APhA Member News
A minute with...
Michelle Chin, PharmD
PGY2 pharmacy resident
Henry J. Austin Health Center, Trenton, NJ
Member since 2017
“I can proudly say I have been a member of APhA since my first preprofessional year! APhA has provided me with numerous opportunities for professional development. When I was a student pharmacist, APhA helped grow my network, connecting me with leaders in pharmacy and helping me make new friends. Because of APhA, I was able to become a leader myself. I have served in APhA on a national level as a student pharmacist and am still currently serving as a new practitioner! APhA is such a large organization that no matter where I meet new pharmacists, I always run into someone who is actively involved in APhA.”
How has APhA helped you establish meaningful connections?
APhA opened doors to new opportunities and connected me with many incredible individuals. APhA helped me establish a strong network and gave me some of my closest friends today. By staying involved in APhA committees and attending in-person conferences throughout the years, I was constantly meeting people in leadership and those who have similar passions and goals as mine.
How does APhA help you thrive in your everyday practice?
APhA helps me stay connected and updated with the pharmacy profession. There are many ways a member can become involved with APhA, and becoming involved has helped advance my professional career. Through CPE opportunities and educational sessions, I am constantly keeping up with the latest updates in health care. Additionally, APhA offers countless practice resources that I rely on during my clinical practice and professional career.
What excites you about the profession of pharmacy?
Pharmacists can be a part of so many areas of health care. Despite a wide range of specialties in the profession, all pharmacists are united by their dedication to serve the community and the mission to improve patient care.
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?
During my PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency at Walgreens Specialty, one of my first patient interactions was with a man who was blind and experiencing housing insecurity. He was at the hospital and was ready to be discharged, but he was leaving with 18 medications. Unable to see his pills and vials, he needed someone to help him sort out his medications.
I spent 90 minutes with the patient, helping him identify each pill and vial. At his bedside, I used rubber bands to label some of the vials and folded some of the prescription labels in unique ways to help him identify each vial. I had the patient feel each pill for markings, scorings, textures, and shapes.
The patient also had a talking laptop with him. We entered pill and vial descriptions together into his laptop so that the laptop could read the description to him later. I had him go through each medication one last time, ensuring that he was reaching for the correct vials and pills when the computer read the directions out loud. Amazingly, the patient was able to correctly identify each pill, vial, and direction after two tries. ■
Did you know?
PharmacotherapyFirst is a unique, digital-only, peer-reviewed resource focused on disease state management and patient care. Learning therapeutics is more than memorization and cramming for exams. This innovative tool is designed to teach therapeutics to the modern learner by incorporating concise evidence-based content, assessment tools, and instructor resources. The goal of PharmacotherapyFirst is to help learners—students and practitioners alike—expand their knowledge and to help instructors facilitate the process.
A complementary feature of each module, Case-Based Learning, contains:
- Mini cases with questions.
- Cases following steps of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process.
- Detailed patient case with expert SOAP note and justification for assessment and plan.
Please see apha.us/PharmacotherapyFirstDyslipidemia to preview a PharmacotherapyFirst module. ■
Learn
Are you ready to take your precepting skills to the next level? APhA’s Advanced Preceptor Training Program is designed to enhance your teaching, coaching, and mentoring abilities. With 13 hours of continuing education credit across four specialized tracks, this self-paced, online program is perfect for both seasoned and new preceptors.
Join the ranks of top preceptors who are shaping the future of pharmacy. Visit apha.us/PreceptorTraining to enroll today and take the first step toward leading the next generation of pharmacists by becoming a more confident and effective mentor. ■
Get involved in APhA
Compounding SIG
The mission of the APhA–APPM Compounding Special Interest Group (SIG) is to provide a professional network for compounding pharmacists and student pharmacists. The APhA–APPM Compounding SIG focuses on education, communication, collaboration, advocacy, and sharing of ideas in compounding pharmacy practice. The purpose of the SIG is to provide a professional network community within APhA–APPM where pharmacists and student pharmacists share ideas, education, and advocacy for compounding pharmacy.
“I am immensely proud to be a part of the Compounding SIG, a group of dedicated experts at the forefront of a vital and historic pharmacy practice,” said Natalie Young, PharmD, FACVP, at Brava Care, in Raleigh, NC, and a former SIG coordinator.“The intricacies involved in delivering personalized medication solutions tailored to individual patient needs are not challenges any professional should face alone. Our group provides a platform for members to share insights, refine practices, and collaborate with esteemed colleagues.”
Interested in getting involved in the Compounding SIG? Visit apha.us/CompoundingSIG to learn more. ■