Betsy Abraham

Betsy Abraham is the Clinical Pharmacy Manager and PGY1 Residency Program Director at Community Healthcare System in Munster, Indiana. After receiving her PharmD from the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, Betsy completed a PGY1 residency at NorthShore University HealthSystem.

Professional Interests
My professional interests include Oncology (as I was previously the Oncology Clinical Specialist Pharmacist and continue to help the current Oncology specialist with various initiatives), Pharmacy Administration, and Pharmacy Education and Research Development. I am most passionate about the clinical side of pharmacy. I enjoy sharing my knowledge on various clinical topics and I learn more and more each day from others.

Why did you become involved in ASHP?
I initially became involved in ASHP as a pharmacy student to connect with residency programs and to better understand the world of inpatient pharmacy and was involved in SSHP. After completing a PGY1 residency, I found continued involvement in ASHP beneficial and had the opportunity to attend several ASHP Midyear conferences. As I entered into my role as Clinical Pharmacy Manager and PGY-1 Residency Program Director, I found ASHP Connect communities to be beneficial not only for myself to seek information from other pharmacists, but also as a means for me to give back to the community.

What would you tell others if asked how to get involved with ASHP?
There are plenty of opportunities to be involved but the first step would be to look on the ASHP website and find out how to be involved in ASHP based on your interests.

What unique characteristic/perspective do you bring to your everyday work or the pharmacy profession?
Every day is not the same and there are constant changes occurring each day. As the clinical pharmacy manager, my job is to support and address various clinical scenarios which often times I would have to do my own research first before I can provide feedback. As drug shortages increase each day, my job is to ensure that there are clinically appropriate alternatives available for pharmacists to recommend to physicians. Furthermore, I am a supporter of different clinical initiatives, some of which include optimizing core measures, utilizing new technologies for patient reviews, and being an active member in various hospital committees.

What do you like to do for fun? What are some of your interests/hobbies outside of pharmacy?
Strength training and weight lifting, visiting new restaurants in the city, and spending time with family and friends.

What advice would you give to other new practitioners?
Never shy away from an opportunity to learn something new or from someone. The key is to have an open mind and be like a sponge and absorb all of the knowledge and information that is presented. One may never know the opportunities and the impact of those opportunities unless they are sought out.