This past year I was honored to receive a Wild Card Learning Grant to allow me to be able to attend the CAPhO 2024 Hybrid Conference virtually. Between April 11-14, 2024, pharmacy professionals from across the country were able to gather online and in-person to learn and grow in not only their oncology therapeutic knowledge, but also knowledge on how to support patients who experience vulnerability and intersectional vulnerability. The support made it possible for me to attend the CAPhO conference for the third year in a row,
and whether the conference is in-person or virtual it never disappoints.
The theme of the conference, “Rising Tides Lift All Boats: Partnering to Advance Oncology Pharmacy” was featured and incorporated into all aspects of the conference in inspiring and unique ways that allowed for personal and professional growth. The inclusion of on-demand symposiums, live streamed sponsored symposiums, concurrent sessions, and plenary sessions, as well as virtual poster presentations created a virtual learning experience that made participants feel truly involved in the conference environment.
Personally, I gained immense new knowledge on therapeutic topics such as new treatment horizons in multiple myeloma management and metastatic-triple negative breast cancer. Most useful to my practice as an emergency room pharmacist was the sessions surrounding managing and recognizing adverse events that patients may experience with therapies such as CDK4/6 inhibitors. These sessions further solidified my personal belief that all pharmacists no matter their area of practice require a solid foundation of oncology knowledge to provide optimal and effective care to their patients, as oncology treatment is no longer sequestered to cancer clinics alone. The knowledge I gained in these sessions have already been put forward into my personal practice and have allowed me to share tips and tricks with colleagues to continue improving all pharmacists competence and confidence in caring for oncology patients in non-specialized settings.
The plenary session “The Edge of Compassion: Staying Well While Working in Oncology” provided a reminder that as healthcare professionals we cannot give our best to our patients if we do not first take care of ourselves. The human connection was continued in some of the most powerful sessions of the conference, when participants were given the privilege of listening to and learning from Dr. Maya Leiva on the topic of LGBTQIA+ health in cancer care and Dr. Jaris Swidrovich on supporting and caring for Indigenous Peoples. The stories and strategies these individuals shared, whether their own, or from members of the impacted community served as a wonderful reminder that there are individuals who experience intersectional vulnerability and us as practitioners can change their journeys with how we act, support, and care for them.
I left this conference with a further solidified passion for supporting oncology practice and a renewed sense of excitement of what is to come in the future for oncology practice. Thank you once again to the Board of Directors, conference planning committee, and awards committee for giving me this exceptional learning opportunity.