APhA Member News
APhA Staff
A minute with …
Scott Sexton, PharmD
Assistant professor of pharmacy practice,
Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI; and
clinical pharmacist, Metro Health, Cedar Springs, MI
Member since 2013
“Being a member of APhA has kept me energized enough to grow both personally and professionally as I have advanced through my career. I have discovered a network of truly inspirational pharmacists and student pharmacists who constantly remind me that I have something to offer this profession. I am certain that my pharmacy journey would not have been as plentiful and fulfilling had I not become a member of APhA.”
How has APhA helped you establish meaningful connections?
APhA provides the platform for likeminded individuals to come together as one. It is a home for all of pharmacy, and I have made wonderful connections with other passionate members through the various opportunities that APhA has provided. With each conference that I attend, I look forward to reuniting with my friends from all over the country and discovering all of the amazing things that they have been up to.
How does APhA help you thrive in your everyday practice?
First and foremost, being a member of APhA keeps me passionate to serve my students and my patients to the best of my abilities. In a society where we are always busy and distracted, it is easy to become stressed or burned out. Every time I connect with a friend from APhA, I am quickly reinspired to make a difference in the lives of those I encounter. APhA has served as this type of resource since the very beginning of my membership.
What excites you about the profession of pharmacy?
What excites me the most about the profession of pharmacy is seeing its evolution unfolding in front of our eyes. Knowing that we are moving from a product-focused profession to a patient-focused profession brings me great excitement, and I am thrilled to be on a team that is helping with this movement. I can’t wait to see what pharmacy looks like in 10 years, and I am optimistic that it will evolve in a way that benefits our patients tremendously.
Can you share a meaningful story about a time you interacted with a patient? Perhaps a time you felt like you really made a difference for them?
A patient at my pharmacy counter arrived to pick up a mealtime insulin. After asking this patient a few questions, I discovered that they had recently been hospitalized with an extremely high blood glucose level. Upon further questioning, I discovered that this patient might be administering their insulin incorrectly. Although we were literally shutting our gates to close for the evening, I asked this patient to go to the counseling room with me and show me how they were administering their insulin. I discovered that this patient was not taking the inner cap off their pen needle, and they were not actually receiving any of their insulin. Although I stayed about 10 to 15 minutes after close with this patient, I was able to show them how to correctly administer the inulin, and I even witnessed them do so in front of me. Don’t worry, they promised to go directly across the street and eat! The reason that this story was so meaningful to me was the reaction of the patient. In tears, this patient expressed gratitude like none I had ever seen. They talked about how nobody had ever taken the time to counsel them on their insulin and how thankful they were for my time. It was a nice reminder of the difference that a pharmacist can make in a patient’s life. ■
Did you know?
APhA has a comprehensive chronic pain management CPE module series
There are currently more than 100 million Americans suffering from chronic pain. When your patients rely on pain medications for chronic pain, it’s critical that you have the latest information and best practices for managing your patients’ opioid use for pain management. Knowing when and how you might need to intervene can give your patients better options for pain management—and can also help save a life.
Enroll today in APhA’s free Pain Management Forum to hear national experts share their perspectives and strategies for chronic pain management.
This flexible, on-demand program features 6 individual modules. Pick and choose the modules that are most relevant to you or complete the full program to earn 6.5 hours of CPE. Modules include:
- Finding Grace: An Overview of Addiction and Recovery – 1.5 hours of CPE
- Bridging the Gap Between Pain Management and Drug Diversion – 1 hour of CPE
- Chronic Pain Management: Best Practices and Clinical Pearls – 1 hour of CPE
- Opioid Alternatives: The Roles and Risks of NSAIDs in Pain Management – 1 hour of CPE
- Using Brief Interventions in a Busy Pharmacy Setting – 1 hour of CPE
- Naloxone: Understanding Its Role and Use in the Community – 1 hour of CPE
Visit APhA’s new online learning library at www.pharmacist.com/Education/NEW-Learning-Library to learn more about our chronic pain management CPE module series. ■
Accepting nominations
The Pharmacy Leadership and Education Institute (PLEI) announces that nominations for the 2023 Albert B. Prescott Leadership Award, sponsored by Phi Lambda Sigma, are now open.
The Albert B. Prescott Pharmacy Leadership Award, first presented in 1987, is given annually to a young pharmacist no more than 10 years after receipt of their PharmD.
The 2023 Prescott recipient, who must have received his or her PharmD in 2013 or later, will receive a $2,000 honorarium.
The award winner will give an address during the 2023 American Pharmacists Association annual meeting and exposition in Phoenix, AZ (March 24–27, 2023) and prepare a manuscript based on the address suitable for publication in JAPhA.
We invite you to nominate a young pharmacist for this award. Self-nominations are also permitted. Nominations may be submitted online at: plei.org/prescott-award/ and received by November 4, 2022. Late submissions/letters will not be considered. ■
Get involved in APhA
Care of Underserved Patients SIG
The Care of Underserved Patients Special Interest Group (SIG) aims to provide a professional community of pharmacists and stakeholders who are currently practicing within or plan to be involved in caring for underserved patient populations. This may include clinical practice sites or volunteer work with federally qualified health centers, free and charitable health clinics, 340B pharmacies, or other community-based pharmacy settings, such as community pharmacies. The purpose of this community is to assist pharmacists in identifying and sharing resources for underserved patients, helping pharmacists develop new sustainable services in these practice settings, teaching pharmacists, students, and/or residents about caring for underserved populations, investigating reimbursement opportunities, and performing research in these practice settings.
Interested in getting involved in the Care of Underserved Patients SIG? Visit apha.us/UnderservedSIG to learn more. ■