APhA Member News
APhA Staff
A minute with …
Jessica Marx, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Inpatient and Emergency Medicine Pharmacist,
Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Portsmouth, NH
Member since 2014
“The APhA edge for me has been continuously networking while taking advantage of numerous invaluable resources offered by the association. Upon joining APhA as a student pharmacist, I had no idea the impact a professional organization could have on me as a person as well as a professional. From networking and development to educational programming, APhA has provided me with valuable resources for continuous growth and learning. Most importantly, it is through APhA that my passion for pharmacy not only began but continues to grow.”
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?
I worked with the mother of a patient at CVS Health who had an allergy to an inactive ingredient. I spent quite a bit of time first researching and then ordering from specific manufacturers who did not include this inactive ingredient in her prescribed medications. After everything was said and done, her mother not only thanked me, but delivered a handwritten thank-you card to show her appreciation for my efforts.
Being so busy in the community setting, it can be difficult to remember the direct impact you are having on patient lives, but this experience reminded me why I became a pharmacist to begin with: to help others to the best of my ability and provide the utmost in patient care.
Why do you love being a pharmacist?
I love being a resource for the underserved, and above all, helping others. Counseling patients, and making interventions and recommendations as well as ensuring patient safety are some of the highlights of my position. I also love being able to teach and help others develop in their careers to further improve patient care.
Why did you join APhA?
I enjoyed the fact that APhA had a home for all pharmacists, no matter their practice setting. Soon after starting pharmacy school and realizing all the opportunities for pharmacists, I found that I had interest in multiple practice settings and felt as though APhA could be a great place for me to start my involvement in a professional organization. Once I did get involved, I soon realized that this was only the beginning of my involvement as APhA has truly become a permanent home for me.
What is your most memorable APhA experience?
Attending the APhA Institute on Substance Use Disorders for the first time was remarkable. The APhA Institute is a much different experience from other APhA conferences, but entirely worth attending. I strongly recommend this conference to anyone and everyone. You will leave Salt Lake City with a better understanding of not only addiction, but of people and the human condition. You will grow as a professional and as a person, and you will have a greater appreciation for your patients.
What advice would you give to pharmacists who want to follow your career path?
You don’t have to choose a single practice setting. If you love aspects of two different settings, it is entirely possible to partake in both. Being involved in both the community and in a hospital setting allows me to stay current with changes in practice as well as updates to different guidelines and recommendations. It allows me to see the greater picture and make improved recommendations to my patients as well as other health care professionals based on what I experience in both practice settings.
Professionally, I want to…
Simply make a difference. I want to be able to make improvements in my community and at my practice sites. I never want to become complacent. And I want to be sure to appreciate my pharmacy technicians as they are the unsung heroes of the pharmacy who don’t always get the credit they deserve. ■
Did you know?
APhA provides you with the latest information on COVID-19 therapeutics
There are options for patients who test positive for COVID-19 infection and are at a high risk of developing severe disease. Pharmacists can play an important role by increasing awareness of and access to these COVID-19 therapeutics. APhA has collected and developed resources on authorized therapies to help you quickly find the information you need.
FDA authorized two COVID-19 oral antivirals (COAVs) in late December 2021 for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 disease in individuals at a high risk of developing severe disease. APhA offers courses on Paxlovid and molnupiravir for you to learn more about the authorized COAVs, including recommendations for use, safety and efficacy information, and key counseling points.
Earn CPE and access an in-depth overview of each medication. You can also download and save APhA’s quick reference for COVID-19 Oral Antiviral Treatment that touches on the differences between each medication and counseling points.
There are monoclonal antibody therapies authorized to help manage COVID-19 disease, including a new therapy authorized for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 disease, bebtelovimab. The SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants can become resistant to these therapies, impacting how each therapy is distributed and whether it should be used. You can access APhA’s monoclonal antibodies training program, which is designed to fully satisfy the requirements of the PREP Act by supplementing the Pharmacy-based Immunization Delivery certificate training programs.
Find these resources and more at APhA’s COVID-19 therapeutics webpage (apha.us/therapeutics). ■
Get involved in APhA
Nuclear SIG
The primary purpose of the APhA–APPM Nuclear Pharmacy Practice Special Interest Group (SIG) is to serve pharmacists involved in the specialty practice of nuclear pharmacy by providing stakeholders an avenue in which to fulfill individual professional goals and support the goals of the academy. The mission of the APhA–APPM Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG is to support its members through APhA educational programming, communication, and legislative activities in order to uphold and promote nuclear pharmacy practice, to advance pharmaceutical care, and to recognize practice excellence. Members of the SIG can also choose to be further involved by participating in the education, awards, regulatory affairs, or professional affairs committees.
Interested in getting involved in the Nuclear SIG? Visit apha.us/NuclearSIG to learn more. ■
APhA’s Learning Library
APhA is proud to announce the launch of a new platform that will make learning easier, more convenient, and more enjoyable: the APhA Learning Library!
This mobile-friendly new learning management system works on phones, tablets, and computers allowing you to learn anywhere. You can get your education when you want, where you want, and how you want.
Enhanced search and filtering capabilities make it easier than ever to find courses on topics that matter to you. All courses in which you are currently enrolled are grouped together for easy selection when you log in to the new system.
Another key highlight is the ability to preview course activities and get an overview of quizzes and assessments before starting. This gives you the flexibility to plan for learning in a way that fits into your busy schedule.
Explore the new APhA Learning Library at: pharmacist.com/Education/NEW-Learning-Library, and discover updated and upgraded access to the education you need. ■
Honoring leadership, service, and commitment to the advancement of the pharmacy profession
The APhA Awards and Honors Program is the most comprehensive recognition program in the pharmacy profession. Every year at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition, pharmacists and other professionals are recognized and honored for their achievements and contributions in the community, the profession, and beyond. Among the many accomplished and deserving professionals honored this year, a few are highlighted below.
The highest honor
Peter H. Vlasses, PharmD, DSc (Hon), FCCP, of Glen Ellyn, IL, is the recipient of the 2022 Remington Honor Medal, the highest pharmacy honor bestowed by APhA. The award recognizes distinguished service on behalf of American pharmacy during the preceding years, culminating in the past year, or during a long period of outstanding or fruitful achievement.
Vlasses has served in many roles throughout his accomplished career and is currently the executive director emeritus of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) following his 20-year term as the ACPE Executive Director. He was selected for this honor due to his extensive service to the profession as a leader who has impacted many areas of pharmacy practice—especially pharmacy education—on a global level.
Vlasses started his career in hospital practice as a clinical pharmacy instructor before he transitioned into various academic and clinical practice advancement positions. Vlasses has championed interprofessional education and continuing education for pharmacists. His innovative and influential approach to pharmacy education has had an impact globally, in part due to his vision for a continuing professional development model for lifelong learning and his initiative in working with other countries to transition to more clinically focused education curricula and more patient-centered pharmacy practice.
“He recognized the greater role that pharmacists could play in health care delivery and—more importantly—envisioned and implemented the strategies and changes needed to make this happen,” said one nominator.
Profession-wide awards
The Hugo H. Schaefer Award, presented to Stephan L. Foster, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, of Atoka, TN, recognizes outstanding voluntary contributions to the organization, the profession, and society. Among his many contributions to the profession, Foster is recognized for his commitment to advancing public health and his long-term advocacy for pharmacy’s role in public health through his service in the U.S. Public Health service. As APhA’s liaison to CDC and ACIP since 2001, Foster has broadened the impact of the profession of pharmacy.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Award, presented to Krista D. Capehart, PharmD, MS, BCACP, FAPhA, of Winfield, WV, recognizes APhA members who have made major contributions in government and legislative service at the local, state, or national level. Capehart was recognized for her contributions drafting legislation and providing expert testimonies to local legislative committees, including educating government and state agencies on the benefits of pharmacists’ direct involvement in increasing access to the services required to maintain public health and safety. As one nominator noted, her career has been an exercise in learning, serving, listening, teaching, and building relationships to advance advocacy efforts.
The Good Government Pharmacist-of-the-Year Award, presented to Stephen Carroll, PharmD, MBA, of Benton, AR, recognizes an individual pharmacist who contributes to the community through their involvement in the political process. Carroll was recognized for his contributions advancing state level advocacy efforts on legislation related to PBMs in collaboration with the Arkansas Pharmacy Association and his role representing pharmacists on a medical marijuana commission for the state of Arkansas. His advocacy work and ability to communicate and mobilize grassroots support have been instrumental in advancing the profession of pharmacy. ■