Maximizing your potential to promote the Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative as a student

The practice of pharmacy is evolving rapidly. The engagement of student pharmacists is vital in achieving professional advancements. The Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative (PPMI) is a valuable opportunity for pharmacy students to shape their careers and support the expansion of pharmacists’ role in patient care. The PPMI was initiated in 2010 by ASHP and the ASHP Research and Education Foundation. It is a profession-led initiative that “aspires to transform how pharmacists care for patients by empowering the pharmacy team to take responsibility for medication- use outcomes.”1 The PPMI seeks to advance the health and well-being of patients by establishing five pillars: (1) care team integration, (2) leveraging of pharmacy technicians, (3) pharmacist credentialing and training, (4) technology, and (5) leadership in medication use. The movement is an essential component of efforts to transform how pharmacists care for patients and is a first step in optimizing the use of pharmacists’ knowledge, improving patient outcomes, and developing more cost-effective care. The PPMI provides an opportunity for pharmacy students to forge their futures as pharmacists and to advocate for an expanded role for pharmacists as direct patient care providers.