Overview of the PRN
The Health Equity Practice and Research Network (PRN) was formally approved by the Board of Regents on April 15, 2021, becoming the 27th PRN available to ACCP members. A critical need for a health equity–focused PRN was identified and confirmed by more than 200 ACCP members expressing interest in its formation. The Health Equity PRN is focused on meeting the practice, education, and research needs of the clinical pharmacy workforce in addressing and reducing health inequities and disparities.
Opportunities and Resources
The Health Equity PRN is composed of clinical pharmacists, postgraduate trainees, and students interested in promoting health equity across all practice settings. The PRN facilitates educational programming, networking, leadership opportunities, and collaborative research opportunities for individuals interested in reducing health disparities. The PRN also provides members with additional opportunities to network, collaborate, and engage in scholarship. The PRN has multiple standing committees on which all trainees are welcome to volunteer to serve. In addition, the PRN has a Trainee Enrichment Committee, which is working on the following projects specifically catered toward trainees:
- An integrated mentorship program for trainees to be paired with pharmacists practicing in a health equity–related field
- Biannual programming with webinars and virtual sessions related to hot topics in the health equity space
- Opportunities for trainees to partner with pharmacist PRN members to draft and edit publications related to health equity research and practice
Current Clinical Issues of Importance to Health Equity PRN Members
The membership of the Health Equity PRN is active and increasingly involved with research in both ACCP and other large pharmacy organizations. Each year, the membership showcases impressive contributions to journals, textbooks, newsletters, blogs, and other pieces of media, demonstrating the PRN’s dedication to advancing the practice of pharmacy through health equity. The following are just a few examples of recently published PRN member articles highlighting current issues including, but not limited to, activism in academia, racial disparities in infectious diseases, community pharmacists’ naloxone counseling, assessing racial diversity of pharmacy graduates, and integrating LGBTQIA+ identities into the pharmacy profession.
- Astle KN, Arya V, Blackburn H, et al. Academic activism: an avenue to action. Am J Pharm Educ 2023;87:100080.
- Grant VC, Zhou AY, Tan KK, et al. Racial disparities among candidemic patients at a Southern California teaching hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023;44:1866-9.
- Rawal S, Osae SP, Tackett RL, et al. Community pharmacists’ naloxone counseling: a theory-informed qualitative study. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2023;63:1743-1752.e2.
- Rao KV, Mitrzyk BM, Tillman F, et al. Utilization of a “diversity index” to assess racial diversity of US school of pharmacy graduates. Am J Pharm Educ 2023;87:100568.
- Astle KN, Hart LA, Holloway J, et al. Born this way: integrating LGBTQIA+ identities as pharmacy practitioners. Am J Pharm Educ 2023;87:100122.
Stay Connected
Follow us on X (@accphleqprn) and stay in contact with us online to hear about updates, events, and programming being offered by the Health Equity PRN. We are so glad you’re here and would love to have you join the PRN this year! Email Christopher Medlin ([email protected]) and Kelsey Ihns ([email protected]) with any questions about trainee opportunities and ways to get involved.