Dear Colleagues:

This issue of ACCP International Clinical Pharmacist features two articles that highlight important advances in clinical pharmacy practice. The article titled “Qualifications of Pharmacists Who Provide Direct Patient Care” summarizes commentary published by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Board of Regents. This commentary further clarifies and elaborates on the College’s position regarding the training and credentials required by clinical pharmacists who provide direct patient care. This is an important perspective for the profession as pharmacists continue to advance and expand patient care services.

In the Winter 2012–2013 issue of the newsletter, we highlighted ACCP’s efforts to expand the recognition of pharmacy specialties. In this issue, the article titled “Critical Care Pharmacy and Pediatric Pharmacy Specialties Recognized” reports on the two specialties most recently recognized by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties in April of this year. Recognition of these two new specialities will represent important distinctions for pharmacists providing care in these specialized areas of practice.

We hope you find these two articles, as well as the other articles in this issue, of interest and relevance to your professional career and practice.

Sincerely,

Wafa Y. Dahdal, Pharm.D., BCPS