The Pharmacist as Executive Director of the Board of Pharmacy

As with other health-related professions, the states regulate the practice of pharmacy through the over-sight of a board of pharmacy. While the board is charged with policy development, actual implementa-tion of day-to-day responsibilities is delegated to a chief executive officer who may or may not necessarily be a licensed pharmacist. The functions of this individual will vary as will the amount of au-tonomy granted by the board, though many duties are similar from state to state. The position of board executive director offers a well-motivated pharmacist several opportunities for a distinctly different prac-tice of pharmacy. Interaction with policymakers at the state and national levels creates the ability to mold the direction of the profession, leading to a high level of professional satisfaction. THE PRIMARY MISSION of a board of phar-macy is to ensure protection of the public. In order to understand the many concepts that make up the position of chief executive officer of a board of pharmacy, one must always keep this mission in mind. Titles used to describe in-dividuals in this role include executive secre-tary, chief administrator, and executive direc-tor. As the title of the position may vary, so will the job responsibilities. A wide variation exists from state to state concerning the authority, delegation of responsibilities, and provision of services that are provided by a chief executive of a board of pharmacy. In addition, the makeup of the board, its authority, and how the authority is carried out are all factors in de-termining the overall job description of a chief executive. Examples to consider include the size and scope of the agency, the amount of au-tonomy possessed by the board, the type of membership of the board, and significantly, how much authority has been delegated by the board or the state to the chief executive in the performance of his or her duties. Differen