From the Desk of the ACCP Past President...

October 20, 2022
Leigh Ann Ross, Pharm.D., FCCP, FASHP, FAPhA, FNAP, BCPS

Reflections on the 2022 ACCP Global Conference on Clinical Pharmacy

Travel home today provides an opportunity to reflect on the ACCP Global Conference and this year of service as the ACCP President. I leave San Francisco with a full and grateful heart and a sense of excitement about the future. Being together in person brought a level of energy we have not experienced in some time. Catching up with friends, many of whom we have not seen in over two years, was good for the soul. Meeting new colleagues – early career practitioners, residents, and students from the U.S. and over 30 countries was inspiring. This time together was special. There was a sense of appreciation for each other and the contributions made during the most challenging time of the pandemic. There was a focus on our future as valued members of health care teams improving the lives of the patients we serve. There was recognition of so many deserving individuals who provided exceptional clinical care, innovative educational programs, significant research, and service in many forms – in recent years and, for some, over their lifetime. This celebration seemed even more meaningful this year. There were presentations, posters, and clinical challenges that demonstrated the knowledge and thoughtful work generated by our future generation of pharmacists. The high-caliber programming throughout was extraordinary. I leave this conference with tremendous pride for our profession, our organization, and our members. It reaffirmed that the work ACCP has underway is critically important for our future. Our focus on DEI, leadership development, community-based clinical pharmacy, quality publications, investigator development, and advocacy – as a few examples – aligns with member needs and the future we envision for clinical pharmacy. “Advocacy to Advance the Profession” was the Presidential theme this year. It was awesome to see a heightened awareness of our advocacy initiatives and members seeking opportunities to engage in our advocacy efforts at the conference. We must continue this emphasis on the responsibility of clinical pharmacists to be advocates and change agents to create opportunities for medication optimization and practice advancement.

It has been a true honor to serve as ACCP President. I find professional service one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. Seeds for this were planted early as my father role-modeled service in an admirable way – he served others selflessly, always with a grateful heart and positive impact. His inspiration, along with that of professional mentors early in my career – many former leaders within this organization, Barbara Wells, Gary Matzke, and Ed Webb to name a few – and my husband Brendan’s encouragement, faith in me, and support – led me to say “yes” to this leadership opportunity.  I am most grateful to each of them, many other colleagues and friends who provided support, and to ACCP members who entrusted their confidence in me this year. We have the most outstanding leaders at every level in ACCP and a dedicated staff who make this organization truly extraordinary. Thank you all! I am excited for Dr. Farrington’s forthcoming leadership as President and look forward to being part of her team as we work toward a bright future for clinical pharmacy. See you in Dallas in November 2023!