Top Pharmacy Conferences to Attend in 2026
For pharmacists, continuing education is not just about checking a licensure box. The right pharmacy conference can help you stay current on clinical practice, medication safety, technology, specialty care, and evolving regulations, while also building a network that supports long-term career growth.
This guide highlights major U.S. pharmacy conferences scheduled for 2026, including national meetings, specialty pharmacy events, residency conferences, and pharmacy education conferences.
Jump to a specific section of this article:
Major U.S. Pharmacy Conferences in 2026
Specialty Pharmacy Conferences in 2026
Clinical and Health System Pharmacy Conferences
Pharmacy Education Conferences in 2026
Residency Conferences and Research Showcases
Pharmacy Operations, Technology, and Industry Conferences
How to Choose the Right Pharmacy Conference
FAQs About Pharmacy Conferences and CPE
Why Attend Pharmacy Conferences in 2026?
Pharmacy conferences remain one of the most efficient ways to earn CPE, learn practical strategies you can apply right away, and stay ahead of changes that impact patient care and your license.
Key benefits include:
- Meeting licensure requirements with concentrated CPE opportunities
- Staying current on clinical updates, guidelines, and safety practices
- Exploring specialty areas like managed care, oncology, pediatrics, geriatrics, and more
- Networking with peers, mentors, recruiters, and employers
- Keeping up with tech and operations trends like interoperability, workflow tools, and industry policy
Major U.S. Pharmacy Conferences in 2026
APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition 2026 (American Pharmacists Association Conference)
Dates: March 27–30, 2026
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Focus: Broad pharmacy practice, professional development, policy, and education
Why attend: One of the most recognized national pharmacy conferences, with programming that fits community, health system, and ambulatory roles.
Link to event: https://www.pharmacist.com/Conferences
ASHP Pharmacy Futures 2026
Dates: June 13–17, 2026
Location: St. Louis, MO
Focus: Pharmacy practice transformation, health-system pharmacy, and patient care innovation
Why attend: Strong choice for pharmacists focused on practice advancement and leadership in care delivery models.
Link to conference: https://www.ashp.org/Meetings-and-Conferences/pharmacy-futures
ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition 2026
Dates: December 6–9, 2026
Location: Orlando, FL
Focus: Clinical updates, residency showcase, professional development, and the largest pharmacy exhibit environment
Why attend: A flagship event for health-system pharmacists, residents, and employers.
Link to event: https://www.ashp.org/meetings-and-conferences/midyear-clinical-meeting-and-exhibition
Specialty Pharmacy Conferences in 2026
AMCP Annual Meeting 2026
Dates: April 13–16, 2026
Location: Nashville, TN
Focus: Managed care pharmacy, PBMs, payer strategy, specialty pharmacy trends
Why attend: One of the top conferences for managed care and specialty decision-making, including outcomes, access, and benefit design themes.
Link to event: https://amcpannual.org/amcp-2026
AMCP Nexus 2026
Dates: October 26–29, 2026
Location: San Diego, CA
Focus: Managed care and specialty pharmacy, with a fall meeting format
Why attend: A second major AMCP touchpoint in the year if your work centers on specialty spend, formulary, and access strategy.
Link to future meetings: https://amcpannual.org/about/amcp-future-meetings
Asembia AXS26 Summit (Specialty Pharmacy Summit)
Dates: April 26–30, 2026
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Focus: Specialty pharmacy ecosystem, stakeholders, and market trends
Why attend: If you are searching for a pharmacy conference in Las Vegas in 2026, this is a major option, especially for specialty pharmacy leaders and partners.
Link to summit: https://asembia.com/events/axs26-summit/
Clinical and Health System Pharmacy Conferences
ACCP Annual Meeting 2026 (American College of Clinical Pharmacy)
Dates: October 17–20, 2026
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Focus: Clinical pharmacy practice, research, and education
Why attend: Excellent for pharmacists who want evidence-forward clinical content and practice-focused research updates.
Link to event: https://www.accp.com/meetings/am26/
HOPA Annual Conference 2026 (Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy)
Dates: March 25–27, 2026
Location: New Orleans, LA
Focus: Oncology pharmacy practice and cancer care advancement
Why attend: If you are looking for a New Orleans pharmacy conference in 2026, HOPA is a strong specialty pick for oncology-focused roles.
Link to conference: https://www.hoparx.org/hopa-learn/conferences-events/annual-conference/
Pediatric Pharmacy Association Annual Meeting Programming (PPA/PPAG)
Dates: April 8-11, 2026 (featured workshop April 7, 2026)
Location: Arlington, VA (Sheraton Pentagon City)
Focus: Pediatric pharmacy education and pediatric oncology topics
Why attend: Useful for pediatric specialists, children’s hospital pharmacists, and anyone building pediatric-focused clinical depth.
Link to annual meeting page: https://ppag.org/education/annual-meeting/
ASCP Annual Meeting and Exhibition 2026 (Consultant Pharmacists, Geriatrics, LTC)
Dates: October 29–November 1, 2026
Location: National Harbor, MD
Focus: Geriatrics, long-term care, consultant pharmacy practice
Why attend: A strong conference for pharmacists working in LTC, transitions of care, and medication management in older adults.
Link to event details: https://www.ascp.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1824707
Pharmacy Education Conferences in 2026
Pharmacy Education 2026 (AACP Annual Meeting)
Dates: July 18–21, 2026
Location: Grapevine, TX
Focus: Pharmacy education, curriculum, faculty development, academic leadership
Why attend: The go-to pharmacy education conference for colleges of pharmacy, preceptors, and academic leaders.
Link to event: https://www.aacp.org/event/pharmacy-education-2026
Residency Conferences and Research Showcases
Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference (GLPRC) 2026
Dates: April 29–May 1, 2026
Location: Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana
Focus: Residency research presentations and professional development
Why attend: If you are specifically targeting the Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference, it is a key regional research and showcase event for residents and preceptors.
Link to GLPRC: https://glprc.com/
Eastern States Residency Conference 2026
Dates: May 14–15, 2026
Location: Fairfax, VA (Inova Center for Personalized Health)
Focus: Resident and preceptor education, presentations, recruitment forum
Why attend: A major residency-focused event for the region with a clear resident-preceptor emphasis.
Link to conference: https://easternstates.org/
Illinois Pharmacy Resident Conference (ILPRC) 2026
Date: May 29, 2026
Location: Schaumburg, IL (Roosevelt University)
Focus: Resident presentations and professional development
Why attend: A well-defined state residency conference with a single-day format that is easy to plan around.
Link to ILPRC: https://www.ichpnet.org/events/ilprc/index.php
Pharmacy Operations, Technology, and Industry Conferences
NCPDP Annual Technology and Business Conference 2026
Dates: May 4–6, 2026
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Focus: Pharmacy standards, interoperability, health information exchange, industry operations
Why attend: Strong fit for pharmacists working with pharmacy systems, claims, PBM workflows, and data exchange.
Link to event: https://ncpdp.org/ac/register.aspx
NACDS Total Store Expo 2026
Dates: August 15–17, 2026
Location: Boston, MA
Focus: Chain pharmacy and retail operations across drug, food, and mass market
Why attend: Useful for retail and chain pharmacy stakeholders, category strategy, and industry partnerships.
Link to event: https://tse.nacds.org/
NCPA Annual Convention and Expo 2026
Dates: October 3–6, 2026
Location: Kansas City, MO
Focus: Independent community pharmacy ownership, operations, and advocacy
Why attend: One of the most important national meetings for community pharmacists and owners.
Link to event: https://ncpa.org/annual-convention
NABP Annual Meeting 2026
Dates: May 12–15, 2026
Location: Boston, MA
Focus: Pharmacy regulation, board and policy updates, CPE, stakeholder collaboration
Why attend: Especially relevant for pharmacists interested in regulatory trends and board-level developments.
Link to event page: https://nabp.pharmacy/events/122nd-nabp-annual-meeting/
NPPA Conference 2026
Dates: August 17–20, 2026
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Focus: Purchasing and supply chain topics for pharmacy and supplier partners
Why attend: Another Las Vegas pharmacy conference option if your role touches purchasing, vendors, or supply strategy.
Link to event info: https://pharmacypurchasing.com/nppa-conference/
PharmSci 360 (AAPS) 2026
Dates: October 25–28, 2026
Location: New Orleans, LA
Focus: Pharmaceutical science and drug development
Why attend: Best for pharmacists and pharmacy professionals who lean into R&D, development, and pharma science programming, and it is also a major New Orleans pharmacy conference option for 2026.
Link to future events: https://www.aaps.org/pharmsci/future-annual-events
How to Choose the Right Pharmacy Conference
When selecting a pharmacy conference in 2026, consider:
CPE accreditation and documentation: Confirm continuing pharmacy education is available and accepted for your state requirements.
Role alignment: If you are in health system pharmacy, Midyear and Pharmacy Futures may fit best. If you are in managed care or specialty, AMCP and Asembia may be higher ROI.
Career goals: Clinical specialization, leadership growth, academic advancement, or ownership require different conference environments.
Location and travel cost: If you are shopping by geography, note that 2026 includes major pharmacy conferences in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Boston, Orlando, St. Louis, Nashville, and Kansas City.
Format and schedule flexibility: Some meetings are multi-day and intense. Others are single-day events that are easier to fit into a residency or work schedule.
Career Protection Goes Hand-in-Hand With Career Advancement
Conferences help you stay sharp and expand your opportunities. Protecting your license and livelihood matters too, especially as you take on new roles, float to different sites, precept, pick up PRN shifts, or transition between employers.
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FAQs About Pharmacy Conferences and CPE
What are the best pharmacy conferences to attend in 2026?
It depends on your role. Broad national options include APhA, ASHP Pharmacy Futures, and ASHP Midyear. Specialty options include AMCP (managed care), Asembia (specialty pharmacy), HOPA (oncology), and ASCP (geriatrics/LTC).
Do pharmacy conferences offer CPE?
Most major conferences offer continuing education, but CPE availability varies by session and attendance format. Always confirm CPE details on the official conference site before registering.
Are there pharmacy conferences in Las Vegas in 2026?
Yes. Asembia’s AXS26 Summit (April 26–30, 2026) is in Las Vegas, and the NPPA Conference (August 17–20, 2026) is also in Las Vegas.
Are there pharmacy conferences in New Orleans in 2026?
Yes. HOPA Annual Conference is in New Orleans (March 25–27, 2026) and AAPS PharmSci 360 is also in New Orleans (October 25–28, 2026).
When is the Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference in 2026?
GLPRC runs April 29–May 1, 2026 (per the GLPRC published timeline).