Just Imagine: You Come in a New Practitioner…You Leave an Association Executive.

That’s the basic idea behind the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ coveted Executive Residency training program. We’ve devoted enormous resources to developing association executive apprentices with business acumen, management know-how and leadership ability.

When we started the program in 1968, we decided right off the bat that it would offer the resident access to information, people, and events that aren’t available to most people. Why? Because we are deeply committed to grooming healthcare’s most promising to be tomorrow’s association innovators. And what better way to do that than to have the opportunity to work side by side with the profession’s thought leaders?

You’ll be privy to some of the best thinking in the business not just from the inventive staff at headquarters, but also from the “movers and shakers” out in the field. Our Residents attend special meetings of ASHP governing bodies including councils; commissions; special task forces; and the Board of Directors.

Your participation in ASHP’s Executive Residency is also an effective way to build and nurture relationships with pharmacy’s best.

5 Major Advantages of the ASHP Executive Residency

• Jumpstart your association career with a solid year of intense, hands-on training from the organization’s top executives
• Get an inside perspective into the mechanics of administering an association: budgets, procedures, consensus-building, teamwork
• Surround yourself with — and learn from — pharmacy’s foremost thought leaders
• Make valuable contacts that will last a lifetime
• Sharpen your communication and interpersonal skills

Who are ASHP Executive Residents? That’s easy, healthcare professionals...

… who aren’t content with status quo.
… who care about their profession as much as their industry’s leaders.
… who are proactive.
… who show potential for making a difference through association management techniques.

So How Does It Work?

You’ll start off with a rotation through each division at ASHP. The orientation period gives a good snapshot of individual roles and functional areas in the organization — and allows the resident the opportunity to identify his or her own areas of interest. The remainder of the year is spent working on specific projects within select divisions under the guidance of the Residency Preceptor. Here are a few of the divisions our Residents work for:

• Membership Services: Coordinates and evaluates services to members and affiliated chapters, and serves as ASHP’s liaison to public health information programs, such as Poison Prevention Week.
• Professional Practice: Monitors clinical, scientific, and administrative issues relating to professional practice. Produces and updates professional practice standards.
• Accreditation Services: Surveys ASHP-accredited pharmacy residency programs and technician training programs. The division is growing at a tremendous pace because of increased demand for accredited residencies.
• Publications & Drug Information Databases: The group known for publishing best-selling titles like: International Pharmaceutical Abstracts®, AHFS Drug Information®, Handbook on Injectable Drugs, CliniTrend, and dozens more.
• Educational Services: Entirely responsible for planning and conducting cutting-edge educational programming for national and regional continuing education meetings, including the popular Midyear Clinical Meeting the largest international pharmacy meeting in the world.
• Government Affairs: Monitors federal and state legislative and regulatory issues related to health care. Meets with legislators on Capitol Hill to advocate pharmacy’s position on key issues.
• Administration: Responsible for meeting administration, customer service, facilities management, archives, information technology, finance and budgeting, and human resources.

Residency Facts At-A-Glance

Who? There is no formal application process. Candidates interested in association management careers should send a cover letter, resume and two letters of recommendation. One candidate is selected each year to participate in the program.

What? The candidate gets a firm grounding in the principles and practices of association management with 2,000 hours of intense, hands-on training.

When? The deadline for receipt of your resume and 2 letters of recommendation is January 15 each year. Appointments are one year in length and start in July.

Where? ASHP headquarters is just outside Washington, D.C. in charming Bethesda, Maryland. Benefits? The Resident receives an annual stipend; paid travel expenses; medical, life and disability insurance; a relocation allowance; two weeks vacation; as well as attendance at ASHP meetings.

Contact Information

Stan Lowe, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Operations
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
7272 Wisconsin Avenue,
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
Phone: (301) 664-8697
E-mail: slowe@ashp.org