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In 1988, eight visionary pharmacists came together at the RPR Kellogg Institute at Northwestern University to discuss the need to establish a professional organization for managed care pharmacists and thus in 1989, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) was born. Since them, AMCP has become a national professional society dedicated to the concept and practice of pharmaceutical care in managed health care environments. AMCP promotes the appropriate application of pharmaceutical care to ensure a desirable health care outcome for all patients and individuals. The Academy has grown to include over 4,800 members nation wide and provides assistance and help to over 200 million Americans served by managed care.

AMCP has also become involved with other organization and members to promote a more unified sense of pharmaceutical care. The Academy became a charter member of the Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy and publishing various books and materials for its members. AMCP also created a Corporate Member Council, which is an open forum for professionals in this field to come together and share their concerns and research for the mutual benefit.
The Academy also offers two annual meeting every year to help address the numerous concerns and to help members take a stand on public policy issues and this meeting gathers 2000-3000 members each year. All AMCP members share the mutual goal of ensuring positive health care outcomes through quality and accessible and affordable pharmaceutical care for all patients.

I spoke with Craig Plauschinat regarding this organization and I have come to understand this organization as a representational organization for both the pharmacists as well as the patients, to find information and raise concerns. This organization's local chapters in schools and local officers make this organization ideal for dealing with the community issues through grassroots involvement of patients and practitioners.

Students in this organization are offered job shadowing opportunities to get a better field understand of what they will or might expect as a pharmacists and to prepare them for the real world outside of the classroom. AMCP also provides access to students to databases and knowledge that they will need to gain skills in the health care management industry as a pharmacist. The Academy also has numerous publications and resources targeted towards its student members and hosts a student discussion board on their website so students can take part in discussion on managed care pharmacy, schools of pharmacy and other related topics.

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