Welcome to the Big Easy Bulletin, your guide to all the networking and education opportunities we're bringing to the 2025 NCPA Annual Convention in New Orleans, Oct. 18-21 — and how to spend your off-hours in the city. See you in the Big Easy!

Our Pre-Convention Growth and Profitability Program Offerings are crash courses on some of the most important aspects of community pharmacy today, taught by industry experts. 

Our Pharmacy Ownership Workshop, Oct. 16-17, sponsored by McKesson, will cover some of the stickier parts of pharmacy ownership, including how the loan approval process works, licensure agreements, business plans, and more. You can read more about that workshop here. 

And our Business of Long-Term Care Workshop, also held Oct. 16-17, will show attendees what they need to know to successfully grow their LTC services offerings. You can read more about that workshop here. 

We've also got a brand new workshop, The New Route to Reimbursement: A Roadmap From Application to Activation, Oct. 17, which guides pharmacists and pharmacy technicians through the process of medical billing, including credentialing, contracting, and designing your workflow. 

To attend these courses, you must register through the regular convention registration, even if you're not attending the full convention. 

Don’t miss the chance to participate in this year’s Innovation in Community Practice Poster Symposium. It’s your opportunity to share groundbreaking solutions and research with your peers and engage in valuable peer-to-peer learning.  

Sign up here by Sept. 9; applicants will hear back by Sept. 16. The symposium will be held Oct. 19, 12:15-1:45 p.m. CT. For more information, contact Charlotte Nazar at [email protected]. 

We’ll be holding an advocacy-focused session at #NCPA2025 on recent state-level legislative wins for independent community pharmacists and on how attendees can push forward more state-level reforms. 

In Sharpening Your Advocacy Toolkit: An Overview of State Triumphs, pharmacy leaders from Arkansas, Montana, and Virginia will explain how they overcame monumental challenges to get meaningful PBM reforms over the finish line. Participants will leave with tools and tactics they can use to navigate challenges and advance advocacy in their communities.

If your organization runs a community pharmacy-focused program, our Residency and Fellowship Showcase is a critical opportunity to network with passionate up-and-coming pharmacy students and highlight your program. Plus, your booth is free with your Annual Convention registration! Sign up here by Sept. 23; applicants will hear back by Oct. 3.  

For students, this is a great way to find the residency or fellowship that suits your professional goals. The showcase will be held Oct. 19, 1:15-3 p.m. CT. 

For more information, contact Jacqueline Estes at [email protected].

Here are some of the product theater sessions we’re cooking up: 

New Orleans has long had one of the most respected music scenes in the U.S. – some would say the best. Frenchmen Street is the beating heart of the live music scene in the Big Easy, and it’s just a 15-minute drive from the Hilton New Orleans Riverside! 

Walking up and down the street, you’ll hear various music genres that have left their mark on NOLA, including blues, reggae, and, of course, jazz. Many of the clubs serve alcohol, and a good number serve food. If you want to scope out a few music spots to swing by, this article is a good starting point.

Who's on the expo floor? Click here to see the up-to-date lineup!