CSHP Seminar Provides Networking and Continuing Education Opportunities for KGI Pharmacists

Students in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program at the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (SPHS) will have the opportunity to engage with pharmacy leaders at the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) Seminar in Anaheim this week.

The event, which will be held at the Disneyland Hotel, starts on Thursday, Oct. 17 and continues through Saturday, Oct. 20. KGI will host a unique reception on Friday from 6-8 p.m. in the Mark Twain Room of the Frontier Tower.

“At the reception, there will be themed tables and opportunities for students to meet and chat with alumni and preceptors,” says Daniel Kudo, SPHS adjunct associate professor and a member of the CSHP Seminar Planning Committee. “SPHS Dean Martin Zdanowicz will be on hand to welcome the attendees and help host this unique gathering.”

For students and pharmacists alike, membership and active participation in a pharmacy organization is essential. While CSHP is one of many organizations that provide continuing education, a critical component of CSHP’s role is to carefully watch and help to draft legislation that proactively ensures that pharmacy’s scope of practice is not adversely affected.

From a student’s perspective, Mitchell Timbol, PharmD ’21, says: “CSHP Seminar is important to me because it provides me opportunities to develop myself, advocate for our profession, and connect with others who share a mutual interest to innovate and advance patient care.”

“As a student leader for my CSHP chapter, it has allowed me to use my experiences, professional network, reach out to local associations, and share these resources with our student members as they reach their professional goals.”

Having attended the CSHP Seminar the past two years, Timbol’s top highlight is the Residency Showcase. The showcase is an opportunity for students and prospective applicants to approach residency programs to learn more about what makes the programs unique and how to prepare for post-graduate training.

“Another highlight is the annual quiz bowl,” Timbol says. “It is exciting to see students from all across California compete for first place in a team-based jeopardy competition. I cannot wait to see how we do this year!”

In addition to the Residency Showcase and the annual quiz bowl, KGI students will participate in the clinical skills competition. Last year, KGI’s student team of Keith Suehiro and Russle Benson advanced to the presentation finals.

In talking about the networking opportunities, Kudo also elaborated on how CSHP has created opportunities for him to develop leadership skills.

“From my participation as President of the San Gabriel Society of Health-System Pharmacists, to my four years on the CSHP Board of Directors,” Kudo says, “CSHP has provided me the opportunity to engage with the pharmacy leaders in California and to help ensure that the profession grows in a positive way.”

To view the complete schedule, go to cshp.org.

Six KGI faculty members are speaking and their presentations are listed below:

Updates in the Treatment of Dyslipidemia

Speaker: Rebecca J. Tran, PharmD, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, BCACP, BCCP, CLS
Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences, KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

October 18, 2019, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

This presentation will discuss the most recent 2018 ACC/AHA multisociety guideline on the management of cholesterol and its impact on the roles of non-statin lipid-lowering medications (e.g. ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, and bile acid sequestrants). The 2018 guideline will help pharmacists to assess primary prevention patients using new risk-enhancing factors and assessment tools.

Opioid Use Disorder: Pharmacotherapy and the Expanding Roles of Pharmacists

Co-speaker: Talia Puzantian, PharmD, BCPP
Professor of Clinical Sciences, KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

October 18, 2019, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains a significant problem affecting roughly 2 million Americans (350,000 Californians). Individuals with OUD experience stigma and inadequate access to treatment. Pharmacists are highly trained, accessible, and trusted health care providers. Increasing pharmacists’ knowledge and competency in the management of OUD and increasing awareness of their potential roles can help to expand access to treatment and mitigate the opioid crisis. This session will provide the necessary information for pharmacists to actively and optimally engage in the medication management of patients with opioid use disorder.

2019 Pharmacy Law Update: Part I

Co-Speaker: Robert Stein, PharmD, JD
Professor of Practice in Pharmacy Law & Ethics and Healthcare Information Technology, KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

October 18, 2019, 3:15-4:15 p.m.

This is a two-part update on the new state and federal statutes and regulations affecting the practice of pharmacy in 2019, and a brief look forward at some of the new laws going into effect in 2020.

Teaching Pharmacy Informatics in Pharmacy School

Speaker: Armen Simonian, PharmD, FASHP, FCSHP
Assistant Dean and Chair of Clinical and Administrative Sciences and Associate Professor, KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

October 18, 2019, 3:15-4:15 p.m.

Education of our future pharmacists on the appropriate use of information technology and automation is essential for optimal use of these tools to provide safer and more effective medication therapy. The majority of pharmacy schools across the nation do not require pharmacy informatics courses. This session will address the importance of pharmacy informatics education in pharmacy schools.

Sepsis and Septic Shock Treatment Updates

Speaker: Kerry Anne Rambaran, PharmD, BCPS
Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences, KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

October 19, 2019, 9:15-10:15 a.m.

This presentation will provide pharmacists with updates to the treatment of sepsis and septic shock. We will also evaluate the literature for discussion on lactate guided resuscitation and early fixed dose norepinephrine in septic shock.

The Year in Review: An Update of Healthcare System Cost and Reimbursement Issues

Speaker: Gregory Reardon, RPh, MS, PhD
Associate Professor of Administrative Sciences, KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

October 19, 2019, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

This presentation offers a broad-ranging, rapid review of recent and emerging cost and payment issues that affect the operation of healthcare systems and

2019 Pharmacy Law Update: Part II

Co-Speaker: Robert Stein, PharmD, JD
Professor of Practice in Pharmacy Law & Ethics and Healthcare Information Technology, KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

October 19, 2019, 3:45-4:45 p.m.

This is a two-part update on the new state and federal statutes and regulations affecting the practice of pharmacy in 2019, and a brief look forward at some of the new laws going into effect in 2020.