We invite you to participate in this workshop if you are a psychiatric pharmacist, with 2-10 years of practice experience post-residency or graduation, who is interested in developing the skills necessary to become an effective national speaker.
Session Summary
Join us for an engaging four-hour workshop at the AAPP Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City on April 27, 2025 (8:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST), designed to meet the growing need for qualified and diverse speakers in psychiatric pharmacy.
Prior to attending, participants will complete approximately one hour of pre-work to ensure readiness for a hands-on learning experience. Attendees will immerse themselves in an interactive learning environment, exploring essential strategies for effective public speaking. Through collaborative exercises and hands-on coaching, participants will refine their presentation skills and learn how to engage audiences. Learners will discover techniques for managing speaking anxiety and using active learning to enhance presentations, ensuring their message resonates with audiences.
The workshop will also include discussions about common challenges in creating learning objectives and exam questions, empowering attendees to design impactful educational experiences. This event provides a unique opportunity to network with peers, share insights, and gain practical tools to elevate speaking abilities.
Registration will be capped at 30 learners, with a focus on new practitioners who have 2-10 years of experience post-residency or graduation. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your expertise and confidence, making you a standout voice in the field of psychiatric pharmacy!
Faculty Information
Megan Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP; Workshop Program Chair Courtney Iuppa, PharmD, BCPP, Workshop Facilitator J. Michael McGuire, PharmD, BCPP; Workshop Facilitator Sarah T. Thomason, PharmD, BCPP, BCACP; Workshop Facilitator Kara Wong, PharmD, BCPP; Workshop Facilitator
Megan Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP; Workshop Program Chair
Professor and Co-Director of the Mental Health Program, University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy
Dr. Ehret is a graduate of the University of Toledo where she completed her BS and PharmD degrees, and she went on to complete a Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency at the Louis Stokes VAMC, under the direction of Matthew Fuller. She then completed a Psychopharmacology and Pharmacogenomics Fellowship at Nova Southeastern University, under the direction of Gary Levin. After training she received her initial faculty appointment at the University of Connecticut and gained tenure during her stay there. While at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Ehret served as the Vice-Chair of the IRB, Director of Practices for the Center for Correctional Health Networks, and a faculty member for Project: ECHO: Buprenorphine. Currently, her full-time role is a Professor and Co-Director of the Mental Health Program at the University Of Maryland School Of Pharmacy with a practice site at The University of Maryland Mid Town Campus. Additionally, she also has the privilege of working with the State of Maryland Medicaid Program in evaluating antipsychotic use in the state, including development of clinical criteria for antipsychotics and authorizing and reviewing psychotropic use in the pediatric population. She is a Past-President of AAPP and is the current BCPP Recertification Director. Dr. Ehret has worked with the State of Maryland to establish regulations permitting community pharmacists the authority to administer maintenance injections. She has developed an interactive training program for students in administering long-acting injectable medications. Dr. Ehret has numerous publications and book chapters describing psychotropic medication adherence and the role of pharmacogenomics in medication selection. Her current interests include psychotropic medication adherence and the advancement of the psychiatric pharmacist in practice.
Courtney Iuppa, PharmD, BCPP, Workshop Facilitator
Adjunct Instructor, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Iuppa graduated from UMKC School of Pharmacy, completed her PGY-1 at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, MO and her PGY-2 in psychiatry at Center for Behavioral Medicine. She is adjunct clinical faculty at UMKC’s School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry where she teaches psychopharmacology to medical students and psychiatry residents. Her practice site is at a state forensic hospital, where she serves as the residency program director for a PGY-2 in psychiatry and precepts APPE students. She is Vice Chair of AAPP’s Recertification Editorial Board and authored AAPP’s 2023 Theory to Practice product on bipolar disorder.
J. Michael McGuire, PharmD, BCPP; Workshop Facilitator
Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Belmont University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Dr. Michael McGuire is a Professor of Pharmacy Practice in the Belmont University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He joined Belmont in August of 2012. He graduated cum laude from the Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy in Birmingham, AL. Following graduation, Dr. McGuire completed an ASHP-Accredited Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice residency at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL. After completing his residency training, Dr. McGuire joined the faculty at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice and maintained a practice site at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. McGuire then joined Bristol-Myers Squibb as a Neuroscience Medical Science Liaison and subsequently held multiple positions within Bristol-Myers Squibb US Medical Affairs. As a Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Psychiatry, Dr. McGuire teaches the pharmacotherapy of psychiatric, neurologic and substance use disorders in Pathophysiology and Therapeutics III. He also teaches an Advanced Psychiatry elective course. Dr McGuire precepts Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience students in their fourth year of the pharmacy curriculum. Dr. McGuire maintains a practice site at Rolling Hills Hospital in Franklin, TN, a 130-bed inpatient behavioral health facility where he serves as a clinical pharmacist. Dr McGuire also maintains an outpatient practice managing patients on clozapine with Psychiatric Consultants, PC in Franklin, TN.
Sarah T. Thomason, PharmD, BCPP, BCACP; Workshop Facilitator
Chair and Professor of Pharmacy Practice, East Tennessee State University Gatton College of Pharmacy
Sarah T. Thomason is Chair and Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). She is the Clinical Pharmacist at ETSU Health Internal Medicine and the ETSU Center of Excellence for HIV/AIDS Care. Dr. Thomason received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (1991) and Doctor of Pharmacy (1994) degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy (VCU). She completed a Fellowship in Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice at VCU in 1996. She has been a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist (Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties) since 1997 and a board-certified ambulatory care pharmacist since 2011. She performs comprehensive medication management in the areas of psychiatric and neurologic pharmacy, substance use disorders, and other primary care disorders. She serves as Vice Chair of the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority and on the Board of Directors for the PAN Foundation and Overmountain Recovery.
Kara Wong, PharmD, BCPP; Workshop Facilitator
Pain Management, Opioid Safety & Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Coordinator; Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner – Pain Management
Kara Wong, received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, and completed her PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, WA as well as her PGY-2 psychiatric pharmacy residency at Center for Behavioral Medicine in Kansas City, MO. She joined the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System in 2013 as the inpatient mental health clinical pharmacy specialist and the PGY-2 psychiatric pharmacy residency program director. In 2022, she transitioned to a new role as facility Pain Management, Opioid Safety and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMOP) coordinator. Within the VA she leads numerous quality improvement initiatives relating to safe pain medication and psychotropic use as well as expansion of pharmacy services, and serves on the VA National Clinical Pharmacy Practice Office Mental Health Subject Matter Expert Workgroup. Dr. Wong is also actively involved in the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (formerly the College of Psychiatric & Neurologic Pharmacists), and has served on the Business Development Committee (2012-2013), the Publications and Online Products Committee (2013-2014), the Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Review Course Medication Table Editorial Board (2014) and the BCPP Recertification Editorial Board (2015 – Present, currently serving as Chair).
Learning Objectives
Write properly structured learning objectives using the ABCD model.
Construct properly structured multiple choice exam questions after learning common mistakes.
Develop effective public speaking skills, including strategies for engaging diverse audiences, managing speaking anxiety, and using active learning to enhance presentations.
Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures
Activity Date: 04/27/2025 ACPE Contact Hours: 4 ACPE Number: 0284-0000-25-001-L99-P (Application) Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.
The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
AAPP owns the copyright, is licensed or has received permissions for use of, or is otherwise permitted to use copyrighted materials within any CPE activity. Authors and speakers are required to obtain necessary copyright permissions for content in CPE activities. AAPP complies with copyright laws and regulations.
Off-Label Use: This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA (see faculty information). The opinions expressed in the educational activity do not necessarily represent the views of AAPP and any educational partners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Disclaimer: Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
It is the policy of AAPP to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in continuing education activities. Those involved in the development of this continuing education activity have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of accreditation of this continuing education activity. Information regarding drugs (e.g., their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, and precautions) and drug delivery systems is subject to change, however, and the reader is advised to check the manufacturer’s package insert for information concerning recommended dosage and potential problems or cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug or using the drug delivery systems.
Fair balance is achieved through ongoing and thorough review of all materials produced by faculty, and all educational and advertising materials produced by supporting organizations, prior to educational offerings. Approval of credit for this continuing education activity does not imply endorsement by AAPP for any product or manufacturer identified.
Grant Support
This activity is co-sponsored by AAPP and the AAPP Foundation.
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Join us for an engaging four-hour workshop at the AAPP Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City on April 27, 2025 (8:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST), designed to meet the growing need for qualified and diverse speakers in psychiatric pharmacy.
The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.