MSHP in Action profiles a MSHP member who is making a contribution to the field of clinical pharmacy. This time the spotlight shines on Joe Cameron, this year's Pharmacist of the Year.

Keith Perkins (left) presents Joe Cameron
with the MSHP Pharmacist of the Year Award.

The MSHP Pharmacist of the Year - 2008

The Missouri Health-System Pharmacist of the Year Award is given annually, if a recipient is chosen, to an individual with a high level of integrity, ethical conduct and professionalism, who has made significant contributions affecting the practice of health-system pharmacy throughout the state. These contributions shall have been in the form of sustained exemplary service in health-system pharmacy, or, a single outstanding achievement, or, a combination of accomplishments benefiting health-system pharmacy, and through it, humanity and the public health. They may include accomplishments, achievements or outstanding performance in:

1. health-system pharmacy practice, administration or education
2. clinical research in health-system pharmacy practice or patient care,
3. service or contributions to health-system pharmacy practice,
4. service or contributions to the community,
5. service or contributions to public health,
6. activities that improve the safety or effectiveness of medication use in health systems.

This year’s recipient was selected by past recipients of this award from nominations from the MSHP membership, Board of Directors, and staff. This year’s Award Winner meets many of these earlier mentioned criteria and here is how:

Our awardee is one of the youngest recipients of this award. He graduated with his doctor of pharmacy from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2004 and went on to complete a pharmacy practice residency at the University of Missouri – Columbia. After his residency, he became the Pharmacy Practice Residency Coordinator and Critical Care Pharmacist at the same location. He became a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist in 2006.

Shortly after becoming a member of the Mid-Missouri Society of Health-System Pharmacists, he was co-president of the affiliate along with Larry Windmoeller and then took the full role a year later.

Here are excerpts from a couple of the nomination letters received:
“Dr. Cameron has only been practicing as a pharmacist for 3 years. In this short period, he has contributed more to our profession than some pharmacists with twice his experience. Completing a residency, obtaining board certification, and becoming ACLS certified were not extraordinary tasks for Joe but rather necessary tools for providing excellent patient care.
Joe’s involvement in the profession is exceptionally well-rounded. He works part time in the retail setting, is very active within our institution (University of Missouri Hospital), teaches both pharmacy students and residents, and serves as the president of the Mid-Missouri chapter of MSHP. Dr. Cameron’s commitment to health-system pharmacy is especially evident. He is passionate about educating present and future health care professionals and improving the quality of patient care at our institution….. To find someone that works so hard to improve our profession with virtually no extrinsic motivations or rewards for doing so is truly admirable.”

“Joe is very organized in his teaching role, he is extremely professional, relates extremely well to students, medical students, and physicians at the hospital. Joe is a very hard worker who continually seeks to provide the best possible care to all the patients he serves. Joe continually seeks to improve the profession, he has a tremendous zeal to learn and share his knowledge with his students. As the President of the Mid-Missouri Society of Health-System Pharmacists he has done an outstanding job in organizing continuing education programs and promoting the attributes of membership both to the local group as well as MSHP.”

Dr. Cameron was recognized in May of 2004 with the GlaxoSmithKline Patient Care Award for Superior Achievement in Clinical Pharmacy Patient Care.

Joe serves his community by providing Brown Bag Medication Analysis; Diabetes Screening; and blood pressure screening.

If you are interested in sharing your story with MSHP, please contact our staff and have them mail you a questionnaire.