As we prepare to celebrate ACCP’s 40th anniversary at the Annual Meeting in New York City, we are afforded the opportunity to reflect on the rich history of the Practice and Research Networks (PRNs), a vital component of the organization.

The first PRN was the Critical Care PRN, formed in 1992 under the mentorship of Joe Dasta and Barbara Zarowitz. The Ambulatory Care and CNS PRNs quickly followed a few months later. By the College’s 30th anniversary, there were 22 active PRNs. Today, there are 26. The goal of the PRNs was, and still is, to bring together clinical pharmacists who have shared interests in both practice and research. The vision was for PRNs to foster professional networking and provide continuing education. More recently, the PRNs have provided members with both valuable viewpoints and professional experience through discussion on the e-mail lists.

It is informative to review the events occurring in the profession of pharmacy at the inception of the PRNs that may have helped shape the need for these networking forums. In the early 1990s, the path toward the Pharm.D. as the entry-level degree was well established. The largest pharmacy organizations at the time had already endorsed the concept, and in 1992, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy House of Delegates passed a resolution supporting the entry-level Pharm.D. as the single degree for the profession.

Board certification was growing in the 1990s. Petitions seeking recognition of psychiatric pharmacy and oncology were sent to the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. Meanwhile, the first board certification exams were administered for pharmacotherapy and nutrition support. By 1996, certification exams for both oncology and psychiatric pharmacy were also offered.

Residency training was also expanding when the ACCP PRNs were being formed. ASHP merged the accreditation standards of hospital and clinical pharmacy residencies into a new Residency in Pharmacy Practice standard. The new standard included experiences in both acute and ambulatory care, drug information, and practice management. Around this time, ACCP initiated a voluntary peer-review process for fellowships.

With the growth of board certification, residency training opportunities, and the Pharm.D. soon to be the entry-level degree for the profession, it is easy to see how it was desirable to create a mechanism for clinical pharmacists to share common interests in education and training, pursue board examination preparation and recertification, and facilitate professional networking. The PRNs continue to provide benefit to their members and the College membership at large. The PRNs foster leadership development, with many elected officers of the College first having experience in PRN governance. The College’s Board of Regents often solicits PRN advice when reviewing specialty clinical guidelines or organizational statements seeking ACCP endorsement. The PRNs have the opportunity to provide professional insights and commentaries through developing PRN opinion papers. And of course, the PRN focus sessions allow the entire ACCP membership to learn from experts in the field. As ACCP moves forward, the PRNs will continue to be a strength of the College in helping plot its direction.

Thank you all for your commitment to the success of the PRNs and ACCP. I look forward to the updated histories and other works of the PRNs that will be on display at the 40th anniversary meeting in New York City.