Kay Yamamoto

Professional Bio: Dr. Kay Yamamoto is a Medication Safety & Quality Coordinator at the University of Illinois Chicago Hospital Health Sciences System (UI Health) and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Pharmacy. She received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA; completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at Cambridge Health Alliance; and completed a PGY-2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency at UIC. She most recently served as a chair of the ASHP NPF Personal Development Advisory Group (PDAG).

Reasons for selecting this career path and professional interests: The application of leadership concepts within pharmacy practice piqued my interest early on in pharmacy school. My purposes in pursuing formal leadership training and an administrative career path are two-fold: first, to be able to make widespread positive change within a system, and second, to be able to mentor and encourage growth in others. In my role in Medication Safety, I get to fulfill my first purpose, examining and optimizing many different structures (operational, clinical, information technology, etc.), thus improving the quality of patient care within my health system. I am also glad to be in a position where I can fulfill my second purpose, working with and serving students and new practitioners both in my job and through professional organization involvement like the ASHP NPF. 

Professional Interests:

• Pharmacy Leadership
• Academia
• Medication Safety & Quality
• Inpatient Operations

Interest in serving on the NPF Executive Committee: My interest in serving on the NPF Executive Committee stems from the great experiences I have had thus far leading within the NPF advisory groups and wanting to continue to promote and enrich the experiences and opportunities that this committee has to offer. The projects that the NPF work on turn into meaningful resources that reach new practitioners on a national scale. I hope to use my leadership to generate ideas for the future of this committee, its initiatives, and impact. Serving on the NPF Executive Committee also provides a unique opportunity to learn more about professional association processes and association leadership, which I am excited to gain more experience in.

Benefits of being involved in ASHP as a New Practitioner: I believe the NPF values and provides space for new practitioners to speak on their unique experiences navigating nascent careers post-graduation. It is an essential community that creates resources, generates new ideas, and advocates for the different experiences and perspectives of those freshly entering pharmacy practice. As someone who wanted to gain leadership skills early on, I think my involvement in ASHP has contributed hugely to my growth as a leader, providing me with opportunities to exercise my organization, leadership, and speaking skills. I have also learned so much from my peers in the NPF and treasure the connections I’ve made in my advisory groups.