Priming the Preceptor Pipeline: Collaboration, Resources, and Recognition

Abstract

Special Acknowledgments: * Jeffrey Ekoma, Policy and Professional Affairs Manager, AACP: for serving as a note-taker for the Professional Affairs Committee focus groups held during the 2016 American Pharmacists Association; * Stephanie Fouch, Senior Consultant Outreach and Communications, AACP: for serving as the moderator for the Professional Affairs Committee focus groups held during the 2016 American Pharmacists Association; * The participants of the two Professional Affairs Committee focus groups (preceptors and pharmacy employers) held during the 2016 American Pharmacists Association: for their attendance, engagement, and passion for precepting future pharmacists; and * The following national pharmacy organizations that responded to the 2016 Professional Affairs Committee request for information regarding their efforts regarding preceptor training and development: American College of Apothecaries (ACA), American Society for Pharmacy Law (ASPL), Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS), College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP), Hematology-Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA), and two state pharmacy member associations (New Mexico and Pennsylvania) from the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA). Background and Charges According to the Bylaws of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the Professional Affairs Committee is to study issues associated with the professional practice as they relate to pharmaceutical education, and to establish and improve working relationships with all other organizations in the field of health affairs. The Committee is also encouraged to address related agenda items relevant to its Bylaws charge and to identify issues for consideration by subsequent committees, task forces, commissions, or other groups. President Cynthia Boyle established the theme of Capitalizing on Foundations of Citizenship for the 2015-2016 standing committees. (1) According to President Boyle, as the academy prepares our nation's future pharmacists and scholars, the academy is leveraging all of the stakeholders who invest in academic pharmacy. (1) A key group of stakeholders in our academy are pharmacy preceptors. Our preceptors are one group of citizens that bears responsibility for a significant portion of the preparation of practice-ready graduates. Estimated to be approximately 30,000 pharmacists strong, most accept responsibility for precepting Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) [and often Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPEs) as well] with little or no direct compensation. The 2015-16 Professional Affairs Committee is charged to: (1) Study the current relationship between the colleges/schools of pharmacy, our volunteer preceptors, and the organizations that employ them. The focus will be defining the needs of this population of practitioners for continuing professional development, recognition and support to assure that they are prepared to assume increasing responsibility for assuring that Doctor of Pharmacy graduates are both practice--and team-ready; and (2) Assess the unique demands of precepting in an interprofessional care environment. Members of the 2016 PAC include faculty representing multiple disciplines from various schools/colleges of pharmacy and professional staff representation from the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). Prior to any in-person meetings of the committee, pertinent background information and resource materials were distributed. The professional staff representatives met on September 21, 2015 to discuss their programs, initiatives and services involving preceptors and their development, as well as the role(s) that national pharmacy organizations can have with preceptors and their employers. …