It is difficult for me to believe that my year as president of ACCP is coming to a close and that soon I will be, as Bill Kehoe has repeatedly reminded me, a “has-been president.” This will be my last column in the PRN Report as president!

Together, we have accomplished so much this year, yet there is still important work to be done. This is a critical time for clinical pharmacy as we seek to secure our position as members of the health care delivery team in the rapidly evolving health care system. Throughout the year, my ACCP Report columns have addressed the who and the what related to clinical pharmacists’ qualifications and their role as providers of direct patient care within the health care team. Who, indeed, is better able to articulate the who and the diverse characteristics that define the what than members of the 22 ACCP PRNs! And who better to mentor our up-and-coming “shining-star” student, resident, and fellow members than our PRN alums!

As you may recall, one of my main charges to the past StuNet National Advisory Committee pertained to increasing student awareness of, and connection with, the PRNs. My exact charge for the committee was,

Students often express interest in learning more about ACCP’s PRNs and how to capitalize on the professional networking and learning opportunities associated with the PRNs. However, many students remain uncertain about how to “connect” with a PRN. The committee is asked to determine how to best communicate to student members the important information about PRNs and opportunities for student involvement with PRNs.

In response to this charge, the committee requested that ACCP allow each student member to join two PRNs free of charge, a request that was approved by the Board of Regents. I am proud to say that, from June 2010 to June 2012, we had a 33% increase in student PRN membership. I believe that in the future, this response will result in increased growth in—and participation of—students and other trainees in our PRNs. In addition, the committee members wanted the student membership-at-large to have a greater awareness of the PRNs, so they developed the “Students’ Guide to the ACCP PRNs,” which is now posted on the ACCP Web site at www.accp.com/stunet/prncorner.aspx. If you click this link, you will be taken to the overview page, which provides students some basic information on the ACCP PRN structure, highlights the two free PRNs offer, and explains how the e-mail lists work. Directly below the overview information is a link to the individual PRNs, which provides students information specific to each PRN, including the names of leadership and contacts, activities relevant to students, potential for students to serve on PRN committees, and PRN membership numbers by member type (students, residents, and fellows).

Please use this information to further spread the word that we welcome student participation and have much to offer. As I mentioned in an earlier message, many of the PRNs support the ACCP Travel Awards and/or sponsor their own PRN-specific travel awards. You will be able to read more about this important initiative in other PRN Report articles. Some of the PRN-specific awards involve students presenting a poster or presentation at their business meeting and networking forum. Many PRNs have developed subcommittees to address student and resident involvement. This has resulted in student-specific activities at a number of PRN business meetings and networking forums during ACCP’s Annual Meeting. As you also know, your elected PRN leaders have worked closely with ACCP executive staff and your Board of Regents on several initiatives to increase the number of board-certified specialties. We still have much to do as we work to continue to address this important component of the ACCP Strategic Plan.

Let me close by saying that it has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your president this past year. As the founding chair of the CNS PRN and a long-standing member of several other PRNs as well, I have always had a sense of pride and ownership with respect to the PRNs, and it has been breathtaking to watch them evolve and grow on the basis of our professional needs and those of our patients. My heartfelt appreciation goes to all members of the PRN leadership and all the PRN members.

Best wishes for a successful meeting in Hollywood and for a successful year!