Dear VPA Members,

I have been honored to serve as VPA President this past year, and I hope that this message serves to let you know what VPA has accomplished this year and how we plan to stay connected to you in 2022. Most importantly, I want to thank you for being a part of the Vermont Pharmacists Association and am looking forward to your continued engagement as a member in 2022. Take a moment to check out all the great VPA membership benefits listed at the end of this letter and easily renew today at vtpharmacists.com. 

Firstly, VPA is run by pharmacist volunteers, and I want to thank our board and committee members that give their time. They serve as advisors, planners, advocates, event attendees and coordinators, and all work as pharmacists for their full time jobs! This year we were honored to present our own VPA Treasurer, Caroline Kirkpatrick, with the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award, honoring her dedication to patient care as an emergency room pharmacist and interim department director at Springfield Hospital. Read more HERE! I mention her story because talking to Caroline and other pharmacists this year on the frontlines in their community has reminded me why we all became pharmacists - to help people and be there for our patients in both big and little ways. 

This year we started a “Every Pharmacist Has a Story” campaign to hear more of these stories, and I encourage you to submit one HERE. VPA serves not only to assist with progress in the profession but to preserve our history. In this wavelength, we have worked hard this year to increase pharmacists’ voices in the media, submitting commentary and making the time to be interviewed for local news stations, such as a recent story this month on COVID-19 tests. This is a priority for 2022, and we plan to continue radio, written news, and television appearances to increase community support and awareness. We want others to know how pharmacists are fighting for our patients regarding drug access and education as well as fighting for our own livelihoods regarding workplace conditions and drug pricing. This is an important step in promoting change.

Lastly, we want to encourage you to “stay in touch”. Please reach out by email to amyyanicak@gmail.com or to vpamanager@gmail.com. Send a message on our Facebook or Instagram, and visit our website. This helps us to know what is happening when we testify regarding a new bill in VT or give input at Board of Pharmacy meetings. We hope our monthly newsletter also keeps you in the loop! We were excited to start a VPA book club, host a virtual social event and spring meeting, and move into more in-person activities in 2021, for a total of 10 events. We were overjoyed to see 50 of you at a successful Fall Meeting at the Delta Hotel in Burlington and CAN’T WAIT for the Spring Meeting on March 13th at the Mountain Top Inn in Rutland, VT. This is an opportunity for us to recharge and find support in one another. Visit our event page right now to sign up for this event as well as our online Legislative Day on Sunday, February 27th that is free for all members. We need your presence at these events to amplify our pharmacist voices and pave the way for our profession in Vermont. In return, we will continue to rally for you and speak out for you. 

I cannot wait to see more of you this coming year. 

Your VPA President,

Amy Yanicak, PharmD, MPH, CDCES, BCACP

amyyanicak@gmail.com

The Mission of the Vermont Pharmacists Association is to support, promote, and advance the work of the profession of pharmacy to serve the health of the entire Vermont community.

"Although one pharmacist can't possibly have contact with the entire community, the community of pharmacists is what makes the difference!" - Victoria Rathwell, ACPHS ‘24

Membership benefits for pharmacists, technicians, and students include:

• Professional and experienced lobbying efforts by Otis & Kennedy, LLC in Montpelier to amplify our voice in the capitol – VPA is the only representative organization for all pharmacists in the state with an active presence on the Hill! If you want something said, we can help you say it. 

• Opportunities for leadership and professional development

• Discounted rates for pharmacists that have graduated in the previous five years or retired

• Discounts on live didactic CE semiannually plus virtual CE activities throughout the year

• Networking socials to connect with peers across the state

• e-Blasts sent out with important news (like information from the Board of Pharmacy!)

• Social media connections with news and event information

• Eligibility for awards and recognition from VPA

Membership in VPA is renewable at the beginning of every year and can be paid by a yearly or monthly payment plan.

Join online today at https://vtpharmacists.com/join-us. Thank you for your membership and participation. Your membership is what will support and move pharmacy forward in Vermont!