Monthly Archives: August 2017

ACA Foundation Honors Professor Donald Downing for Outstanding Service to Pharmacy Education

2017-08-25T11:05:41-05:00August 25th, 2017|Categories: Blog, News Release|

Don DowningThe American College of Apothecaries presented the 2016-17 Albert E. Rosica, Jr. Memorial Award to Don Downing of Seattle, Washington at the College’s 2017 Fall Pharmacy Conference at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. The award, established in memory of Albert E. Rosica, Jr., a Past President of ACA, is presented each year to a pharmacy practitioner for his or her contributions to pharmacy education through participation in pharmacy clerkship programs, serving on various college committees, teaching, working with the alumni association, and making other contributions to academic programs.

For the past forty years, Don Downing has devoted his career as a professor and practitioner to moving the profession of pharmacy forward.  A graduate of the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, Downing currently directs the Institute for Innovative Pharmacy Practice at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. Downing teaches on topics including legislative advocacy, leadership and ethics and is a prolific advocate for pharmacists, patients and underserved populations.

In 1975, Downing helped to start up the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority clinic in Tacoma, Washington and continued there until 1985. While there, he joined the Washington School of Pharmacy faculty and later opened the first pharmacy in Bonney Lake and a community pharmacy in Federal Way. He continues to consult with and develop pharmacy services for various Native American tribes.

Peggy Soule Odegard, Associate Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Washington, commended Downing’s dedication to pharmacy. “Don exemplifies the meaning of teaching by example and is a major contributor to the professional development of our pharmacy graduates…. He embodies a service attitude for his students and peers, kindly nudging each of us to become involved to improve access to services for those who are less fortunate. He reaches out with regular service to communities both locally and throughout the world to help those in need, modeling compassionate care for his students and often facilitating and advocating for necessary change to reduce disparities during his visits.”

Downing developed the nation’s first pharmacist-provided emergency contraception program and the first pharmacist-initiated ongoing hormonal contraception services. He also helped lead the effort in the 1990s to educate and certify pharmacists in Washington state and numerous other states to provide flu shots and other vaccines.  Downing has worked on pharmacy-care legislation in 39 states, devoting much of his energy to changing the public’s perception of pharmacists. In addition, he has conducted extensive research with funding from agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Institutes of Health, Advocates for Youth and the Packard Foundation.

Downing has received numerous recognitions from local, state, and national pharmacy organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association’s Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Distinguished Achievement Award, the Washington State Pharmacy Association David Almquist Award and Pharmacist of the Year Award, and the UW School of Pharmacy’s Distinguished Alumnus Award and Milo Gilbaldi Excellence in Teaching Award.

 The American College of Apothecaries Research and Education Foundation is honored to recognize Don Downing for his contributions to the future of pharmacy and global health and impact on his students, peers, and community.

Wingate University Pharmacy Student Recognized by American College of Apothecaries Foundation

2017-08-25T11:03:12-05:00August 25th, 2017|Categories: Blog, News Release|

The American College of Apothecaries Research and Education Foundation presented the Presidential Scholarship for Academic and Leadership Excellence to Cassandra Cangelosi at the 2017 Fall Pharmacy Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cangelosi is a pharmacy student at Wingate University School of Pharmacy in Wingate, North Carolina.

The Presidential Scholarship for Academic and Leadership Excellence is awarded by the American College of Apothecaries Research and Education Foundation to a student with a demonstrated interest in independent pharmacy, who shows leadership qualities, extra-curricular activities, and a high level of academic success.

While at Wingate, Cassie co-founded a student chapter of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists (ACVP) and currently serves as its President-Elect. She also serves as the Programming and Communications Chair for Wingate’s student chapter of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). Cassie is a Student Ambassador for the Wingate University School of Pharmacy and a member of the Student Societies of Health-System Pharmacy and Society of Veterinary Hospital Pharmacists. Cassie’s academic and leadership achievements while in pharmacy school were recognized with her selection to receive the Watts Pharmacy Endowed Scholarship for 2016-17.

Eric Schneider, Professor and Assistant Dean of Academics at Wingate, had this to say about Cassie: “When all her attributes are considered—intelligence, clinical knowledge, communication skills, personality, leadership skills and compassion—I believe the result far exceeds the sum of the parts.  I give Cassie my highest recommendation to be a recipient of the ACA/ACVP scholarship.  I have no doubt that once she enters practice as a licensed pharmacist, Cassie will be an asset to both community and veterinary pharmacy.”

The ACA Foundation is proud to recognize Cassie Cangelosi with the Presidential Scholarship for Academic and Leadership Excellence.

New ACA Member Discount from ACHC

2018-12-07T11:22:40-06:00August 17th, 2017|Categories: News Release|

The American College of Apothecaries (ACA) and Accreditation Commission for Health Care are pleased to announce the establishment of a partnership designed to increase accessibility of ACHC service to ACA Members and Fellows. This agreement offers special pricing on ACHC accreditation services and educational resources to ACA Members and Fellows.  An email was sent to all ACA Members and Fellows with the special discount code, which can also be found on the Member Discounts page in the members-only section of the ACA website.

“The partnership between ACHC and ACA represents a natural expression of our organizations’ shared values,” said Jon Pritchett, PharmD, RPh, ACHC Associate Director of Pharmacy. “Both are committed to advancing safe practices and quality in serving patients in our health care system. ACA’s role in the original establishment of PCAB is clear indication of the visionary leadership they are recognized for in serving their members and the industry as a whole.”

Since the introduction of its pharmacy program in 1996, ACHC has grown to become a leading national accrediting organization with more than 900 pharmacies accredited in the U.S. ACHC has broad and extensive experience in the area of pharmacy compliance, including accreditation programs for non-sterile and sterile compounding through the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB), as well as infusion, specialty, and long-term care pharmacy services.

“We are pleased to join with ACHC and increase the accessibility of ACHC services to ACA members and Fellows. The ACA is committed to encouraging best practices in pharmacy and making the accreditation process more affordable is a tremendous benefit to our membership. Ultimately, our patients and communities will be the biggest beneficiaries from the commitment to value, integrity, and customer service provided by independent pharmacies with ACHC accreditation,” said Donnie Calhoun, BPharm, RPh, FACA, FACVP CEO/Executive Vice President.

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