The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy picked up three awards at the annual Illinois Pharmacists Association Awards presentation in late September at the Lisle, Ill., Hilton Hotel.
School of Pharmacy advisory board member Randy Malan received the Bowl of Hygeia. The award honors a pharmacist who has compiled an outstanding record of community service, which apart from his specific identification as a pharmacist, reflects well on the profession. To qualify, the candidate must be licensed in Illinois, be an IPhA member, not have previously received the award and not be currently serving or have served within the past two years as an officer of IPhA. The award is sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations with support from Boehringer Ingelheim.
“Randy has been an asset to the School of Pharmacy since its inception,” said School of Pharmacy Dean Gireesh Gupchup. “With his vast contributions to the practice of pharmacy in the state, he has been able to help the school with many areas in our curriculum.”
School of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Scott Bergman, Pharm.D., received the Excellence in Innovation award. This honor goes to a practicing pharmacist within the specified geographic boundaries and who has demonstrated innovative pharmacy practice resulting in improved patient care. The award is sponsored by Upsher-Smith Laboratories.
“Scott has helped IPhA develop several programs to train pharmacists as coaches in disease management” Gupchup stated. “This innovative approach has been duly recognized.”
Fourth-year School of Pharmacy student Ryan Birk received the Alan Granat Memorial Scholarship. The award was established as a memorial tribute to Alan Granat, who served as Executive Director of IPhA from 1979 until his death in 1989. The IPhA Foundation presents the award annually to a pharmacist or pharmacy student who has exhibited a commitment to pharmacy and community, as evidenced by membership and participation in pharmacy organizations and community involvement. Eligible students must be entering their third year of a Pharm.D. program, be student members of IPhA, and have their permanent residency in Illinois. The recipient also is required to contribute an article to IPhA’s journal Illinois Pharmacist.
During Birk’s SIUE academic career, the Waterloo, Ill., native has served as chapter president of the SIUE American Pharmacists Association — Academy of Student Pharmacists; director of the Student Pharmacists Instilling Legislative Leadership (SPILL); and student director of the Illinois Pharmacists Association State Board of Directors.
“Ryan has been an excellent student leader,” said Gupchup. “His involvement at the state level has helped drive several changes, and I am extremely happy that IPhA has recognized his services.”
The SIUE School of Pharmacy celebrates American Pharmacists Month (APhM) throughout October. The American Pharmacists Association (APA) takes time to recognize its own for vital contributions made in health care by improved medication use and advanced patient care. The APA promotes pharmacists as the medication experts and an integral part of the health care team.
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy celebrates American Pharmacists Month (APhM) throughout October. The American Pharmacists Association (APA) takes time to recognize its own for vital contributions made in health care through improved medication use and advanced patient care. The APA promotes pharmacists as the medication experts and an integral part of the health care team.
Two SIUE School of Pharmacy faculty making a difference are Dr. Joseph Schober and Dr. Keith Hecht. The importance of sharing research findings with students is not overlooked by Schober and Hecht. This is especially true when the subject matter — cancer — affects each and every one of their students’ families or friends. Schober and Hecht, both experts in oncology, are faced daily with the effects that cancer has on society, though they approach the subject in very different ways.
Each spring, Schober and Hecht co-teach Integrated Pharmacotherapeutics: Oncology/Hematology to third-year pharmacy students. Schober, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences and an expert in cancer cell motility, leads the first section of the class. His focus lies in the mechanics of the drug and the physiology of the disease.
Hecht, clinical associate professor of pharmacy and expert in oncology pharmacy practice, leads the second section of the class. He features the clinical and practical knowledge of chemotherapy and therapeutic drugs.
In addition to co-classroom teaching, Schober and Hecht individually conduct research with an ultimate goal of limiting the number of people whom cancer effects.
Schober’s research focuses on cell biology, specifically cell movement. “In cancer, cells need to move,” he said. “The big problem with cancer is cell metastasis, or the spread of cells from the place where it first started to another place in the body. If we can have a deeper understanding of cell movement and how it works, then maybe we can figure out how to stop it. If we can stop it, then maybe we can stop cancer.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Hecht researches ways to help patients who are receiving cancer treatments. “The most common side effect of chemotherapy is vomiting,” he said. “Various approved medications help prevent this side effect, but they aren’t necessarily utilized because health care providers are unaware of where they fit in a medication plan. We want to make sure we are using these medications appropriately and not exposing patients to unnecessary risks.”
By combining research and clinical knowledge, the School of Pharmacy provides an extremely valuable tool to help students improve medication use in society and advance patient care.
“The role of pharmacists in treating cancer has expanded more than most other areas for pharmacy,” Hecht said. “Our School is preparing pharmacists to understand the science behind cancer and to educate patients on how to fight their disease. We are not only focusing on the patients’ side effects, but making sure the student pharmacists are providing the education their patients need.”
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy Dean Gireesh Gupchup has been selected to the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association’s (RCGA) Health Economy Forum for Greater St. Louis.
“It is an honor to represent SIUE in this regional effort,” Gupchup said. “SIUE is committed to playing a significant role in improving the quality of life in the St. Louis metropolitan area.”
The Health Economy Forum is co-chaired by Steve Lipstein, president and chief executive officer of BJC HealthCare, and Tony Tersigni, president and chief executive officer of Ascension Health Alliance. The Forum comprises 42 CEOs from the entire value chain of the healthcare economy including biotech, pharmaceutical research manufacturers, hospitals and healthcare information technology companies.
Two working groups have formed: 1) to identify and articulate one or two opportunities for break through change in this industry where St. Louis has inherent strength; 2) to assess the talent required in this yet-to-be identified niche for St. Louis to succeed.
The RCGA’s Economic Development Initiative has a regional goal that by 2020, Greater St. Louis will be consistently ranked among the top 10 of the 20 largest U.S. metropolitan areas in indicators of regional vitality, economic health and the creation of community wealth.
Keynote speaker Dr. Dana Hammer entertained a crowd of 500 Friday night at The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy’s 8th annual White Coat Ceremony. Eighty pharmacy students received their white coats in the Morris University Center’s Meridian Ballroom in front of friends, family, fellow students and faculty.
The White Coat Ceremony is a meaningful tradition in which first-year students are welcomed as pharmaceutical colleagues dedicated to patient care. After the students received their white coats, the symbol of clinical service and care, they followed with a pledge of professionalism.
Director of the University of Washington’s Bracken Pharmaceutical Care Learning Center in Seattle, Hammer entertained the throng with an energetic, enthusiastic, humorous and insightful address that focused on life coaching tips. Her desire was to leave the students with advice that would resonate and stick with them while recognizing the gravity of their role as pharmacists.
Using a Prezi presentation to support her message, Hammer encouraged the students to:
The students heard from a variety of other speakers including third-year pharmacy student Kristie Ries, who also is president of the Class of 2014 and chair of the Student Representative Council.
“My personal philosophy is the more time and energy you invest in your education, the greater reward you will surely receive,” Ries stated. “I have learned an incredible amount inside the classroom. However, what I’ve learned outside the classroom through my involvement in professional organizations has been every bit as valuable.”
Dean of the School of Pharmacy Gireesh Gupchup said, “Follow your heart and mind, and wear your white coat with pride. Remember that it’s not about you, it’s about your patients.”
SIUE Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Ann Boyle reminded the students to “strive for excellence in all that you do!”
Prior to her current appointment, Hammer served in the UW Community Pharmacy Residency Program for the UW School of Pharmacy. She also was an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy. She has won several awards for teaching, innovations in teaching and education, and educational research. She earned a bachelor’s in pharmacy from Oregon State University and achieved a Ph.D. at the Purdue University School of Pharmacy.
Dr. Chris Lynch served as master of ceremonies. Lynch is a professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and serves as director of Clinical Programs.
Scheduled to serve as marshals were Dr. Ron Worthington and Dr. Keith Hecht, who were chosen by SIUE School of Pharmacy students as 2012 Faculty of the Year in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy Practice, respectively. Hecht was unable to attend.
Shop ‘n Save Pharmacy was a presenting sponsor for the event.
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy hosts its 8th annual White Coat Ceremony at 5 p.m. Friday, October 5, in the Morris University Center. Dr. Dana Hammer, director of the University of Washington’s Bracken Pharmaceutical Care Learning Center in Seattle, serves as the keynote speaker. The event coincides with American Pharmacists Month (APhM).
The White Coat Ceremony is a meaningful tradition in which first-year students are welcomed as pharmaceutical colleagues dedicated to patient care. During the event, students receive their white coat, the symbol of clinical service and care. They follow with a pledge of professionalism.
“This is a moment when our students become professionals,” said Gireesh Gupchup, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “They are accountable to themselves, the profession of pharmacy, and most importantly, their patients.
“The basic knowledge and skills that they learn as student pharmacists are just the foundation as they strive to be ethical, conscientious, trustworthy and creative. They will develop an exemplary service attitude and become leaders.”
Prior to her current appointment, Hammer served in the Community Pharmacy Residency Program for the UW School of Pharmacy. She also was an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy. Hammer has won several awards for teaching, innovations in teaching and education, and educational research. She earned a bachelor’s in pharmacy from Oregon State University and achieved a Ph.D. at the Purdue University School of Pharmacy.
Serving as marshals are Dr. Ron Worthington and Dr. Keith Hecht, who were chosen by SIUE School of Pharmacy students as 2012 Faculty of the Year in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy Practice, respectively.
The SIUE School of Pharmacy celebrates its White Coat Ceremony each October during APhM. The American Pharmacists Association (APA) takes time to recognize its own for vital contributions made in health care by improved medication use and advanced patient care. The APA promotes pharmacists as the medication experts and an integral part of the health care team.
APhM aims to educate the public, policymakers, and other health care professionals about the role pharmacists play in the reduction of overall health care costs and the safe and effective management of medications. The overall public message is to “Know Your Pharmacist, Know Your Medicine.”
Shop ‘n Save Pharmacy is a presenting sponsor for the event.
Therese I. Poirier, Pharm.D, is known for her extensive and innovative teaching and writing abilities in the field of pharmacy. So while it is an honor, it is no surprise that the country’s premier pharmacy education journal asked the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy associate dean for education and academics to serve on its editorial board.
Poirier was recently named as one of the nine new people to serve on the 23-member editorial board of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, which consists of pharmacy faculty members throughout the country, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Malaysia. She will serve a three-year term.
The Journal is the official scholarly publication of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). The publication serves to advance pharmaceutical education in the U.S. and abroad. The acceptance rate of submitted manuscripts to the Journal is 52 percent. The Journal publishes 10 issues a year and has more than 26,000 hits a month to its website.
Her experience and quality of work in pharmacy education for more than 32 years may be the reason Journal editor Joseph DiPiro selected her from the various nominations. Poirier was nominated by SIUE School of Pharmacy Dean Gireesh Gupchup.
“I am honored to be selected to serve and humbled that the academic profession has recognized my scholarly contributions in the area of curricular innovations,” said Poirier, who holds the following degrees and classifications: Pharm.D., MPH, BCPS, FASHP and FCCP.
Poirier began writing for the Journal in 1982 and her article, “An Integrated Approach to Teaching Biochemistry for Pharmacy Students,” was ground breaking at its time. In 2004, she was the lead author for the article, “Guidelines for Manuscripts Describing Instruction Design or Assessment: The Ideas Format.” The purpose of the paper was to enhance the quality of manuscripts submitted to the Journal. Poirier and her co-authors updated the article in 2009. According to the Journal editor, Poirier’s paper is significantly improving instructional design articles that are published.
As an editorial board member, some of Poirier’s duties will include serving as a reviewer of manuscripts, advising on themes and suggesting authors for supplemental issues, providing suggestions on increasing readership and writing at least one editorial on a topic of her choosing.
Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum balances education, research, service and patient care. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is addressing the growing need for well-trained pharmacists in a career field that is experiencing rapid and dramatic growth.
Chris Herndon, associate professor in the SIUE School of Pharmacy
From where Chris Herndon sits, he doesn’t completely see why he was selected to receive his most recent honor. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy associate professor just acknowledges his passion for and commitment to advancing the learning, understanding and development of pain education.
But the American Society of Pain Educators (ASPE) knows excellence when they see it, which is why they named Herndon, as its Academic Pain Educator of the Year.
“I’m extremely flattered, although I can think of so many other deserving individuals,” said Herndon, Pharm.D.
Herndon’s accomplishments in the field of pain education do set him apart. The pharmacy associate professor holds the distinction of being an ASPE Certified Pain Educator. Herndon is one of just a few, if not the only, certified pain educator in the Metro East.
“A pain educator is a healthcare professional who provides education about pain assessment, evaluation and management within a clinical practice or via formal presentations and direct contact with other healthcare professionals and/or patients,” according to the ASPE’s website. “Pain educators practice in a wide range of healthcare settings and focus on transferring knowledge to and teaching others about pain.” Certification is awarded following eligibility criteria review and examination.
Herndon’s work in pain management has also earned praise from the ASPE Board President, Mary Lynn McPherson, Pharm.D., BCPS, FASPE, CPE. “We are very pleased to be presenting the ASPE Academic Pain Educator of the Year Award to Chris Herndon,” McPherson said. “He has demonstrated motivation, vision and commitment toward the ASPE and to the dissemination of exemplary pain education.” Herndon will receive his award at the ASPE’s PAINWeek on September 5 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Herndon’s area of expertise is pain and palliative care. He created and teaches a popular class in pain and palliative care for the SIUE School of Pharmacy. Herndon’s teaching and lecturing extends well past SIUE’s campus, as he is a sought after speaker across the country and outside the U.S.
Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pain Consortium selected SIUE among 12 institutions designated as Centers of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPEs). Herndon led the grant application to develop a multi-campus, inter-professional pain course for the region.
“I’d like people to think of SIUE when they think of pain education for health professionals in the metro-St. Louis region,” Herndon said.
Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum balances education, research, service and patient care. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is addressing the growing need for well-trained pharmacists in a career field that is experiencing rapid and dramatic growth.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville pharmacy student Ryan Birk recently was named to a national student committee of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
As chair of the Community and eCommunications Advisory Group, Birk and his committee will work to encourage more students to participate in ASHP. A total of 12 students from colleges and universities across the country were selected to serve on the advisory group.
“This committee exists to connect student pharmacists across the nation,” Birk said. “One way of achieving that goal is by connecting them with instructors, mentors and pharmacists in different areas of hospital pharmacy.”
To realize this objective, Birk said the committee will seek to increase student participation and engagement with ASHP Connect. ASHP Connect is a communication, information and resource tool for pharmacy students, instructors and practitioners.
Birk has had previous leadership experience with several pharmacy groups. Some positions he has held include chair of the Student Representative Council; president of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA ASP); member of the Pharmacy Advisory Board at the SIUE School of Pharmacy, student director of the Illinois Pharmacist Association and member-at-large of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) National StuNet Advisory Committee.
“Pharmacy is a dynamic profession, Birk said. “No one realizes a pharmacist’s true impact on patient care. The Doctor of Pharmacy degree provides gradueates with a broad range of career paths and gives the flexibility to focus on what interests them. I chose SIUE because of the faculty members. They are energetic and willing to help their students succeed.”
Birk, Pharm.D. candidate of Waterloo, expects to graduate in 2013.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Guim Kwon, Ph.D., a $429,000 grant to support her research project “Human Beta-cell Metabolism Signaling Under Chronic Nutrient Overload.” Kwon is an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the School of Pharmacy.
Kwon is seeking to develop new drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and recognizes the significance of her research to everyday life. “Due to over eating and sedentary life style, obesity has become an epidemic in the U.S. and other developed countries around the world,” Kwon explained. “The incidence of type 2 diabetes has been increasing proportionally to the rate of obesity. Our community is no exception. A new drug that can prevent, treat or reverse type 2 diabetes will have a huge impact on not only our community, but also millions of people around the world.”
Kwon’s family history contributed to her interest in pursuing the research. “My father has had type 2 diabetes for 30 years,” Kwon said. “One of my uncles suffered blindness for six years and passed away at age 65 of type 2 diabetes. My oldest brother was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a few years ago.”
Dr. Mike Crider, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, reiterated the value of the research, adding, “Dr. Kwon’s research in studying the relationship between obesity and diabetes is extremely important in finding new drug therapies for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The NIH award which Dr. Kwon received will greatly aid our research efforts in the School of Pharmacy and will enhance our research competitiveness on a national level. Dr. Kwon typifies a true teacher scholar in bringing her research into the classroom.”
Kwon received training to study islet biology as a postdoctoral fellow at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She worked in the department of immunology and pathology from 1993 until 1996. She joined the SIUE School of Pharmacy in 2005.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov
The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Board of Regents has elected Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s J. Mark Ruscin, Pharm.D., as a fellow. Fellowship in the College recognizes and rewards the highest levels of excellence in the practice and science of clinical pharmacy and is the highest honor the college bestows upon its members.
“I am truly honored to receive recognition as a fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (FCCP),” Ruscin said. “To me, this recognition acknowledges that my academic career has positively impacted the profession of pharmacy. Many great colleagues, previously at the University of Colorado, and now at SIUE, have significantly influenced my ability to be successful.”
Ruscin and other new fellows will be inducted at ceremonies at an annual meeting in Hollywood, Fla. His teaching, clinical practice and research experiences all focus on the care of older adults. His practice site is in Springfield with the SIU School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine.
“Dr. Ruscin has distinguished himself nationally as a clinical pharmacist specializing in geriatrics,” said School of Pharmacy Dean Gireesh Gupchup. “He has been recognized nationally for his clinical research and service. His election as a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy is a testament to his excellent contributions to the profession.”
A Sullivan native, Ruscin is the acting chair of Pharmacy Practice. He spent 12 years as a faculty member at the University of Colorado-Denver School of Pharmacy and Center on Aging from September 1995 through June 2008. He joined SIUE as a professor of Pharmacy Practice and the Central Regional Coordinator in July 2008.
Ruscin graduated with his doctorate of pharmacy from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1993. After completing a pharmacy practice residency at the University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics in 1994, he completed a geriatrics fellowship at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy in 1995.
SIUE Pharm.D. Graduate Leslie Harmon Shares Her Family’s Love of Pharmacy
The SIUE School of Pharmacy American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) student chapter received the national runner-up Chapter Achievement Award in the AAA Category (fewer than 350 students enrolled in a school) at the 2012 APhA annual meeting in March 2012.
Drs. Joe Schober and Katie Ronald received the SIUE Teaching Recognition Award.
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) School of Pharmacy has achieved a 100% pass rate on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) during the September 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011, testing cycle. SIUE School of Pharmacy graduates also received a 100% pass rate on the NAPLEX and the MPJE during the May 1, 2011, to August 31, 2011, testing cycle. Congratulations to all the SIUE School of Pharmacy faculty, staff, preceptors and graduates for a job well done!
Faculty and Staff Recognition and Awards
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
As an SIUE School of Pharmacy student, you are part of the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, addressing the need in Southern and Central Illinois, as well as the nation at large, for well-trained pharmacists.
The program was awarded full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) in 2009. The School of Pharmacy at SIUE has been hailed nationally as a model program.
With the theme “Nurturing for Life,” we focus on the premise that pharmacists improve patient care through the medicine and information they provide. In health care facilities of all types, today’s pharmacists advise other medical professionals on the selection and effects of drugs. You will work alongside other health professionals, greatly enhancing the educational experience for our students.
To apply for admission to SIUE, visit the University’s Admissions website.
Loading; please wait ...
