Recently, I received the following letter from Kelley Ratermann, a student pharmacist at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy who spent the summer working with us as the 2011 Carl F. Emswiller Summer Intern. I have a feeling that she, and the other incredible interns and residents we see each year, are destined for greatness.

Anyway, I enjoyed reading her observations, which are sprinkled with wisdom and humor. I hope you enjoy her letter, too.

Dear Tom,

After spending some time reflecting, I can say with certainty that the Carl F. Emswiller Summer Internship in Association Management has been one of the greatest blessings in my life thus far. There are countless tangible reasons that have made my time in DC remarkable—both personally and professionally—but there are also many indescribable feelings that have made this a summer to remember. I will try my best to express that which I can, and where plain words cannot fully capture my experiences, I will simply have my memories to suffice.

I want to start with the things I know for certain after spending 10 short weeks at APhA headquarters.

Staff

• APhA staff are a unique group; every person I met greeted me with a smile and was genuinely interested in learning more about who I am
• The family-friendly atmosphere at work made APhA a very pleasant place to be every day
• If you are willing to learn, the professionals at APhA are more than willing to teach
• The value of each publication and resource that APhA provides for its members, as well as the different writing styles and amount of planning involved by dedicated APhA staff

Students

• The optimism and motivation of APhA–ASP student leaders are contagious and the future of the profession looks bright
• The Student Development staff work hard every day to ensure that student pharmacists have the tools available to mold themselves into the best possible future practitioners and leaders
• The student representation in APhA’s House of Delegates and on the Board of Trustees is extremely unique, meaningful, gratifying, and unmatched in the profession

Association/Operations

• The view from the Potomac Terrace at APhA headquarters is breathtaking
• Hill visits are an adrenaline rush and everyone should try it—if not for the betterment of our profession, then for your own personal experience
• Although working in association management did not provide direct patient interaction, the work being done here on the front end translates to direct patient care on the back end through the education and professional development resources we provide our members
• It takes time to learn the workflow of the office and it is important to be able to adapt quickly
• The history of this Association and building is something to be proud of
• The security guards are very helpful and nonjudgmental when your badge doesn’t work for weeks on end
• Whoever makes the coffee in the kitchen each morning is a saint

Future plans/Lessons learned

• I will be doing a residency of some kind upon graduation
• Being a leader for pharmacy involves so much more than what meets the eye
• The importance of networking cannot be expressed in words
• Attention to detail is imperative no matter how big or small the task may be
• I will be a member of APhA for life

Other

• Every person has a story to share and is unique in how they got to where they are today
• Do not be afraid to ask questions because some of the best opportunities arise out of simple curiosity
• Interprofessional collaboration on issues such as MTM [medication therapy management], HIT [health information technology], prescription drug monitoring, public/media relations and much, much more is essential for the progression of the profession
• It takes many experts and professionals besides pharmacists to successfully run an association
• The lobster food truck lived up to the hype

Some things that I am still unsure of …

• Where my career path will lead
• How my experiences here will influence choices I make in the future
• The impact of the pharmacy advocacy APhA is doing today and how it will shape the practice of pharmacy tomorrow
• The best way for our profession to continue to embrace technology and make the transition from an emphasis on dispensary services to more clinical services and patient interaction
• How to get more practitioners to push the envelope and be innovators/agents of change for pharmacy practice, as Carl Emswiller and Gene White were during their careers
• What pharmacy will look like 50 years from now, in 2061 (I will be 74!)
• If I will ever be half as good as Hazel Pipkin

Thank you to everyone who has helped to guide me along the way. No matter how big or small our interaction may have been, I am forever grateful and will always look back on my time here at APhA and smile. The work you do here affects pharmacists, student pharmacists, and so many other health care professionals in a positive way. Ultimately, what you do serves to better the quality of patient care across the nation. For that, I take my hat off to each of you, and ask that you please continue the great work you do in the name of pharmacy.

Pharmaceutically yours,

Kelley L. Ratermann
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
PharmD candidate 2013