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Fellowship Spotlight: The Ohio State College of Pharmacy Practice Advancement and Advocacy Fellowship

Program Overview

The practice advancement and advocacy fellowship at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy is a 2-year program that provides the learner with the opportunity to engage in advocacy and practice development across Ohio, and the US graduates of this program are prepared to lead practice advancement and influence policy change through research, education, service, and practice.

This program allows fellows to pursue individual professional interests through longitudinal and immersive learning experiences in various practice and/or policy-related areas. Graduates of the program are well positioned for careers across the pharmacy profession.

Key Features of the Fellowship

  • Customized Learning Experience:
    • The fellowship program involves some required activities and learning experiences; elective experiences can be tailored to an individual fellow’s interests, passions, and career goals.
  • Research Skill Development:
    • The fellow is required to complete a minimum of 1 research study, from question identification and refinement to data analysis and write-up. In addition, the fellow will be involved in a minimum of 2 other research teams as a member and/or mentor to students or resident trainees.
  • Leadership Training:
    • Fellows will gain exposure to leaders in an academic setting and are encouraged to actively participate in state and national pharmacy association work through leadership roles.
  • Clinical Integration:
    • A clinical practice component will be determined on the basis of the candidate’s interest, experience, and opportunities.
  • Teaching:
    • Fellows have the option to participate in the college of pharmacy’s teaching and learning certificate program with other postgraduate trainees to develop hands-on skills in didactic and experiential teaching.
    • This program provides teaching experience through course development and coordination; individualized and small-group mentoring; and experiential, online, and large classroom teaching as well as innovative methods of advocacy and knowledge transfer.
  • Presentation and Publication Opportunities:
    • The fellow is required to develop and submit a minimum of 2 manuscripts suitable for publication, with at least 1 as primary author. The fellow will also present a minimum of 2 posters at professional meetings.
  • Collaboration Opportunities:
    • Ohio State’s broad partner network can be engaged to provide the fellow with several opportunities for both internal and external collaboration, according to interest and alignment with professional goals.
  • Professional Development Support:
    • Fellows will engage in a variety of professional development activities with preceptors, peers, and students. Funding support is provided for travel to selected professional meetings.

Current Fellow Project Examples

  • Current fellow Bella Blankenship, together with collaborator Dan Michel, PhD, received $10,000 in grant funding to facilitate an undergraduate summer research program housed at the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio. Through this program, Drs Blankenship and Michel mentored 6 undergraduate students through the process of creating a research question to evaluate public perceptions and influence of direct-to-consumer advertising, collecting and analyzing data, and disseminating findings. Students interacted with more than 4000 guests and educated them on the vital roles pharmacists play in their communities. Dr Blankenship also facilitated several professional development workshops to prepare these students for the wide array of health care professional paths ahead of them.
  • Past fellow Michael Murphy completed a study titled “Integration, Perceptions, and Implementation of Legislative Advocacy in U.S. Pharmacy Schools,” which assessed current practices in US pharmacy schools regarding the teaching of legislative advocacy. The researchers surveyed faculty and administrators to understand how legislative advocacy is integrated into curricula, the perceptions of its importance, and the methods used for its implementation. The findings highlight the varying approaches across institutions and underscore the need for standardized strategies to enhance legislative advocacy education in pharmacy programs.
    • Murphy EM, Hagy N, Miller J, Rodis JL. Integration, perceptions, and implementation of legislative advocacy within US schools and colleges of pharmacy. Am J Pharm Educ. 2022;86(5):8668. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe8668
  • Past fellow Michael Murphy completed a study titled “Pharmacist Provider Status: Geoprocessing Analysis of Pharmacy Services in Medically Underserved Areas,” which evaluated the distribution of pharmacy services in medically underserved areas, medically underserved populations, and primary care health professional shortage areas in the United States. By using geospatial analysis, the researchers identified regions with limited access to pharmacy services and highlighted the potential benefits of granting pharmacists provider status to improve health care access in these underserved communities.
    • Murphy EM, West L, Jindal N. Pharmacist provider status: geoprocessing analysis of pharmacy locations, medically underserved areas, populations, and health professional shortage areas. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2021;61(6):p651-660.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2021.08.021

Reflections from Current Fellow

Bella Blankenship

Bella Blankenship, Pharm.D., RPh

  • Pharmacy School: Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Fellowship Focus: Pharmacy practice advancement and advocacy

I chose to pursue further postgraduate training after completing my residency in order to intentionally build skills in teaching and advocacy as well as to pursue a master’s degree in public administration with a policy focus. My experience at Ohio State has been transformative; I could not ask for a more supportive team of fellowship directors, preceptors, and colleagues at the college. Interacting with and mentoring students of my own has been an incredible opportunity to give back to my professional community and foster passion for pharmacy in the next generation of pharmacists. I am so grateful to have crossed paths with so many talented individuals throughout my fellowship and look forward to completing the program in the summer of 2025!

Advice for Future Fellows!

If you have any interest in the areas of academia, practice advancement, or advocacy, I highly recommend pursuing fellowship training. Learning from some of the premier individuals in these areas, while also mentoring students, has created a unique learning environment that I’m so thankful to have experienced. My biggest piece of advice for students and postgraduate trainees in general is to keep yourself from comparing your path with that of your peers; every journey is different, and it’s best to focus on your own unique goals!

Contact Information

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