Pharmacy ASHP-SSHP Chapter Honored with Award for Professionalism
| The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) recently recognized the UAMS College of Pharmacy’s Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP) chapter with an Outstanding Professional Development Award for the 2023-2024 academic year.
The UAMS chapter was one of only 20 chapters nationwide to receive the honor.
“I am so proud of our SSHP chapter and their outstanding commitment to student professional development,” said Ashok Philip, Ph.D., associate dean for student services. “National recognition does not come easy, and pharmacy is a highly competitive field. Our students rank among the best because of their hard work and dedication to improving themselves and others.”
The award recognizes exceptional professional development projects that SSHP chapters conduct as part of the ASHP-SSHP recognition program. Recognition acknowledges that student organizations provide opportunities to learn about and prepare for careers in health-system pharmacy, in line with ASHP goals. Recognition for UAMS also strengthens relationships with the national ASHP and the Arkansas Association of Health-System Pharmacists, its state affiliate. The content, creativity, impact and overall impression of the school’s project were all elements considered when reviewing submissions for the award.
This year, the college’s professional development project was organized to support ASHP’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative. Led by Class of 2025 student Chelsea Flowers, the group invited Eleanor Gilmore-Szott, Ph.D., a bioethicist and associate professor at the University of Utah, to speak about resource allocation, implicit bias and the pharmacist code of ethics. Students worked through several case studies and thought experiments and defended their decisions using the pharmacist code of ethics, principles of bioethics and moral deliberation.
“I am very proud of Chelsea and her leadership for the local professionalism project for SSHP,” said Lindsey Dayer, Pharm.D., the group’s faculty advisor. “It’s a huge deal to be one of 20 schools recognized for this award. It takes a lot of work to plan and organize a successful and meaningful project. Chelsea devoted a ton of her time and it showed.”
ASHP represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in hospital and outpatient clinical care settings. The organization’s nearly 55,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Society fellows also have contributed to the body of knowledge of pharmacy practice in clinical settings, been involved in educating practitioners and been active in society membership and leadership.