In my spring PRN update, I discussed the ACCP Board of Regents’ recently revised and updated strategic plan (www.accp.com/docs/about/ACCP_Strategic_Plan.pdf) and its intersection with my presidential theme of precision medicine. It has been a busy year for all of us, with many significant accomplishments that I would like to share with you.

Consistent with its strategic plan, ACCP seeks to position clinical pharmacists by communicating their value, and along these lines, two papers have been developed. Led by Kelly Caudle, the PK/PD/PG PRN has written an opinion paper titled “Application of Precision Medicine Across Pharmacy Specialty Areas.” This paper brings together the collective wisdom of the ACCP PRNs to describe the status of precision medicine across the therapeutic specialties. An important insight discussed in this paper is that pharmacists have been incorporating precision medicine approaches into their practices for decades. Pharmacists have led therapeutic drug monitoring efforts and individualized dosing approaches to improve therapeutic outcomes for their patients and are well positioned to incorporate novel genomic information into routine patient care. Another important insight from this paper is the depth and breadth of genomic information used by clinical pharmacists to guide patient care. From whole exome sequencing of cancers to select drug therapy, to the bacterial genome to track drug resistance, ACCP PRN members are practicing at the forefront of the genomics revolution.

In a parallel, coordinated effort, the 2019 ACCP Clinical Practice Affairs Committee, led by Kevin Hicks and Christina Aquilante, was charged with developing a complementary ACCP white paper to articulate real-world clinical applications of precision medicine (specifically, “precision pharmacotherapy”) to today’s clinical pharmacist practice. The committee’s draft manuscript, “ACCP White Paper on Precision Pharmacotherapy – Focus on Pharmacogenomics,” extensively describes the state of pharmacogenomics incorporation into clinical practice, education, and research. The paper also defines the key steps needed to continue advancing the field of precision medicine, with clinical pharmacists at the forefront.

Consistent with the recommendations outlined in the white paper, ACCP offers several programs for clinical pharmacists desiring to enhance their implementation and research skills. Brand new is the ACCP Academy’s certificate program Precision Medicine: Applied Pharmacogenomics, a practice-based activity designed to help clinical pharmacists understand how genetic factors influence the efficacy and adverse effects of drug therapy. The program starts September 15 and is a mix of online and in-person learning, culminating in a 1-day workshop on October 23 at the upcoming ACCP Global Conference on Clinical Pharmacy in Seattle, Washington. I would like to encourage clinical pharmacists with an interest in incorporating pharmacogenomics into their practice to attend. Register at www.accp.com/PGx.

The ACCP FIT and MeRIT programs (https://www.accpri.org/investigator) are exceptional mechanisms for delivering precision medicine training. The FIT Program, designed for experienced researchers, is a 5-day in-person program focused on grant proposal development. Investigators with a draft grant proposal spend most of the program revising their proposal to enhance its competitiveness. The MeRIT Program is a 2-year longitudinal program designed for pharmacists with modest research experience. The program provides a mentored research experience through live programing and webinars that takes a research project from an idea to a publication. I’m excited to announce that the 2019 FIT/MERIT programs will be held June 17–21 at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy in beautiful Lexington, and I encourage all PRN members wishing to expand their research skills and network to attend. Applications will be available in October, with letters of intent due February 28, 2019.

ACCP is fortunate to count among its members many leaders in the science, practice, and implementation of precision medicine. I thank the ACCP members who have contributed their time, energy, and expertise to these important initiatives. You have contributed substantially to the College’s efforts to position itself as the leading organization in supporting precision medicine research and implementation.

I invite all members to contact me at [email protected] with any additional thoughts, suggestions, or plans for incorporating precision medicine into your research, teaching, and practice.