National Community Pharmacists Association
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) is a national professional organization founded in 1898 to represent the professional and proprietary interests of independent community retail pharmacist entrepreneurs and employees. NCPA represents the interests and concerns of owners, managers, and employees of nearly 35,000 independent pharmacies in the United States before local, state, and federal government agencies. NCPA provides its members with a vast array of services, including technical assistance in conducting a profitable business, provision of up-to-date information on legislative developments and issues that have potential for impact on pharmacy practice, educational and certification programs to enhance the scope of practice for pharmacists, and an opportunity to network with other pharmacy colleagues.
The NCPA Student Chapter at the University of Kansas was established in January of 1998. The purpose of the chapter is to provide a forum whereby pharmacy students can learn about the many challenging and fulfilling career opportunities in independent pharmacy practice. Recruitment of new members occurs year round with an emphasis on recruitment at the beginning of each academic year. The KU-NCPA Chapter has matured rapidly in its short existence and has been named the National Chapter of the Year on four separate occasions. Chapter members are eligible for a number of scholarships and loans through their membership and activity in the chapter.
Chapter activities include field trips to pharmacy practice sites of innovative, independent pharmacist practitioners in Kansas; guest presentations by Kansas pharmacist practitioners; student attendance at the annual meeting of NCPA; educational programming with a focus on skills that are particularly important in community retail pharmacy practice; community service projects in the Lawrence community; and, the opportunity to meet and interact with independent community pharmacist practitioners in the state of Kansas and elsewhere.
For additional information please contact NCPA's student chapter president Savanna Anschutz at sanschutz@ku.edu.
