Pharmacist Training

Men and COVID Severity—New Research That Links Them. What Are the Implications?

2023-01-05T09:40:33-06:00September 27th, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, Pharmacist Training, Pharmacy Technician, Risk Management|Tags: , , |

Pharmacists/Technicians will have better understanding of why men suffered more severely from COVID-19 than women, and what that can mean in other acute, viral conditions. Pharmacist will be better equipped to discuss relative health risks/benefits of testosterone in cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.  Thus, the pharmacist/technician will be able to engage with and educate both physicians and patients on the information discussed regarding testosterone.

NOW AVAILABLE ON DEMAND!

Webinar Attendee: FREE
ACA & ACVP Members: $20
Non-Members: $35

Learning Objectives :

  1. Describe medical literature linking low Testosterone in men with severity of Covid-19.
  2. Discuss why low testosterone exerts this effect in men with Covid-19.
  3. Describe the latest literature discussing testosterone in relationship to cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.
  4. Choose useful ways to find current medical literature on testosterone.

Register for On-Demand Webinar here: https://www.lecturepanda.com/a/testosterone

Bruce Biundo, RPh, B.S, FACA,  joined PCCA as a pharmacy consultant in 1997 after many years as a community pharmacist. What is likely the first educational event on low testosterone in men was presented by Bruce at the PCCA International Seminar in April 1999. In a short time, the interest grew and over the intervening years, the breadth and depth of information has greatly increased. As Bruce’s knowledge increased, so did PCCA’s ability to educate pharmacists and physicians on how to diagnose and treat low testosterone in men. Over the years, Bruce has had a dozen articles published, mostly dealing with men’s health and testosterone topics. In addition, he was a contributor to Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 22nd Edition, and is the co-author of the chapter on Nutrition in the book Aging Men’s Health. Bruce retired from PCCA in December 2021 but continues to provide compounding education.

INDUSTRY UPDATE: USP 795 & Quality Nonsterile Compounds Webinar

2022-09-27T15:25:52-05:00September 13th, 2022|Categories: Pharmacist Training, Pharmacy Technician, USP 795|Tags: , |

USP has proposed revisions to chapter <795> which creates minimum standards for compounding of nonsterile dosage forms for both human and animal patients. Attendees will learn about the changes from the current version of USP <795>, highlight key themes in the proposed changes, and prepare themselves to meet or exceed these new standards. In addition, attendees will learn how some the concepts coincide with the FDA’s Insanitary Conditions Guidance document and the role this currently plays in pharmacy practice.

Tuesday, October 11, 2022
12 Noon Eastern / 11:00 am Central / 10:00 am Mountain / 9:00 am Pacific

ACA & ACVP Members: FREE
Non-Members: $20

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define the changes in the proposed USP <795> compared to the current USP <795>
  2. Illustrate the role that personnel and appropriate facilities play in limiting potential contamination of nonsterile compounds.
  3. Analyze the key themes of the proposed USP <795> and how they coincide with the FDA’s Insanitary Conditions Guidance
  4. Plan to implement any changes needed for compliance and quality of nonsterile compounds.

This webinar does not offer CE.

Register below. After you register, you will be directed to Zoom to complete your sign up and receive your Zoom webinar links via email.

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USP795 Webinar Oct 2022

Matt Martin, PharmD, BCSCP, joined the PCCA Clinical Services team in September 2014 and now serves as Director of Clinical Services. He graduated from Morehead State University with a BS in Chemistry in 2002 and received his PharmD from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy in 2006. In 2020, Matt became board certified in Compounded Sterile Preparations through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. Prior to joining the PCCA team, Matt worked in compounding pharmacy for more than eight years and has experience with both sterile and non-sterile preparations.

ACA student intern who immigrated to U.S. rises from humble upbringing

2021-09-23T09:20:22-05:00September 3rd, 2021|Categories: Cultural Diversity, Pharmacist Training, Uncategorized|

Full Circle: Inadequate Health Care Maps A Return to My Homeland

A little about the country where I was born before migrating to the United States. I was born in Accra, which is the capital city of Ghana. Although I came to the U.S. at a young age, I can recall several things I learned from my early school days and family.

Ghana, located in the western part of Africa, was the first place the sub-Saharan trade occurred. It was where Europeans arrived to trade – first in gold and later in slaves. Ghana was formerly called Gold Coast. It was also the first Black, African nation in the region to achieve its independence from the British in 1957. Ghana is a multilingual country constituted of about 80 languages or more spoken by the local people.

“The lack of clinic accessibility that I witnessed during my younger years living in Ghana ignited a burning desire to do something about these issues when I started my journey in the medical field.”

But English, which was from the Colonial period, became the official language. And of the languages indigenous to Ghana, Akan (Ashanti) is the most widely spoken. Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer behind Ivory Coast and Africa’s biggest gold miner after South Africa. Also, Ghana has become one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies and has made major progress in the attainment and consolidation of growth.   

Significant progress has been made in poverty reduction. Ghana is the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa, to achieve the Millennium Development Goal-1, which is the target of halving extreme poverty. Ghana has recently become a middle-income country. The discovery of offshore oil reserves was announced in June 2007, encouraging a crucial economic increase.

Some of the challenges Ghana faces that I can recall or are still going on in the country is their healthcare system ineffectiveness, combating malaria, and healthcare disparities between the wealthy and the poor. Malaria remains a public health concern as it is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana.

There are rural‐urban disparities in health care services that contribute to poor healthcare outcomes. Poor people are prone to die immediately after contracting an illness due to a lack of healthcare access and money.

The challenges that Ghanaians face daily in the country were one of the reasons why I joined the healthcare field to become a pharmacist. The knowledge that I plan to acquire from practicing as a future pharmacist would enable me to help devote myself to fighting against malaria, healthcare disparities, and the lack of healthcare access in Ghana.

Although I have not been back to Ghana since I came to the United States, I have been following what is going on in Ghana through the news, family members, and social media. That way, I am current with things going on in the country.

During my few years in Ghana, I remember when I was a child, I was always sick due to malaria. But since there wasn’t any clinic in proximity from our house, my parents had to drive about an hour and a half to another town where the only clinic available in that region was.

Most times, we would spend the entire day or hours before been seen by a physician. And other times, the clinic would be so packed and busy that we had no choice but to go home without been attended to by a nurse or a physician.

Usually, when this happens which was very frequent, my family would return me back home only to be treated with herbal medications made by family members.

The lack of clinic accessibility that I witnessed during my younger years living in Ghana ignited a burning desire to do something about these issues when I started my journey in the medical field. After completing my pharmacy education, I would like to go back to Ghana and contribute to improving the healthcare system.

I plan to establish mini-clinics all across the regions in the country, especially in areas where the majority of the citizens are unable to afford to go to the clinic when sick. I also plan on working with the department of health in Ghana to push and establish legislations which would improve the distribution of medications and other essential health items which may help reduce the overall well-being of individuals.

It has always been a dream of mine to improve the healthcare system not only in Ghana, but other parts in Africa where my services and dedication are warranted.

Emmanuel Duah, a P4 student pharmacist at Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy in Virginia, is the associate rotation management intern in September at ACA.

My Game Plan: Where Drugs Intersect in an Athlete’s Recovery

Before applying to pharmacy school, I was uncertain about what I wanted to contribute to the healthcare field. But I had a passion for sports and wanted to work in that area in the future.

Therefore, I decided to volunteer at a physical therapy sports and rehabilitation clinic. While there, I was able to gain some knowledge on how

Emmanuel Duah is the ACA associate rotation management intern during September.

therapists manage and treat an array of muscle and joint pains in patients, especially amongst athletes.

I also volunteered and shadowed some medical doctors working at the emergency department at a hospital. While there, I was able to experience the working environment and expectations as a physician.

These experiences were keys to shaping my future. They directed my attention to medication use in patients. I became fascinated by how these drugs exert their mechanisms of action in the body to make people feel better.

With this ambition in mind, I decided to enroll in school. After getting accepted at a local college, I decided to take prerequisite core science classes such as organic chemistry, physics, biology at a community college while obtaining an associate degree in exercise science. I continued my education at Salisbury University where I was able to also obtain a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a minor in health.

I started a dual pharmacy program in 2018 with the possibility of achieving a doctorate degree and a master’s degree in pharmacogenomics, though I did not know what to expect since I had little to no exposure to the field, I was very excited about the opportunity at hand. Although I had little knowledge going into pharmacy, the journey of the pharmacy program was fascinating yet tedious, with sleepless nights, failing exams, questioning myself if I’ve made the right decision of becoming a pharmacist.

But looking back as I am in my final year of pharmacy, I can attest that it was a great experience. But most importantly, achieving the goal of knowing how medications prescribed to patients work.

After I graduate from pharmacy school, I would like to continue my education by completing a residency and specialize in ambulatory care pharmacy practice where I would be able to work directly with patients in outpatient settings. My ultimate goal is to have my own independent pharmacy clinic gearing toward athletes, chronic disease management and patients who are not able to exercise without the presence of healthcare personnel.

Athletics provided outlet, then career goals for pharmacy student

ACA student intern who immigrated to U.S. rises from humble upbringing

Emmanuel Duah moved to the U.S. from Ghana at 10-years old.

A fourth-year pharmacy student at Shenandoah University, my route into the field of studying pharmacy undertook a winding, unconventional route from … soccer fields. Originally from Ghana, West Africa, I moved to the U.S. at a young age and acclimated to my new country in the projects of Riverdale, Maryland.

Growing up in a single-parent household was very hard, and particularly so for the fact that my mom confronted having to navigate a foreign land, gaining employment and providing enough food for the household. Such challenges made it uncommon for my family to remain settled in any one apartment for very long, prompting moving from place to place a routine.

In this environment, I often interacted with people involved in gangs and selling drugs on the streets. But through my faith in God and my mother’s devoted prayers, I circumvented these surrounding trappings by focusing on and enjoying athletics during by teenage years.

Through sports, I discovered a safe haven from what was happening around me. In high school I was ranked as one of the best soccer players in the entire DMV area (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) and was offered a couple of scholarships to attend college.

The pursuit of playing professional soccer, in circumspect, was the lone vehicle I believed could help me potentially assist my mother financially. My interest pivoted to the medical field, though, when my hopes and dreams of becoming a pro athlete closed. With a dim prospect of securing a “good job” as high school ended, I chose to focus harder on education so I would be able one day apply this knowledge toward my first love, athletics.

Emmanuel Duah, a former high school soccer standout, plans to apply his pharmacy education towards sports medicine.

Although there isn’t a discipline in pharmacy dedicated specifically to athletes or sports, I am hoping to discover, improve and perhaps innovate on this area as a future pharmacist. Athletes, often prone to injuries, are generally prescribed medications such as narcotics to ease their pain during recovery, and this application can be better studied and refined.

My goal to become a future pharmacist is to work with injured athletes and to prevent unintended side effects, drug abuse, drug-drug interactions, sub-therapeutic, and prevent the progression of their ailment. Instead, I want to help them return to competing not just quickly, but appropriately and safely.

By the time I graduate from pharmacy school I will have earned four higher educational degrees. I will be proud of this accomplishment and am looking forward to a point in my future career where my training and passion for sports converge.

As I reflect upon landing solo at Logan International Airport in Boston as a child and then adjusting to culture on a different continent, I see how the long journey with many trials and tribulations helped toughen me. To reach my fullest professional potential, I will continue to rely on prayers, academic discipline, and perseverance from not taking no for an answer, as well as a drive to constantly prove myself.

Emmanuel Duah, a P4 student pharmacist at Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy in Virginia, is the associate rotation management intern in September at ACA.

ACHC and American College of Apothecaries Promote Safety and Quality

2020-02-13T14:35:22-06:00February 13th, 2020|Categories: Administration/Management, News Release, Pharmacist Training|

Cary, NC – Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) announces the renewal of its partnership with American College of Apothecaries (ACA), an organization dedicated to advancing the entrepreneurial spirit of member pharmacists through education, innovation, mentoring, fellowship, and training.

“Both ACHC and ACA are committed to advancing safe practices and quality through education and collaboration,” said Jon Pritchett, ACHC Program Director. “ACA’s role in the original establishment of PCAB points to the visionary leadership for which they are recognized in serving their members and the industry as a whole. The renewed partnership between ACHC and ACA represents an ongoing expression of our organizations’ shared values.”

This partnership agreement also allows ACA members and Fellows to receive special pricing on ACHC’s Pharmacy Accreditation services, including services provided by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB), and discounts on ACHCU educational resources that can help prepare ACA member pharmacies for accreditation.

“ACA’s partnership with ACHC underscores our organizations’ commitment to quality and best practices in pharmacy,” said Susan Bartlemay, RPh, FACA, FACVP, FAPhA, Executive Vice President, American College of Apothecaries.

“We are thrilled to announce that ACHC is now offering a $500 discount on accreditation services to our members. We encourage our members to continually strive to deliver the highest standards of health care as demonstrated by the ACHC programs and support them in their efforts.”

ACHC offers a broad suite of pharmacy accreditation solutions, including accreditation for Community Retail, Specialty, Sterile/Non-Sterile Compounding (PCAB), Mail Order, Infusion, and Long-Term Care services. Companies seeking to distinguish themselves within the pharmacy market also can obtain distinctions in Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs, Oncology, Infectious Disease Specific to HIV, Nutrition Support, and Hazardous Drug Handling.

ACHC PCAB Accreditation offers programs for non-sterile (ref. USP <795>) and sterile (ref. USP <797>) compounding services. PCAB assesses the compounding process based on a specific set of standards that concentrate on the quality and consistency of compounded medications while incorporating performance improvement and ongoing compliance requirements.

ACHC is known for providing value, integrity, and the industry’s best customer service, and  is dedicated to helping providers address challenges as demand for healthcare services continues to grow.

ACHC’s flexible, educational approach makes it the provider’s choice for accreditation. ACHC assists providers throughout the accreditation process by offering access to personal account advisors, clinical and regulatory support, and program-specific educational resources. With no annual fees, ACHC offers cost-effective, competitive pricing to help providers achieve their accreditation goals.

For more information on ACHC Accreditation programs and services, or to download ACHC Accreditation Standards, visit www.achc.org, email customerservice@achc.org, or call (855) 937-2242.

For 80 years, the American College of Apothecaries (www.acainfo.org) has been dedicated to the advancement of professional practice in independent community pharmacy through education, entrepreneurship, and mentoring. The Fellows and members of ACA are committed to best practices in pharmacy and quality healthcare for their communities.

ACA offers a way for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, marketers, and students to connect with other pharmacy professionals to discuss areas of mutual interest and strengthen individual practice. This effort is supported through webinars, on-demand continuing education (CE), compounding classes, conferences and other events. ACA’s educational programming is available to all pharmacy professions, including non-members.

For more information on the American College of Apothecaries, visit www.acainfo.org.org, email info@acainfo.org, or call (901)383-8119.

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