From the President

Membership is often seen as a “vital sign” or “health status” of a professional association. A healthy organization is one with increasing membership enrollments and a strong retention rate. NCAP’s mission is to serve its members, but without members, it would become sick or even cease to exist. It isn’t merely about collecting dues and paying bills; it’s about members working together to achieve a shared vision and overcoming challenges facing our profession. It’s about members being actively engaged and invested in professional advancement strategies to close the gap between where pharmacy is today and its true potential.

Recruiting and retaining members has become more difficult over time, and the Covid-19 pandemic has made it even more difficult. Many professional organizations are reporting no growth or declining membership. This is largely driven by changes in socio-economic trends such as financial stability, demographic shifts, and changing technology.

Becoming a member of an organization is often a decision of perceived value and is largely measured by the benefits and services offered. Visit the NCAP website,ncpharmacist.org, to appreciate all NCAP has to offer. NCAP has built a library of toolkits and workshops to enhance members’ skills and knowledge. Visit our advocacy page to see recent success with the approval of bills aimed at advancing pharmacy scope of practice, patient safety and outcomes, and regulation of PBMs in our state. Students and new graduates may be facing uncertain financial situations as they transition into the workforce. NCAP offers multiple levels of membership dues starting with $10 annually for students, reduced rates for 1st and 2nd-year pharmacists, residents, and fellows, and $195 annually for full active membership. NCAP has recently launched several membership campaigns offering reduced membership rates. Be on the lookout and share them with nonmembers, so they do not miss out on this fantastic opportunity.

Appealing to a younger audience has many challenges. This generation is looking for ways to get involved that are more informal and require less time commitment. They prefer instant communication for quick decision-making. NCAP has very active Student Pharmacist and New Practitioner Forums. These groups have had a very busy and exciting year with multiple virtual activities aimed at building skills in leadership and advocacy. Students and residents have been involved in social media, toolkit and workshop development, and many other exciting activities. NCAP values its student members and has planned a student conference which will be held on October 9th and will include the residency showcase for interested students to learn about residency programs.

Rapidly changing technology has given us new methods for information delivery.

In-person gatherings and meetings can now be supplemented or replaced with virtual learning and networking platforms. Due to the pandemic, in-person gatherings were restricted. In response, NCAP has acquired a new association management system and website with better accessibility and functionality. In addition, we have a new learning management system that has enabled us to offer virtual continuing education webinars, workshops, and conferences.

Dr. Beth Mills, PharmD, CPP, BCACP, CDE