The October 2018 Global Conference on Clinical Pharmacy, sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), will have special significance for UConn School of Pharmacy faculty members William Baker ’02 (Pharm.D.) and Diana Sobieraj.
Baker, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, has been elected to a three-year term as a trustee of the organization’s Research Institute. Sobieraj, an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, has been named a Fellow. This follows her receipt of ACCP’s coveted New Investigator’s Award in 2017.
For Baker, election as a Trustee is fulfilling, both personally and professionally. He says, “I find it very rewarding to get involved and develop relationships with people from around the country and around the world. Serving as a trustee provides me with an opportunity to potentially shape how our profession moves forward both locally and nationally.”
As part of their leadership responsibilities, elected Research Institute Trustees provide intellectual and scientific perspective and vision, as well as moral and financial support to ACCP’s research-related fundraising efforts.
A native of Mansfield, Conn., Baker’s interest in the profession of pharmacy began with a job fair during high school and his commitment to the profession has been unwavering ever since. He has a particular interest in cardiovascular disease and instructs fourth year pharmacy students on inpatient cardiology and clinical research outcomes. He is a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a Fellow of the American Heart Association.
For Sobieraj, her election as a Fellow of the ACCP represents another achievement in a career that has been on an upward trajectory since she earned her Pharm. D. from the University of Rhode Island in 2006. Among the reasons cited when she was selected for the Young Investigator’s award in 2017 was her focus on comparative effectiveness and health outcomes, leading to the publication of over 40 papers in peer-reviewed literature, and over $2 million in grants – at the time of the award – she had received to support her research program.
ACCP Fellowships are awarded to individuals who have made sustained contributions to the organization and who have demonstrated exceptional performance in clinical pharmacy practice and/or research. Nominees are evaluated based on service to ACCP, pharmacy practice, and research accomplishments. One of Sobieraj’s endorsements came from her UConn School of Pharmacy colleague, William Baker.
She says, “Being named a Fellow is especially important because it is a peer reviewed process. It is nice to feel the affirmation of other ACCP members and to know that they recognize that the work you are doing is meaningful.” Given that Fellows must have completed 10 years of membership in the ACCP, Sobieraj is one of the younger members to have received this designation.
The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) is the professional home for clinical pharmacy practitioners, scientists, educators, administrators, students, residents, and Fellows from more than 60 countries who are committed to excellence in clinical pharmacy.
The association’s core values include a passion for extending the frontiers of clinical pharmacy; dedication to excellence in patient care; research and education; a commitment to challenging the status quo; and acting on stated beliefs encompassing integrity, honesty, reliability, and accountability, as well as demonstrating the courage to lead.
This year’s Global Conference will take place in Seattle from October 20 to 23.
