Recognizing Board-Certified Pharmacists and the Organizations that Support Them with Two New Awards
by Ruth E. Nemire, PharmD, EdD, FCCP, FNAP, CRQM
Chair, BPS Board of Directors
It is hard to believe June 2023 is here already. My year as chair of the BPS Board of Directors is at the halfway point. My fellow board members have been working hard for the profession and for the growing responsibilities of a BPS Board Certified Pharmacist. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, BPS Board Members serve on committees within BPS, such as the Research Committee, Brand and Marketing Taskforce, Employer Advisory Council, Awards Committee, and more. I would like to acknowledge the Awards Committee for their work in bringing new awards to the organization in order to recognize board-certified pharmacists and exemplary organizations that advocate for board certification.
One of the first BPS Awards was the Weaver Penna Award, which was established in 2017 as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of BPS. The award is named for Warren E. Weaver and Richard P. Penna, two individuals significant to the beginnings of BPS. The award originally recognized an individual with outstanding contributions and support of BPS certification. As time went on, leadership from organizations began to submit a nomination for the award to recognize their broader teams of board-certified pharmacists. The Weaver Penna award requirements were subsequently updated to acknowledge an organization and an individual beginning in 2019. Like the trendsetting namesakes of the BPS Weaver Penna Award, the awards evolution was far from finished.
In 2022, the BPS Board began strategic planning and asked for input from board-certified pharmacists regarding the value of being recognized as a specialist. We heard the request for more recognition from BPS beyond simply awarding certification. From that request, the BPS Brand and Marketing Taskforce developed the BPS Ambassador Program, which is in its third year. The ambassadors are given a platform to share their individual, unique BPS Board Certification story and explain the value board certification brings to their career.
In addition to the creation of the BPS Ambassador Program, the Weaver Penna Award and stories told within nominations for the award were reviewed. As a result, the Awards Committee recommended the BPS Board of Directors expand the portfolio of BPS awards to better recognize our growing community of board-certified pharmacists. I’m pleased to announce updates to BPS awards, all of which will begin accepting nominations in July 2023.
The Beacon Award, new in 2023, recognizes national and local organizations for their outstanding support of pharmacist board certification. Organizations may be nominated or may self-nominate for the award. Two awards will be given annually, one for a national organization and one for a local organization.
The Rising Star Award, new in 2023, recognizes the commitment of an early career board-certified pharmacist who is contributing to the profession and supporting pharmacist certification. An individual may be nominated for this award by others.
The Weaver Penna Award, updated in 2023, reverts to its original aim of awarding an individual making outstanding voluntary contributions to the advancement of BPS Board Certification. An individual may be nominated for this award by others.
I hope the expansion of these recognitions indicates how valued you, board certified pharmacists, are – both by the profession and by the leadership of BPS. Your daily work makes a difference in the lives of individuals around the globe. Please take a moment to review the eligibility criteria and nominate a colleague or encourage colleagues to apply when nominations open in July.