Member Spotlight: Sara Parli, PharmD, BCCCP
Sara Parli, PharmD, BCCCP
Critical Care Pharmacist, Trauma/Acute Care Surgery
Acute Care Pharmacy Services, UK HealthCare
Associate Professor (Adjunct), UK College of Pharmacy
What is the single most valuable benefit you’ve gained from your SIS membership?
The networking and building connections with other members has aided me tremendously from resolving individual clinical issues to developing institutional guidelines or designing clinical research questions. The people involved in the Surgical Infection Society are its most valuable asset.
How has SIS specifically helped you advance in your career or professional development?
I am fortunate to have learned from numerous surgical infections experts through participation at the SIS annual meetings for a decade now. I have also been able to share wisdom bestowed to my own trainees and colleagues. Since joining the SIS in 2015 I have had various opportunities including presentations at annual meetings (case report, mini oral sessions, platform presentations), committee work (therapeutics & guidelines, informatics), and even participation in a webinar and podcast! The SIS helped me reinvigorate my research practice and scholarly output which I hope continues to proliferate our understanding and application of the management of surgical infections to optimize care and the patient’s experience.
Why do you believe non-physicians in your field should join SIS?
The optimal provision of healthcare continues to require interdisciplinary work at the bedside and beyond, so collaborating at the national and international level in scholarly activity, research, and idea sharing just makes sense to me!
Investing in SIS has helped me better understand how I can continue to support and collaborate specifically with my surgeon colleagues in many facets of patient care, education, and research.
What are you most looking forward to at the SIS annual meeting in May, and why?
Catching up with colleagues, learning about the latest science and taking ideas back to my own practice. I am also excited that it’s close to family so I can do a quick visit and complete a “food run” of some awesome Pennsylvania eats.
In your opinion, how does SIS contribute to the overall advancement of your field?
The SIS supports our understanding of surgical infections and its management through funding of research, collaboration in scholarship, and distribution of knowledge through annual meetings, guideline development, and more. A big piece for me is antimicrobial use whether in prevention or treatment. This niche area aligns well with my practice in trauma and acute care surgery. As a pharmacist I am often asked about selection and duration of antimicrobial therapy so any impact on these areas has helped tremendously!
What advice would you give someone considering joining SIS
If you are considering it, do it! Your return on investment is high! When you do, reach out and get involved in what interests you! There is space for you at the SIS!
What makes SIS unique compared to other organizations
There is a more focused common goal which allows for experts to come together on a more familiar level. Most members of course have clinical and research interests outside of surgical infections but this shared interest although expansive allows for a targeted effort.
The meetings are more intimate and allow attendees to interact over coffee while also providing a front row to expert discussants and moderators.
Outside of your professional role, what are some of your interests or hobbies?
I’m a huge sports fan and could probably talk about most sports endlessly. I grew up in Pennsylvania and Kentucky which made me a diehard Pittsburgh Steelers and UK Wildcats fan. My mom influenced me tremendously and one thing I definitely inherited is her green thumb! Kentucky typically allows for a bountiful spring and summer to enjoy gardening. My favorite flowers include daffodils, dahlias, lilies, lisianthus, and zinnias! I can otherwise be found at Orange Theory or hiking a trail somewhere!
