Simple words of thanks do not adequately express the appreciation and gratitude that the senior leadership of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (AJPE) feel toward Dr. Lucinda L. Maine for her support of the Journal and its Editorial Team and Board over the past 20 years. During her time as Executive Vice President and CEO of AACP, the Journal has made major advances thanks in large part to Dr. Maine’s enthusiastic, compassionate, and visionary leadership.
Under Dr. Maine’s leadership, Dr. Joseph T. DiPiro was appointed in 2002 to serve as the sixth editor of the Journal. In January 2003, the Journal transitioned from a print to an online publication, allowing open access to pharmacy educators around the world. With the support of Dr. Maine, the first two associate editors were appointed in 2004. In 2005, the Journal instituted an electronic manuscript submission and peer-review process that streamlined the time from submission to acceptance. Another significant achievement was the Journal’s acceptance into PubMed in 2006. As a result of Dr. Maine’s passion for advancing pharmacy education globally, the Journal appointed its first international associate editor in 2008. In 2011, a new website was launched, and the Journal celebrated its 75th birthday.
Under Dr. Maine’s leadership, Dr. Brazeau was appointed the seventh editor and first female editor of the Journal in 2014. Frank Romanelli, PharmD, MPH, was named Executive Associate Editor in 2014. In 2017 the Journal began publishing an early release version of accepted manuscripts, making them accessible in a separate section of the AJPE website months ahead of final publication. In 2019, the Journal launched a greatly enhanced website with improved navigation and interactivity. The size of the Journal continued to grow as well, increasing from four issues in 2002 to 12 issues per year by 2019. In keeping with the increase in manuscripts submitted and published in the Journal, the Editorial Team was expanded to include six associate editors, and the Editorial Board was enlarged to 24 members in 2020. The Journal has also seen corollary advances in its impact factor over the past 20 years as the number of issues and quality and depth of articles have increased.
The innovations made and milestones accomplished by the Journal over the last 20 years were the direct result of the ongoing collaboration between Dr. Maine and the Journal’s editors and associate editors, along with input from the AACP Board of Directors and AJPE Editorial Board. Each time Editor DiPiro or Editor Brazeau approached Dr. Maine with a new and often ambitious idea, they were met with support and spirited discussion about where that new path might take the Journal. Dr. Maine’s ability to see the “big picture” and her willingness to advocate for the Journal were directly linked to the growth and success the Journal has enjoyed under her leadership.
Dr. Maine’s passion for advancing scholarly contributions is also evidenced by a long record of authoring articles, reports, and editorials in the Journal and in other publications, including the Journal of the American Pharmacy Association and Journal of Health Communications. Dr. Maine has authored 19 viewpoints/commentaries, 10 Argus Commission Reports, and many Executive Vice President and CEO addresses. In addition, she has been instrumental in mentoring and guiding many authors whose work was subsequently published in AJPE.
The editorials that Dr. Maine has published in AJPE have been thought-provoking and stimulated individuals and the Academy to reflect on the future of pharmacy education. Her first Viewpoint in 2002 focused on the impact of pharmacist interventions in all settings of pharmacy practice, the role of AACP in stimulating faculty in their research skills, and the importance of supporting volunteer faculty members in our introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences. 1 Her second Viewpoint in that same volume asked the Academy to take a long-term view of the pharmacy workforce and what pharmacy programs should consider, ranging from the adequacy of fiscal resources in pharmaceutical education, professional development of our graduates, developing and sustaining a culture of scholarship, contemporary issues in curriculum development and assessment, and distance learning trends and their impact on educational outcomes. 2 These two Viewpoints clearly demonstrate Dr. Maine’s unique perspective to address critical questions about the future of pharmacy education.
Dr. Maine has always been at the front of critical issues with her publications on timely topics related to pharmacy education and pharmacy practice. In the last 20 years, her contributions included topics ranging from Medicare and prescription coverage to the importance of science in schools and colleges of pharmacy, to lessons learned about the power of collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic, to pharmacists’ roles and responsibilities in confronting systemic racism. 3-7
The past and current AJPE editors, associate editors, editorial board members, authors, and reviewers have all benefited from Dr. Maine’s commitment to ensure the continued success of the Journal. We have been inspired by her dedication and passion to never give up, while at the same time focusing on the success of the Association and the Academy. She has been a strong proponent of the Journal’s scholarship, critical thinking, and methodical growth, which has enabled achievement of our goals. For this and so much more, we thank you.
- Received May 30, 2022.
- Accepted June 2, 2022.
- © 2022 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
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