NACDS Foundation, AFPE join forces to promote pharmacy education initiative

ALEXANDRIA, Va. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation and the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education today announced the creation of a new annual award to foster faculty development and innovation in community pharmacy practice.

The AFPE-NACDS Foundation Faculty Fellowship in Community Pharmacy Practice will provide a grant of $25,000, matched by the applicant’s institution, to support faculty research and study. The goal, according to the foundation, is to promote “major improvements in pharmacy practice research, curricula, faculty development, pilot programs, and other innovative programs related to the community pharmacy practice.”

The new fellowship award will enable a full-time pharmacy practice faculty member at an accredited U.S. school or college of pharmacy to pursue, over a 6-month fellowship period, a program of advanced education, training, and research in community pharmacy practice under the guidance of a qualified mentor, according to NACDS.

“With the growing demand for pharmacy services and new opportunities such as medication therapy management, it’s important to prepare pharmacy students and faculty for the future of patient care,” said NACDS Foundation president Phil Schneider. “We are proud to support this effort that will help advance the practice of community pharmacy.” 

AFPE president Robert Bachman said the new award “will strengthen pharmacy education and pharmacy colleges by providing support to select faculty members for individual research and growth in community pharmacy practice.”