SIUE School of Pharmacy

Message from the Dean
Faculty Co-authors Text on Patient Communication
School Receives Grant to Assist Seniors
Faculty Member Named to National Oncology Specialty Council
Pharmacy Grant to Heighten Suicide Awareness
Faculty and Alumnus Honored at State Conference

Message from the Dean

The year is off to an exciting start for the SIUE School of Pharmacy, particularly with the announcement of our new master's program in pharmaceutical sciences. This program is the only one of its kind in Illinois and in the metro St. Louis area and offers concentrations in the areas of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and pharmaceutics.

With our outstanding, internationally recognized faculty and a rapidly advancing research program, students of the new program will gain the tools and experience needed for highly attractive positions in the pharmaceutical industry. 

I invite you to read more about our new master's in pharmaceutical sciences, as well as our School's many other recent achievements.

Best regards,

Dr. Gireesh V. Gupchup
Dean, SIUE School of Pharmacy

Faculty Co-authors Text on Patient Communication

School of Pharmacy's Dr. Lekesha Butler, clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice, co-authored a book with Dr. Min Liu, associate professor in the Department of Applied Communication Studies within SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences. The textbook, “Patient Communication for Pharmacy: A Case-Study Approach on Theory and Practice,” was officially published Friday, Dec. 18, 2015 by Jones and Bartlett Learning.

A collaborative project three years in the making, the book is a communication teaching tool and resource for healthcare professionals and students. 

Learn more about the textbook.

School Receives Grant to Assist Seniors

The School of Pharmacy has received a two-year grant valued at $329,862 for “Community-based VTE Care Transitions Coordinated through a Senior Services Organization.”

The grant is a collaboration between Pfizer Independent Grants for Learning & Change (IGLC) and Bristol-Meyers Squibb Independent Medical Education, who are providing all project funding, and The Joint Commission, who will provide administrative oversight for the program. The SIU School of Medicine’s Center for Clinical Research is also a collaborator on the project.

The SIUE School of Pharmacy and Senior Services Plus, based in Alton, will work closely to improve the safety and effectiveness of medication use during care transitions from hospital to home for older adults treated for venous thromboembolism (VTE). 

Learn more about the program and how it will enhance patient safety.

Faculty Member Named to National Oncology Specialty Council

Dr. Terri Poirier, professor of pharmacy practice and Senior Scholar, has been appointed to the Oncology Specialty Council for 2016-2018 by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS). Oncology pharmacy specialists recommend, design, implement, monitor and modify pharmacotherapeutic plans to optimize outcomes in patients with malignant diseases.

Read more about Poirier's appointment to the BPS Specialty Council.

Pharmacy Grant to Heighten Suicide Awareness

In collaboration with the SIUE School of Nursing and SIUE Counseling Services, the School of Pharmacy received a $229,442 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for suicide prevention. This aggressive, multi-tiered initiative seeks to increase awareness and education on recognition of at-risk behaviors of students in crisis, improve campus policies and procedures for assisting these students, and reduce negative stigmas of counseling and help-seeking.

Learn more about the iCARE intiative.

Faculty and Alumnus Honored at State Conference

A School of Pharmacy faculty member and an alumnus were honored at the Illinois Pharmacists Association’s (IPhA) annual conference in Chicago in late September. Dr. Jessica Kerr, assistant chair and associate professor of pharmacy practice, received the Educator of the Year Award for her leadership in education and involvement in IPhA. Dr. Goldie Peters, a graduate of the School's 2009 inaugural class, was presented with the Distinguished Young Pharmacist/Edmond Barcus Award.

Read more about the recipients and their recognitions.