of commonly used words in the quality-based care world.
The Community is focused on the improvement of patient care through innovative care models, and they are happy to share any and all they know about the advancement of value-based service. Hindu Rao, PharmD, APh, BCACP, and chair of the Community, shared this message for student pharmacists:
“You receive a lot of support and have the chance to network with many different people, no matter which Community you join! For the Quality-Based Care Community in particular, students can directly see how pharmacists drive improvements in patient outcomes,” Dr. Rao said. “It’s an opportunity to learn how focused initiatives, data, and awareness come together to advance the value of pharmacy-led services. Students who get involved in this Community will learn about new processes and practical tools to lead quality initiatives wherever they practice in the future. Plus, we’re a small but mighty team who really supports each other!”
A great place to learn
As someone who is always looking to learn more about the role of pharmacists and the many opportunities available for our profession, this Community has opened my eyes to the different opportunities and has been a great place to learn. I have had the opportunity to connect with and hear from pharmacists passionate about the advancement of patient care through pharmacist-lead services. Student pharmacists should feel empowered and assured that there are mentors pushing for the improvement of patient care and extending a hand for us to join them.
Check out the APhA Quality-Based Care Community and the 22 other Communities and join now at www.pharmacist.com/Membership/Communities.