Washington, D.C. – The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) is proud to announce the recipients of the seventh annual BPS Seed Grants as Wesley D. Kufel, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, AAHIVP; and Rebecca Moote, PharmD, MSc, BCPS, FNAP. The BPS Research Seed Grant program offers up to two $5,000 USD grants to any pharmacist or investigator conducting a project examining the impact and value of pharmacist board certification. The investigators will submit a final report to BPS in December 2026.
“The research projects funded by the BPS Research Seed Grant represent an essential step toward deepening our understanding of the impact board certification has on pharmacy practice and patient care. By supporting these innovative projects, BPS reaffirms its commitment to advancing the profession through evidence-based research and ensuring that board certification continues to bring tangible value to pharmacists, healthcare teams, and patients alike,” said Gary C. Yee, PharmD, FCCP, BPS Board of Directors Chair Elect.
Wesley D. Kufel, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, AAHIVP is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Binghamton, NY. He is also a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Infectious Diseases at SUNY Upstate University Hospital, where he provides clinical services for the antimicrobial stewardship program and the infectious diseases consultation teams. He is the Residency Program Coordinator for the PGY2 Infectious Diseases Residency Program. He holds a Clinical Associate Professor appointment in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Kufel will collaborate with Sarah A. Spinler, PharmD, FCCP, FASHP, FAHA, AACC; Jacob C. Govel, PharmD Candidate Class of 2025; and Bruce E. Blaine, PhD to conduct a project titled, “Board Certification Exposure and Awareness Among United States Doctor of Pharmacy Programs.”
The proposal submitted by Dr. Kufel stated, “The results of this research will benchmark the current state of U.S. PharmD program involvement in educating PharmD students about board certification and report where interventions are currently being delivered. Gaps and opportunities for increasing awareness, knowledge and opportunities that board certification brings to graduating students and practice advancement may help increase the number of early career pharmacists who seek board certification.”
Rebecca Moote, PharmD, MSc, BCPS, FNAP is a Clinical Professor and Assistant Division Head for the Pharmacotherapy & Translational Sciences Division at the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. She also holds an appointment with the University of Texas Health Science Center Longs School of Medicine as Adjoint Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Moote maintains an active practice as a board-certified pharmacist at University Hospital. Dr. Moote will collaborate with John M. Cunningham, MD, FACP, FHM; and Joseph A. Zorek, PharmD, BCGP, FNAP to conduct a project titled, “Exploring the Impact of Interprofessional Recognition and Value of Pharmacy Board Certification on Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Internal Medicine at a Large Academic Medical Center.”
The proposal submitted by Dr. Moote stated, “The central hypothesis of this study is that increased recognition of the contribution and expertise of board-certified internal medicine pharmacists to interprofessional collaborative care will expand pharmacists’ role on interprofessional teams with the goal of improving patient outcomes. Improving clinical understanding of pharmacists’ training and expertise may improve adherence to evidence-based practices such as antimicrobial stewardship and guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure. The objective of the study is to advance collaborative care by identifying barriers and opportunities to explore perceptions on the expertise and role of board-certified pharmacists within interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP).”
“BPS enthusiastically congratulates Dr. Kufel and Dr. Moote and looks forward to supporting these research teams as their work progresses,” said Ellie LaNou, PharmD, BCPS, BPS Director of Professional Affairs.
More information about previous awardees and BPS Seed Grants can be found here.
About the Board of Pharmacy Specialties
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) was established in 1976 as an autonomous division of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). The mission of BPS is to improve patient care by positioning BPS Board-Certified Pharmacist Specialists as integral members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams, through recognition and promotion of specialized training, knowledge, and skills for pharmacists in the United States and internationally. Board certification is a recognized credential for determining which pharmacists are qualified to contribute at advanced practice levels given the rigorous standards mandated by BPS board certification and recertification. BPS has currently issued more than 60,900 certifications held by pharmacists across 15 specialties.
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