Ohio Pharmacists Foundation

OPA Executive Fellowship

Duration: 12 months (July 1 - June 30)
Number of Positions: 1
Application Deadline: January 31
Starting Date: July 1
Estimated Stipend: $45,000
Interview Required: Yes

The Ohio Pharmacists Association Executive Fellowship in Leadership and Association Management is a postgraduate training program conducted at the Ohio Pharmacists Association headquarters under the direction of the staff of OPA. The fellowship is an excellent experience for those interested in learning all areas that are critical to any successful nonprofit organization and in developing leadership skills. The fellow will be trained in association management and governance, advocacy for the profession, leadership, membership development, professional affairs, continuing education development, communications, publication production, media relations, and event coordination.

The Purpose of the Executive Fellowship:

• to support the development of individuals interested in association management through training and experience in leadership, advocacy, professional affairs and problem-solving at the Ohio Pharmacists Association;
• to prepare individuals for leadership positions in a variety of settings in the profession of pharmacy and healthcare in general;
• to advance the role of the pharmacist in the healthcare system by engaging with Ohio’s pharmacists, student pharmacists, policy makers, state agencies, other healthcare provider groups and managed care organizations;
• to advance areas of the Ohio Pharmacists Association’s strategic plan with a focus on clinical initiatives and grassroots advocacy;
• to assist in the program planning and operation of the OPA Entrepreneurship Center.

The fellow will attend state and national pharmacy meetings and be given flexibility to tailor the experience to his or her interest to ensure passion behind the work that is accomplished.

Applicant Qualifications:
            B.S. or B.A. degree from a U.S. accredited institution. Preference will be given to those with association management, business, pharmacy or BSPS degree. Good communication and presentation skills; and basic knowledge of Microsoft Office products required. 

Fringe Benefits:

• Group Health Insurance coverage
• 10 days Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Registration and Travel Expense for up to two national meetings
• Membership in the Ohio Society of Association Executives

Selection of the Applicant
2025-2026 Applicants should submit their application packet via email by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on  January 31, 2025. Applicants will be notified within two business days once completed application is received and may be invited for an interview. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Selection of the applicant shall be the responsibility of the executive staff of the Ohio Pharmacists Association. 

Application
A complete application includes:

• Letter of Intent
• Current Curriculum Vitae
• Written responses to all three application questions:
• In fewer than 400 words, please provide an overview of why you are applying for this Fellowship and how you plan to utilize the experience in your future career.
• In fewer than 400 words, what personal strengths and experiences would you bring to the Ohio Pharmacists Association? Include a description of your leadership, professional and/or community services/achievements and future goals.
• In fewer than 400 words, in your opinion, what value do nonprofit associations bring to professions and to the public?
• Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a current or former employer.

OPF Research Grant Program

Overview

The Ohio Pharmacists Foundation (OPF) was created in 1992 to meet the educational needs of pharmacists and to provide an avenue to study and provide new and unique health care services to the public by the pharmacist. As such, the OPF provides educational training programs and supports the conduct of practice-oriented research that demonstrates the value of the pharmacist in enhancing the delivery of pharmacy care and the attainment of optimal patient outcomes. The OPF Research Grant Program is the venue through which the OPF partners with investigators at colleges of pharmacy, health care institutions and health-oriented industries to discover innovative roles, and overcome barriers, for the pharmacist to deliver health care.

Process

Submission

• A cover letter must accompany each submission that briefly addresses the purpose and objectives of the proposed project, the primary method(s) by which the objectives will be achieved, the practice setting for the project (as applicable), cooperating partners with the projects (as applicable), and amount of support requested, and the timeline for completion of the project.
• The cover letter should include the name(s) of investigators who are OPA members
• The cover letter should be addressed to: Sue Paul, R.Ph., President, Ohio Pharmacists Foundation Board, 2674 Federated Blvd, Columbus, OH 43235
• One electronic copy and five hard copies of the proposal must be submitted prior to review with the proposal addressing each of the following categories:
  • Problem Statement (Issue to be addressed and relevance to pharmacy practice in Ohio)
  • Study Objectives
  • Study Methodology (Including population to be studied, site of study, timetable)
  • Personnel (Including supportive evidence of qualifications of the investigators)
  • Method of Data Analysis (Including the nature of the final report)
  • Budget (Projecting all study costs and identifying those being supported by OPF)

Evaluation Process

The proposal will be evaluated by the members of the OPF Board of Trustees using established criteria in each of the key areas identified above. Additionally, the proposal will be judged on the adequacy and justification of budget as well as additional support sought for the project (including "in kind" contributions). Organization, neatness and grammatical correctness of the text also will be scored.

Assurances

All research involving human subjects and/or health related records must be reviewed and approved by the human subjects' research review committee (or equivalent IRB) of the institution with which the investigator is affiliated. The OPA/OPF does not provide this research assurance. If a study is exempt from research review, that fact must be affirmatively stated in the proposal and cover letter.

A letter of support from the appropriate academic advisor, program director, supervisor or administrator must be secured and submitted with the application. Further, any proposal describing a study done in cooperation with an entity other than one directly affiliated with the investigator(s), must be accompanied by a letter of support from the appropriate authority at that agency.

No action will be taken on the proposal until these assurances are received

Expectations

An investigator who is successful in securing funding from the OPF shall conduct the study and expend the funds in the same manner as described in the project proposal. Any significant deviations from the submitted protocol and/or timeline should be communicated in a prompt manner to the OPF President (at the address above).

When the project is completed, a report of the project findings shall be submitted to the OPF President. The project report must be submitted in an electronic format and include all relevant study parameters, findings and conclusions. The report may be published in part or in whole in the OPA journal, Ohio Pharmacist, and shall be presented at the OPA Annual Conference immediately following completion of the project.

All funds awarded by OPF through this program will be sent to an institutional account where the investigator is employed/affiliated. No funds will be awarded directly to any individual.

Submission Dates

Proposals will be evaluated twice annually at scheduled meetings of the OPF Board of Trustees. As such, submission deadline dates are:

• April 1^st
• September 1^st

ACPE Information

The Ohio Pharmacists Foundation, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. "The ACPE Provider Accreditation Program is designed to assure pharmacists, boards of pharmacy, and other members of pharmacy's community of interests, of the quality of continuing pharmaceutical education programs. Quality is assured by evaluating and monitoring capabilities of providers of continuing education programs as well as monitoring and reviewing their continuing education offerings."

As an accredited provider, OPF must adhere to the Criteria for Quality established by ACPE and provide periodic self-assessment reports for review in order to maintain approved-provider status.

Board of Trustees

Sue Paul, President
Cathy Kuhn, Vice President
Matt Buderer, Treasurer
Donald Bennett
Marialice Bennett
Steve Burson
Kevin Day
Kathy Karas
Debra Parker
Larry Schieber