The Pharmacist - The Clinical Issue/Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017 • Volume 39 • Issue 3

The Pharmacist

THE THE CLINICAL CLINICAL ISSUE ISSUE

A publication of the UIC College of Pharmacy

LAST LINE OF

DEFENSE

A Chicago Tribune investigation exposed widespread errors in community pharmacy.

Value-based healthcare vs corporate profit UIC College of Pharmacy thought leaders discuss necessary change.

Matters of the Mind Spotlighting the vital role pharmacists can play in neurocritical care.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

14

18 Features 14 Finding Value

UIC Pharmacy luminaries discuss the Chicago Tribune investigation into medication errors.

18 Matters of the Mind

How pharmacists are working hand-in-hand with neurosurgeons to provide better care.

In September of 1868, our college published the first issue of a trade journal simply named “The Pharmacist.� The magazine you see before you is named in honor of that historic journal.

12 EDITORIAL CREDITS Publisher Jerry L. Bauman, PharmD, FCCP, FACC

Dean

Editors Chris Gummert Assistant Director of Communications

29

Christopher J. Shoemaker, MED, MBA, CFRE

Assistant Dean for Advancement & Alumni Affairs Deb Fox MED

Departments 2

From The Dean

The Dean discusses the payment article that is behind the Chicago Tribune article discussed in our feature story.

3 Calendar 4

College News

12

Student News

Director of Engagement and Participation Proofreader Diana Nowicki Rachel Van Den Broek Contributing Editors Daniel P. Smith Michael Dhar Photography Barry Donald Designed by Studio V Design, Inc

22 Graduation

+++

24

Alumni Profiles

Al and Jan Edwards: Paying it Forward.

Chrissy Flemming: Bringing quality-driven collaboration to the corporate world.

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Honors

UIC Pharmacist 833 S. Wood St. (MC 874) Chicago, IL 60612 Phone: (312) 996-7240 Fax: (312) 413-1910 E-mail: pharmacy@uic.edu

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Alumni News

Š2017. All rights reserved.

29 Obituaries

The Pharmacist | 1

FROM THE DEAN

Money! Money! Money! Money!

BY JERRY BAUMAN, DEAN AND DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

As I have written before, perhaps the biggest issue confronting our profession is the lack of a payment structure for the pharmacist’s clinical or cognitive services.

In my opinion, this is also the root cause of the recent Chicago Tribune exposé on local pharmacists’ apparent inability to prevent serious drug interactions, as reviewed in this issue of The Pharmacist. Our fee-for-service payment model in which revenue is tied to a commodity (i.e., the drug product) remains at odds with the sea change that is occurring in other sectors of health care reimbursement.

Traditionally ambulatory health care was paid for in a feefor-service model. That is and for example, if a test such as an x-ray was performed, the payer was billed for the procedure and its professional interpretation. The financial incentive in this system, of course, is to order more tests and procedures and bill for them. Both state Medicaid programs and now even federal Medicare are moving quickly away from fee-for-service reimbursement to what is referred to as a value-based payment model. Here, providers are reimbursed to manage populations of patients, generally on a fixed amount, and incentives are given based on indicators of the quality of care. So the financial incentives are being turned upside down and those that can adapt will survive. Providers and health systems now must be prudent in determining if the test or procedure is truly needed.

They are paid to keep patients healthy and financially suffer when they are ill.

Online pharmacy.uic.edu go.uic.edu/PharmFBChicago go.uic.edu/PharmFBRockford go.uic.edu/PharmTwitter go.uic.edu/PharmLinkedIn go.uic.edu/PharmInstagram go.uic.edu/PharmYouTube

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Pharmacy needs to embrace this model of payment and consider how it could be adapted to our profession. What if individual pharmacists (not PBMs) were paid to manage a patient’s drug regimen incorporating incentives based on quality indicators, similar to other providers such as physicians? In today’s structure, the pharmacist is paid on a volume-based system, with the perverse incentive to fill as many prescriptions in as short a time as possible. However, we should receive payment for eliminating unneeded medications, ensuring adherence and preventing serious drug interactions thus preventing hospital admissions. The fact of the matter is that we train our students here to do just that.

I can guarantee you that if this were the case, the health of Americans in these United States would greatly improve and pharmacists would cease to be labelled as an underutilized resource in our health care system.

Also highlighted in this issue are some of our exemplary clinical pharmacy services, demonstrating practice models for what pharmacists are indeed capable of and trained for.

We have one of the largest and most diverse clinical pharmacy groups in the world. In pharmacy’s current financial model, it has been, and continues to be, a constant struggle to preserve this important resource. We have sustained this, certainly not by direct payment for our clinical services, but rather because of the capabilities of our clinicians, their perceived value to patient care and the belief, support and leadership of our physicians and administrators at UI Health. But now is the time for pharmacy to get on board with the rest of health care and embrace the change from volume-based to value-based payment. It is time for pharmacists to take back our profession and leverage our capabilities – for the good of public health.

Our digital edition

www.issuu.com/uicpharmacy UIC Pharmacist would like to hear from you and welcomes your letters: UIC Pharmacist (MC 874) 833 South Wood Street, Room 184KA Chicago, Illinois 60612-7230 E-mail: pharmacy@uic.edu

Letters are edited for length and clarity. All reader correspondence to the magazine and its editorial staff will be treated as assigned for publication unless otherwise specified.

CALENDAR JUL

15-19 JUL-AUG

29-03 AUG

22-23 AUG

WHITE COAT CEREMONY

AUG

CHICAGOLAND CRITICAL CARE CONFERENCE

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The conference will be held at the UIC College of Pharmacy in Chicago. For more details contact Jill Wilson (jrmiller@uic.edu).

FIRST DAY OF CLASSES

We welcome back students to our Chicago and Rockford campuses.

SEP

06-10

Simply go to: go.uic.edu/PharmNews We’ll do our best to fit it into our publications and/ or social media! If you don’t see it in The Pharmacist please go to go.uic.edu/PharmNews.

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

New Student Orientation will take place on both the Chicago and Rockford campuses.

24

AUG

Change jobs? Get a promotion? Publish a paper?

Publish a book? Get married? Have a baby? We want to hear about it all! Now you can send your news directly to the magazine editor.

ASP ANNUAL MEETING

The ASP Annual Meeting will be held in the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower in Portland, Oregon. Contact Deb Fox at dfox4@uic.edu with questions.

The annual White Coat Ceremony will take place on both the Chicago and Rockford campuses. The new students will receive their white coats as well as take the Oath of the Pharmacist.

Contact OSA/Debra Agard (agard@uic.edu) for details.

26

Got News?

AACP ANNUAL MEETING

The AACP Annual Meeting will be held in Nashville, Tennessee.

SEP

14-16 OCT

14

IPHA ANNUAL CONVENTION

The convention will be held at the Marriott St. Louis Grand in St. Louis, Missouri.

ICHP ANNUAL MEETING

ICHP Annual Meeting at Drury Lane in Oak Brook, Illinois.

ALUMNI REUNION

The annual Alumni Reunion will be held at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Oak Brook, Illinois. We will be honoring classes ending in ‘2’ and ‘7’, but all are welcome. More information can be found at go.uic.edu/PharmReunion.

The Pharmacist | 3

COLLEGE NEWS

PEOPLE

Dr. Christina Mactal Haaf, presented on the role of the oncology pharmacists in the United States at the 6th Philippine Pharmaceutical Research Congress at the New World Manila Bay Hotel in Manila, Philippines.

Dr. Henri Manasse, gave two lectures at the Future University in Egypt Conference in February.

Dr. Scott Wirth was selected as the Teacher of the Semester by the Class of 2018.

Dr. Rodrigo Burgos was named the Instructor of the Semester for Fall 2016 by the Class of 2019.

The Class of 2017 presented faculty awards

at the graduation dinner on May 3. The Golden Apple award for outstanding teaching was given to Sheila Allen, PharmD, BCPS. UIC Preceptor of the Year was won

by Bryan Zobeck, PharmD, BCPS. The External Preceptor of the Year was awarded to Jay Hilao, PharmD. Photo: Award winners with Class of 2017 Co-Presidents Kari Nishikawa and Elmor Pineda.

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Please welcome Nate Downing, the new face in the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs. Nate is the new Associate Director of Development and comes to the College of Pharmacy from UIC Athletics where he was the Director of Season Ticket Sales since 2012. No stranger to UIC, Nate also got both a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in instructional leadership from UIC. He also played on the University soccer team.

Former faculty member Dr Bob Gaensslen received the R.B.H. Gradwohl Medallion during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. The Gradwohl Medallion is the highest recognition the Academy can give to people who made exceptional contributions to forensic sciences. There are only a handful of people who received that recognition and in fact, only 15 individuals were awarded this prestigious distinction in the past 70 years. Dr. Gaensslen is a Professor Emeritus in Biopharmaceutical Science.

Dr. Isaac Cha was named Teacher of the Semester for Fall 2016 by the Class of 2018. Isaac also received the Raymond B. Allen Golden Apple Award. This award is given to one faculty member each year to recognize the outstanding instruction in the didactic courses taught during the M2 year at the UIC College of Medicine at Rockford.

Dr. Rob DiDomenico has been selected as a Fellow of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA).

Dr. Chris Schriever was selected as the

Class of 2019’s Teacher of the Year. Chris was also named P2 Teacher of the Semester.

Dr. Rosalyn Vellurattil, PharmD, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy has been selected to participate in the 2017-18 AACP Academic Leadership Fellows Program. Dr. Vellurattil is among 14 faculty from across the United States who will participate in the program that is offered by the AACP. This program is designed to develop the nation’s most promising individuals to become future leaders in pharmacy and in higher education.

76% Resident match rate!

The UIC College of Pharmacy achieved a 76% match rate for all residents this year. The national average was 69%. Our residents can be found in as close as the Jesse Brown VA hospital down the street or as far away as the University of California Norris Cancer Center & Hospital. Congratulations to all our residents!

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PEOPLE

Dr. Guido Pauli, professor in the Department Dr. Stephanie Crawford has been selected by the Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Blacks (CCSB) to receive the Black Faculty Trailblazer Award. This is the first campus-wide recognition of African-American faculty, staff, and students, and is designed to recognize significant contribution to the UIC community, advancement of social justice issues, expertise and research that has a local, national or global implications, commitment to mentorship of graduate and graduate students at UIC, and resiliency in the face of academic, professional, and personal challenges.

Dr. Jeremy Johnson was awarded a 4 year grant from the USDA titled “Rosemary as a Preservative: Implications For Gastrointestinal Health”. This grant will evaluate the role of synthetic and natural food preservatives on the prevention and/or promotion of colitis/inflammatory bowel disease.

of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, was quoted in a Nature.com story on how scientists can retrieve data from floppy disks or other older media.

Pauli maintains the NAPRALERT database, which allows researchers to search for natural products (such as botanical extracts) that may contain biological activities. The database has evolved from index cards to magnetic tape and various other disk formats, to now being in the cloud and on hard drives on two continents.

Dr. Alyssa Christensen will be joining the College in Rockford as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist at our partner site, OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois. Alyssa completed her undergraduate work in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

She attended Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science for her PharmD degree. Subsequently she completed her PGY-1 residency at Legacy Health in Portland, Oregon. She is currently finishing her PGY-2 residency in Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Stewardship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and she will be joining the faculty toward the end of July.

Dr. Zackery Bulman, NIH Funded Postdoctoral Fellow in Infectious Diseases Pharmacology at the University of Buffalo, has accepted an offer to join the Department of Pharmacy Practice in August on the tenure track as an Assistant Professor. Since he started his fellowship, Zack has published 16 papers. He has significant experiences in laboratory and translational research design and grant writing.

Dr. Alicia Lichvar, Fellow in Solid Organ Transplantation Research at University of Cincinnati, has accepted a clinical faculty position to join the solid organ transplant team. She will be starting her position in early August.

Dr. Jennifer Marcelo and Dr. Nazia Babul have been chosen as Celebration of Care award recipients and will be receiving the Visionary Award by Community Health, the nation’s largest free clinic and one of their practice sites.

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Eric Wenzler, one of our current Infectious

Diseases Pharmacotherapy Fellows, has accepted an offer to join the Department of Pharmacy Practice as an Assistant Professor. He will be starting his new position in July.

AWARD

Dr. Popovich Earns AACP’s Lifetime Achievement Award The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) will honor Nicholas G. Popovich, Ph.D., associate dean and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, for his dedication to the Association and to pharmacy education through instruction, leadership, service and scholarship for more than four decades.

He will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, a sculpture, on July 16 during the Opening General Session of Pharmacy Education 2017, the AACP Annual Meeting, in Nashville, Tenn.

“This is truly an honor. I’m very proud of my work but also very humbled by this recognition.”

DR. POPOVICH

Ovarian cancer target molecule may be key to blocking its spread

BY SAM HOSTETTLER

Blocking a protein found on the surface of ovarian cancer cells could prevent or reduce the spread of the disease to other organs, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 22,440 women in the U.S. will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer this year. About 15,000 will die from the disease, which ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women and No. 1 among cancers of the female reproductive system.

It is often diagnosed in a late stage, after the cancer has spread to other organs, making it incurable to currently available treatment options.

“The greatest barrier to our ability to treat cancer in this stage is that we know very little about the molecules that cause the disease to spread,” said Maria Barbolina, associate professor of biopharmaceutical sciences and lead researcher of the study.

“The goal of our research is to identify key molecules that govern metastasis and use them as targets for the development of new drugs.”

MARIA BARBOLINA, Associate Professor of

Biopharmaceutical Sciences

Barbolina and her colleagues hypothesized that biomolecules successfully targeted with drugs in other cancers might also be targets in metastatic ovarian cancer. In earlier research, Barbolina discovered that a fractalkine receptor — a protein found on the cell surface — is expressed in the majority of ovarian cancer cases. It could help the cancer spread to other organs throughout the body when stimulated by another protein that binds to it.

In her latest findings, published in the journal Oncogene, Barbolina demonstrated in a mouse model that by lowering production of the fractalkine receptor, tumors did not metastasize to nearby sites of the peritoneal wall, bowel or liver.

Nearly a third of all cancer drugs target G protein-coupled receptors, of which fractalkine is one, so “we reasoned that blocking it may prevent or reduce ovarian cancer metastasis, because it’s expressed in 64 percent of metastatic ovarian carcinoma specimens,” Barbolina said.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, feeling of fullness, or urinary tract complaints. The cancer mainly develops in older women, after menopause — about half are 63 or older. A woman’s lifetime risk of getting ovarian cancer is about one in 75.

The research was funded by the National Cancer Institute (grant number CA160917) and Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation Liz Tilberis Scholar Award. Co-authors of the study include Hilal Gurler Main, Jia Xie and Goda Muralidhar of the UIC College of Pharmacy, and pathologists Osama Elfituri, Haoliang Xu and Andre Kajdacsy-Balla of the UIC College of Medicine.

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CONGRATULATIONS

ASHP Celebrates Contributions by Henri Manasse The Association of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is celebrating its 75th anniversary by recognizing the CEOs that have served the organization over that time.

One of the CEOs is Dr. Henri Manasse, former Dean of the UIC College of Pharmacy as well as a member of the department of Pharmacy Administration (now Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policies) and the Interim Chancellor of Health Services at the UIC Medical Center. The article outlines many of the great things Manasse has done for the organization, as well as the profession.

“Under his leadership, ASHP became increasingly engaged in proactive government advocacy and formed strong relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders in medicine, nursing, standards-setting bodies, hospital organizations, payers, and many others,” the article states.

“He played a vital role after the 1999 Institute of Medicine Report, “To Err is Human,” to take ASHP’s longtime focus on patient safety, and work with stakeholders in all segments of society to help drive fundamental changes that have helped improve patient safety throughout the entire healthcare system.”

Dr. Manasse also grew the organization in many significant ways. “Dr. Manasse’s time as CEO was also a period of growth for ASHP in numerous areas including membership, educational conferences, residency accreditation, publishing, and many others. He also oversaw the formation of many of ASHP’s highly successful pharmacy practice sections and forums, which include the Sections of Clinical Specialists and Scientists, Ambulatory Care Practitioners, Pharmacy Informatics and Technology, Inpatient Care Practitioners, Pharmacy Practice Managers, and the Student and New Practitioners Forums.”

With all the recent talk of expanding the responsibilities of pharmacists, it’s easy to think that is a recent fight, but it’s one Dr. Manasse has been fighting for a long time.

“Manasse was and still is a strong advocate for the

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leadership roles that pharmacists play as direct patient care providers. He has been a longtime advocate for the enhanced roles that educated, PTCB certified, and licensed pharmacy technicians must play to ensure that all patients have access to a pharmacist on the interprofessional team who is responsible for their medication therapy.

Dr. Manasse has dedicated his nearly 50-year career to continuously elevating the entire pharmacy profession with the singular goal of ensuring that medication use is optimal, safe, and effective for all people all of the time.”

Congratulations to Dr. Manasse for all he has done and continues to do for the profession of pharmacy.

College of Pharmacy selected for industry internship program

BY SAM HOSTETTLER

More UIC pharmacy students will have the opportunity to gain practical experience in an industry setting, thanks to a grant from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) to create a new internship program.

UIC, Duke University Medical Center and the University of California San Diego School of Medicine are the only academic institutions chosen by ASPET to establish a Pharmacology Industry Internships for Ph.D. Students (PIIPS) program. UIC is the only school selected to establish an eight- to12-week summer program.

Since 2013, 29 students from the UIC College of Pharmacy have participated in industrial internships around the U.S., said Lindsey McQuade, director of research and graduate resources and project coordinator. An organized fellowship, such as the PIIPS program, to connect graduate students with pharmaceutical companies will increase this number and strengthen the partnerships with those companies, she said.

Joanna Burdette, Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, will serve as program director.

EACH OF THE

3 $7,000 UIC STUDENTS

SELECTED FOR THE PIIPS PROGRAM WILL RECEIVE

OVER THE COURSE OF THE INTERNSHIP

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PARTNERSHIP

Agreement saves spots for City Colleges students in UIC College of Pharmacy

BY SAM HOSTETTLER

The University of Illinois at Chicago and City Colleges of Chicago have reached an agreement that will guarantee admission of talented CCC students into the UIC College of Pharmacy, one of the nation’s premier pharmacy programs.

Beginning next fall, five places will be reserved each year for qualified students who intend to complete a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

APPLICANTS MUST

✓ Maintain a full course load at CCC

✓ Have at least a 3.5 grade point average

✓ Have completed all pre-pharmacy coursework at CCC

✓ Receive at least a “B” in all pre-requisite pharmacy courses

City Colleges of Chicago is the largest community college system in Illinois and one of the largest in the nation, with 5,500 faculty and staff serving more than 100,000 students annually at seven colleges and six satellite sites across the city. Colleges include Harold Washington; Harry S Truman; Kennedy-King; Malcolm X; Olive-Harvey; Richard J. Daley; and Wilbur Wright.

“Our goal is to train professionals in a wide range of public service disciplines, serving Illinois as the principal educator of health science professionals and as a major healthcare provider to underserved communities. We have a great relationship with City Colleges and we are excited about this new partnership.”

MICHAEL AMIRIDIS, UIC Chancellor

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UIC College of Pharmacy Dean Jerry Bauman said he considers the new agreement to be “a landmark partnership, mutually important to the UIC College of Pharmacy and the City Colleges of Chicago.”

“Pharmacy is a wonderful profession and we are committed to improving access for talented students from Chicago to gain admittance to one of the very best colleges of pharmacy in the nation, and eventually join the profession,” Bauman said. “The partnership is congruent with UIC’s undergraduate program’s overall relationship with Chicago’s City Colleges and with Chancellor Amiridis’ commitment to the citizens of this city: The University of Illinois for Chicago.”

This is the fifth partnership that the College of Pharmacy has entered into with other institutions throughout the state. The CCC joins Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Western Illinois University and Eastern Illinois University.

“Through this agreement, we are further expanding a strong relationship with UIC, which enables our students to move on to a bachelor’s degree and beyond without all of the debt,” said City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Cheryl L. Hyman. “This partnership will further enhance the programs that we have developed with industry leaders to prepare our students for tens of thousands of jobs coming to our region in the healthcare sector.”

In 2015, UIC and CCC began a collaboration that allows at least 250 Star Scholars who transfer from CCC to UIC with an associate’s degree and at least a 3.0 grade point average to be eligible to receive a $5,000 award over two years.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of pharmacy is projected to grow 3 percent from 2014 to 2024. Increased demand for prescription medications will lead to more demand for pharmaceutical services.

Pharmacists work in pharmacies, including those in grocery and drug stores. They also work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

To practice, pharmacists must have a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), a four-year professional degree. They must also be licensed, requiring passing two exams.

STUDENT NEWS

PEOPLE

 Babies  Faculty member Brad Bartels and his wife Hilary welcomed their second child. Davis Scott was born on January 12 at 3:09 a.m., 7 lbs. 9 oz. Davis joins big brother Cameron. This makes grandchild number 5 for grandparents, retired Vice Dean Dave Bartels and Carol Bartels.

Lauren Kennedy, Student Advisor, and her husband Taylor welcomed their first child daughter Ella Jane on February 2 at 8 lbs. 5 oz. and 19.5 inches long.

Faculty member Christine Rash, and husband John Foanio welcomed a baby boy, John “Jack” Foanio, on March 30, weighing 9 lbs and 21 inches long. (NO PHOTO)

CONTEST

CHALLENGE of the Deans free throw shooting contest The annual Challenge of the Deans free throw shooting contest was held in February. In his last turn at the charity stripe, Dean Bauman and student Pete Leszczwicz beat the other colleges to take home the trophy. This is the 4th win for Dean Bauman.

Rho Chi: On Friday April 14th, 2017, the Phi Chapter of Rho Chi Society hosted its 45th Annual Albert Ebert Lecture. This year, Mr. Michael A Fotis, a distinguished alumni and Rho Chi member of UIC College of Pharmacy graciously accepted the invitation to speak as the 45th Lecturer. He was a past president of ICHP, and a former clinical pharmacy residency director at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Mr. Fotis shared a topic (“A Time to Be Bold”) based on an article he wrote for the President’s Acceptance Speech at ICHP. He encouraged student pharmacists and current pharmacists to challenge themselves and the set boundaries to expand and improve the field of pharmacy. The lecture concluded with a question and answer session to facilitate discussion based on the lecture.

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STUDENT NEWS

FUNDRAISING

Phi Delta Chi’s 5th Annual 5K for St. Jude The UIC College of Pharmacy Alpha Sigma chapter of Phi Delta Chi hosted its 5th annual 5K Walk/Run benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Walkers and runners joined together to participate in this event along the lakefront trail at Montrose Harbor. Over 100 runners

registered for the race and the entire chapter participated in the event. Out of 100 collegiate chapters across the nation, Alpha Sigma having raised over $17,000, is currently in the national lead for St. Jude fundraising for the 2016-2017 school year.

Phi Delta Chi “Relay for Life”

MuPhSA’s Annual Fast-a-thon 2017

A growing part of the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Phi Delta Chi over the last few years has been its oncology initiative. On April 28th, they participated in a “Relay for Life” event for the American Cancer Society at the University of Chicago. The team of 14 Brothers raised $500 for the American Cancer Society and showed support for the fight against cancer at the event.

This year’s Fast-a-thon was dedicated to Mental Health Awareness. We invited Dr. Hooman Keshavarzi, Founder of Khalil Center, and Jasmine Watkins of Thresholds to talk to us about the signs of depression and anxiety, the prevalence and what they’re doing in their respective positions to decrease the stigma and increase access to mental healthcare. MuPhSA involved pharmacy students in this event by having them paint their perspective of mental illnesses. These paintings were posted all over 134-1 as a showcase for guests. The team was able to raise over $750 to donate to the Khalil Center to help them grow their offices and serve more patients! It was a successful night!

The team was able to raise over $750

Kappa Psi Epsilon Rho (Rockford Chapter) The brothers of the Kappa Psi Epsilon Rho chapter raised money to participate in the 2017 Polar Plunge to benefit the Illinois Special Olympics. Through fundraising events such as “Pharmaceuticals”, bake sales, and the Mario Kart Tournament, they raised close to $500 for this event alone. Philanthropy efforts, which also included the Northern Illinois Food Bank, American Diabetes Association, and Gigi’s Playhouse, led to the chapter winning the Award for Most Overall Philanthropy for the second year in a row at the Kappa Psi Mid-America Province Assembly at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS.

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PEOPLE

Daniel Haywood, P3, received a travel award to ASHP. “As my pharmacy schooling has gone on, I have been more inclined to put myself out there, and participate in activities that will not only allow me to meet new people, but will also allow me to showcase my knowledge on a topic I am very passionate about. Going to Midyear allowed me to meet pharmacy professionals from all over the US, see what is going in the pharmacy world in other parts of the country, and the ability to enjoy the company of people that share the same interest and passions that I do.”

ASCP News: ASCP members created chocolate roses for a Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, a local organization promoting social, mental, and physical well-being to seniors. This year ASCP and MuPhSa partnered up to create 50 - 70 chocolate roses.

Marilyn Gaske, P3, received the Good

Government Student Pharmacist-of-the-Year Award.

Marilyn was selected in recognition of her innovative efforts and unique ability to engage her classmates at the UIC College of Pharmacy in policy advocacy. Gaske founded the Student Pharmacist Advocacy Coalition (SPAC) through which she has united nine student and professional pharmacist organizations in the name of advocacy. SPAC hosts advocacy training, voter registration initiatives, and debates on controversial issues such as provider status and residency training. As policy vice president of UIC’s APhA-ASP chapter, Gaske coordinated students in a letter writing campaign in support of HB509 to grant pharmacists authority to prescribe birth control. Gaske utilizes health fairs as an opportunity to educate the public about policy and survey them on their perceptions of pharmacists as providers. She serves as a liaison between her ASP chapter and IPhA, where she is a member of the board of directors and House of Delegates.

GIVING

AIPhA Volunteers at IAMACF Clinic: AIPhA volunteered at the Indian American Medical Association Charitable Foundation (IAMACF ) on January 28, 2017. IAMACF provides free primary care services to the uninsured and underserved population through the NLVS foundation.

AIPhA Cultural Show: AIPhA hosted its annual Cultural Show this year on Friday, April 21st. This show is put on by the students. The show featured Polish dancers, Arab dancers, student musicians, K-Pop performance and the most anticipated AIPhA dance. AIPhA raised incredible amounts of donations and awareness of the Alzheimer’s Association as this is the main initiative for the show. It was a packed house.

ASCP Diabetes Expo: APhA and SNPhA conducted blood glucose screenings at the annual ADA Diabetes EXPO at McCormick Place.

SNPhA Banquet On April 8, the UIC Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) Chapter hosted the 23rd Annual P4 Graduation Banquet. The theme for this year’s event was “Prescription for Success: People, Purpose, Passion.” Dr. Nicole Avant, UIC College of Pharmacy graduate (Class 2012), delivered the keynote speech. She encouraged attendees to remain motivated when faced with adversity and to remain true to their character while navigating turbulent waters. At the banquet, SNPhA honored thirteen graduating P4’s: Kali Adorable, Roma Ali, Eldred Bell, Coreliss Blue, Patrice Davis, Ayotunde Fajembola, Selena Ko, Nina Le, Leo Pratt, Nila Sturlin, Diane Takouam, Rene Williams and Jewel Younge. After graduation, seven SNPHA members will go on to pursue residency and fellowship programs. The UIC SNPhA Chapter also presented retiring Dean Jerry Bauman with a parting gift for his dedication and support of the organization over past years.

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FINDING

VALUE

BY DANIEL P. SMITH

A Chicago Tribune investigation exposed widespread errors in community pharmacy.

UIC College of Pharmacy leaders discuss ways to turn the tide and find a new vision.

As the dean of one of the nation’s top pharmacy schools, it was not the headline Jerry Bauman wanted to see.

“Pharmacies miss half of dangerous drug combinations,” the Chicago Tribune blared last Dec.15.

The Pharmacist | 15

“I was disappointed, even embarrassed, because this is my profession.”

JERRY BAUMAN, Dean of UIC’s College

of Pharmacy since 2006.

In an uncomfortable, 3,100-word analysis, the Tribune reported that 52 percent of 255 chain and independent pharmacies tested during a two-year investigation sold potentially toxic drug pairings without warning.

Digging into the disappointment

Finding solutions

The dangerous drug combinations presented to pharmacists during the Tribune’s investigation – pairs considered easy catches by many industry insiders – were dispensed at outlets across the greater Chicagoland area “at a fastfood pace [and] with little attention paid to customers,” the newspaper decried. Taken together, the drugs could have triggered strokes, kidney failures and unexpected pregnancies.

In response to the Tribune’s scathing report, the chains largely responded with potentially valuable, yet rather vague and banal solutions, including promises to improve policies, increase training and update alert systems.

Alongside the dispiriting results, the Tribune report spotlighted the underlying problems in community pharmacy that spurred the errors: a competitive marketplace, driven by corporate profits as well as consumer demand for speed and convenience, that emphasizes volume and productivity over safety; an environment littered with distractions; an ever-growing list of prescription drugs; and a swelling number of patients taking multiple medications, sometimes unnecessarily so.

Calling pharmacists “the last line of defense” and acknowledging the profession’s duty to catch potentially dangerous drug interactions, the Tribune said pharmacists frequently raced through legally required drug safety reviews, if not bypassing the requirement altogether, and routinely ignored computer alert systems designed to flag troublesome drug interactions – albeit from cumbersome software that often sparks “alert fatigue” by identifying interactions of no clinical significance.

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State leaders then chimed in with proposals of their own.

In January, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiled a plan that would require pharmacists to counsel patients about potentially harmful drug interactions. He also introduced the idea of increasing state oversight with measures such as a mystery shopper program. Soon after, the Illinois House welcomed legislation that would restrict the hours pharmacists could work, limit the number of prescriptions they could fill, require break time, ban distraction-inducing activities such as productivity quotas and provide whistleblower protection.

According to UIC College of Pharmacy leaders, such proposals only bandage – and not all that well – a more systemic industry issue.

“These proposals try to solve a problem before truly understanding it,” says Sandra Durley, senior associate director of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services at UIC. While Bauman encourages counseling and would like to see corporate-directed quota systems and scorecards eliminated, he says more extensive change is necessary.

He suggests “a complete reboot” of the community pharmacy practice model, specifically with respect to how pharmacists are compensated. A cause Bauman has long

“The findings were saddening and disappointing, especially knowing what schools like UIC are teaching and the resources available to pharmacists today.”

HENRI MANASSE, Professor Emeritus in the College’s Department

of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy.

championed alongside other College leaders, including Durley, he says pharmacists need to separate fees for product and service.

“The Rosetta Stone is to change reimbursement and focus more on outcomes, preventing drug interactions and providing counseling to patients, which will allow the pharmacist to be the clinician he or she is trained to be,” says Bauman, adding that shifting the economic model aligns with healthcare’s increasing movement toward value-based care as well as what’s currently being practiced by hospital pharmacists.

Manasse, meanwhile, calls for removing pharmacists from logistical tasks and getting them as close to the patient as possible by decentralizing services, building sensible electronic knowledge systems, fostering stronger collaborations with other providers and creating a safety net around patients that safeguards their health.

“We need a substantial cultural change and the profession itself needs to do some introspection and self-analysis,” Manasse says. “We ought to be more vocal and intense about demanding a work environment that leads to safety.”

While UIC recently teamed with Midwestern University to establish an online continuing education course focused on drug interactions and continues serving as a resource for legislators looking to better understand industry issues, Bauman says these broader cultural shifts – principally, changing the payment structure, building deeper collaborations with healthcare partners and establishing the pharmacist’s role as clinician – are necessary to drive positive change and reverse the disconcerting realities the Tribune exposed.

“We need to take back control of our profession.

We spend years of training to provide clinical pharmacy care and that’s what we need to do.”

SANDRA DURLEY, Senior Associate Director of Ambulatory Pharmacy

Services at UIC.

“These are heavy lifts, but absolutely necessary to public health,” Bauman says. “There’s so much pharmacists can provide that is not present and that’s where we need to move this profession.” 

The Pharmacist | 17

MATTERS

MIND OF THE

BY DANIEL P. SMITH

UIC’s Neurocritical Care Service drives improved patient outcomes while also spotlighting the vital role pharmacists can play in healthcare On an April morning, Eljim Tesoro stands at the bedside of a University of Illinois Hospital patient. The young man, who entered the hospital through the emergency room after being found unconscious, represented a complex case. Subsisting with the help of a ventilator, he had bleeding in his brain and uncontrolled hypertension.

In many hospitals across the country, Tesoro’s presence would be an unlikely sight: a pharmacist analyzing patient data alongside a team of neurosurgeons and neurointensivists.

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At UIC, however, it’s daily practice for Tesoro and his colleagues, Keri Kim and Jeffrey Mucksavage, the trio that comprises UIC’s Neurocritical Care Service, to be present in the most urgent of neurological situations.

For more than a decade, the three UIC pharmacists have played key roles on medical teams tending to the hospital’s most neurologically ill patients.

As trusted partners in care for those encountering any number of crippling neurological conditions – an acute stroke, seizure or a ruptured brain aneurysm among them – Tesoro, Kim and Mucksavage have not only treated vulnerable patients, but also highlighted the valuable role pharmacists can play on interdisciplinary medical teams.

“ We can offer real-time

recommendations for medication therapies, which can prove invaluable in many of these time-dependent cases.�

ELJIM TESORO

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Care beyond the hospital’s doors

Neurosurgery team raises funds for Brain Aneurysm Foundation to drive continued care Led by UI Health pharmacist Keri Kim, this June will mark the sixth consecutive year that members of the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System Neurosurgery team have participated in the 200-mile Madison-to-Chicago Ragnar Relay event – and done so with a greater purpose in mind.

Since 2012, “The Brainstormers” – a team consisting of pharmacists, neurosurgery physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech pathologists, social workers and others caring for UI Health’s brain aneurysm patients – have collected more than $25,000 for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s (BAF) national office and Chicago chapter.

The team’s 2017 fundraising efforts are entirely devoted to the Foundation’s Chicago chapter, which will help ensure UI Health’s brain aneurysm patients make the successful transition to outpatient care with valuable assistance ranging from support groups and transportation to mobility equipment. Kim and her pharmacist colleague Eljim Tesoro are both members of this year’s 12-runner team.

“For these patients and their caregivers, it’s a long road to recovery and we want to help contribute to positive outcomes and show that our care for them doesn’t stop at our door.”

KERI KIM

Kim was named a “Remarkable Woman” by the BAF’s Chicago Chapter in 2015 for her efforts in leading The Brainstormers team.

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“The hope is that through prudent recommendation of drug therapies, we can improve patient outcomes and functionalities while avoiding side effects,” Tesoro says. “The hope is that our presence makes a positive difference.”

A committed group

When Tesoro began at UIC in 1999, he was one of four pharmacists charged with helping neurosurgeons design medication management plans for patients. Then, as it is now, the pharmacists would round each morning with the chief neurosurgery resident, blending their knowledge of medications and the brain to initiate and monitor a drug program before coordinating a safe discharge, either by counseling patients heading home or shepherding their safe transfer to another medical facility.

“We come in with a different point of view, which is particularly important in neurocritical care given how many needs these patients have that are different than the regular hospital population,” says Mucksavage, who joined the UIC faculty in 2002. “The more specialized the care, the better.”

That’s an especially true statement in neuroscience, a fast-moving and still young medical field in need of invested, knowledgeable specialists.

“We need people well trained in neuroscience to interpret the data, put it into practice and bring out the best medication management for patients,” says Kim, who arrived at UIC in 2005. “And that’s what we try to do each day.”

Over time, the scope of the service as well as the duties of its central practitioners has evolved.

The 11-bed neurosurgery ICU has doubled in size to 22 beds and broadened its name to the neuroscience ICU to reflect the varied neurological issues it addresses.

The hospital also became a comprehensive stroke center, one of only four institutions in the Chicago area carrying the designation.

Tesoro, Mucksavage and Kim, meanwhile, have moved beyond clinical service to engage in diversified activities around both the College and hospital. The group has coordinated courses around neurological topics and committed itself to residency training. Each has also embraced leadership roles on major committees.

Mucksavage, for instance, oversaw a procedural sedation committee for 14 years.

Taking charge

Both in the hospital and with students, Tesoro, Mucksavage and Kim continue to show themselves as leaders, clinicians capable of improving results.

“It takes a team of diverse and collaborative clinicians to get treatment started and drive better outcomes,” Tesoro says. “We try to advance care by getting everyone on the same page.”

“We come in with a different

point

of view, which is particularly important in neurocritical care given how many needs these

Each member of the trio, meanwhile, continues pursuing research in the rapidly evolving neuroscience field.

patients have that are different than the regular

Tesoro directs much of his research toward the treatment of strokes, though he often involves himself in residents’ projects as well. This year, for example, Tesoro is tackling projects examining the role of pharmacists on hospital stroke teams as well as the relationship between medication adherence and outcomes in stroke patients.

hospital population.”

JEFFREY MUCKSAVAGE

Kim focuses much of her research on homeostasis and thrombosis, looking specifically at incidents of blood clots in hospital patients and the use of homeostatic agents for those with bleeding in the head. Mucksavage collaborates with Kim on homeostatic agent projects, but also investigates adverse events from the quality side, including automating reports.

All three are also members of the Neurocritical Care Society, a professional forum for exchanging ideas and developing best practices.

Tesoro, in fact, chairs the Society’s pharmacist group.

It’s spirited work that energizes and inspires the three longtime colleagues.

“With neurocritical care, we’re in a dynamic field that’s at the cutting edge of evidence-based medicine and that’s what makes this work so exciting,” Tesoro says. “We know we’re helping to improve patient outcomes while also passing important knowledge to the next generation of pharmacists.” 

The Pharmacist | 21

GRADUATION Class of 2017!

The UIC College of Pharmacy welcomed the Class of 2017 into the ranks of alumni on May 4th. The class heard from commencement speaker Russ Secter, BS 1978, as well as Dean Jerry Bauman who was addressing his final commencement crowd as Dean. The Dean received a standing ovation in recognition of his decades of service at the University. î ľ

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The Pharmacist | 23

ALUMNI PROFILE A

LA

JA ND

Pay it Forward

A pay-it-forward philosophy inspired Al and Jan Edwards to fund a scholarship for first- and second-year students at UIC Pharmacy ARDS N EDW

And seeing the tremendous gratitude of their scholarship’s recipient led the couple to donate again, basically re-endowing the scholarship.

“We stand on the shoulders of other people,” Jan said. “I could not have attended college without scholarships.

We wanted to do that for other people.”

Moreover, the Edwards said they hoped their donation would inspire other UIC alumni to give, particularly seeing the financial challenges the university faces today, and the rising financial burdens on students.

Funding a scholarship also helped the Edwards realize just how important financial help is for today’s students, the couple said. Meeting the recipient of their first scholarship, as well as her family, the Edwards saw just what the scholarship meant.

“A waterfall starts with a single drop of water.”

AL EDWARDS

Al said a little back-of-the-envelope math gives that waterfall analogy a more solid meaning. With about 10,000 alumni, an annual gift of about $450 from each UIC Pharmacy grad could eliminate student debt — which is quite a waterfall.

‘69

“I hope they think about how they can support students at the college,” he said.

The Edwards have deep ties to the university, which helped inspire their original donation. Al earned a BS in pharmacy at UIC in 1969, and Jan, a retired attorney, participated in the UIC’s Master Gardener program for 17 years.

The couple, who both attended college via scholarship, also thought a lot about their own histories when establishing their gift.

“You just see the gratitude, when there’s a real person on the end of it,” Jan said. “It’s a really soul-satisfying thing to do.”

Not only did the Edwards want to pay-forward the assistance they received, but they also wanted to pay the university back, they said. Earning a rigorous basis in science at UIC helped Al go on to a successful, 42-year career, including 20 years in research and regulatory affairs at TAP, and as an FDA reviewer, NIH scientist and an academic. After UIC, Edwards went on to earn a PharmD at the University of Michigan.

All along, the firm scientific foundation UIC gave him made his work and success possible, Edwards said. At the FDA, supervisors recognized the benefits his UIC education had given him, saying, “You always ask the tough questions.” 

eSUBMISSIONS UNIVERSITY THE Place for Electronic Submissions TrainingMeeting the FDA’s NEW eSubmission Requirements LOCAL CLASSES: October 12, 13, & 14, 2017 GO TO: www.esubmissionsuniversity.com S. Albert Edwards, Founder & President, Class of 69

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SY

FLEM

ALUMNI PROFILE

C

IS HR

ING

Quality-Driven Collaboration

How entrepreneur Chrissy Fleming inspires successful team dynamics Chrissy Fleming (UIC Pharmacy, Ph.D., 1996) drew on collaborative lessons learned at UIC, and a willingness to work her way up, to launch a pharmaconsultancy business in 2013. Before that, Dr. Fleming’s clinical leadership and expertise in pharmaceutical consulting earned her recognition as one of PharmaVoices’ 100 Most Inspiring People in Life Sciences in 2010.

Dr. Fleming launched her company, PharmaStart (recently merged with H20 Clinical to form Firma Clinical Research), following over 25 years of work in the clinical research organization (CRO) field.

In creating PharmaStart, Dr. Fleming drew upon her experiences at Searle, TAP and other pharmaceutical companies, where she successfully built and managed highly functional and motivated clinical development, medical-writing and pharmacovigilance teams within constantly changing work environments.

Today, Dr. Fleming helps get new medicines approved by working directly with her company’s teams to assist clients in making informed decisions quickly, enhancing their portfolios and increasing value.

In launching PharmaStart, Dr. Fleming said she got the chance to create the kind of corporate environment she always wanted to lead.

“I was able to apply the values that I find so critical — transparent communication, quality-driven collaboration and flexible solutions — to tailor workflows and processes and drive evidence-based decisions that best suit our clients’ needs,” she said.

Dr. Fleming said she traces her emphasis on collaboration to her experience at UIC. While enrolled, she benefited from working regularly with other students and from frequent interaction with advisors and professors in the Department of Biopharmceutical Sciences. Her thesis advisor was Dr. Fran Schlemmer, and they’ve stayed in touch since she graduated.

‘96

“One of the great things about UIC is [that it offers] an atmosphere that encourages collaboration with other students and colleagues,” she noted.

“This definitely helps as you work with teams in the corporate world.”

Before she launched her own business, Dr. Fleming’s distinct leadership in the industry was clear, as demonstrated by her 2010 PharmaVoices award. The award recognizes individuals who inspire others through innovative and motivational approaches to industry challenges. 

“That was a surprise, because there are a lot of leaders in the industry.

The award was particularly gratifying because it is a peer nomination.”

CHRISSY FLEMING

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HONORS The 65th Annual Honors Convocation was held on April 4th. An estimated $160,000 was distributed to our students during the event designed to bring together the recipients and their donors. Sixty-two scholarships and awards were handed out to over 80 students.

Congratulations to all! î ľ

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According to the American Association of College of Pharmacy (AACP) the UIC College of Pharmacy is ranked

#5 in

the Research Grant Institutional Rankings. During the ranking period (October 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016) the college

ALUMNI NEWS

 Kudos

earned $18,509,000 in total funding and had 43 total funded investigators. The top ranked school, University Rebecca Mousseau, PharmD 2016, received the W. Bruce Philip Certificate of Commendation in recognition of outstanding and unselfish dedication in serving as Satrap for Mid-America Province that was presented on behalf of the national fraternity.

Pedro Abreu, PharmD 2010, is now a Clinical Pharmacist at UnitedHealthcare Midwest & Retirement.

Brent Bialik, PharmD 2014, is now the Senior Manager, Global Medical Affairs Strategy at Shire.

Choah Kim, PharmD 2015, is now a Clinical Study Manager at Samsung Bioepis in Korea.

Colleen Murray, PharmD 2012, is now working at Fidelis Care in the New York area.

Cong Nguyen, PharmD 2016, is now a Pharmacy Manager at CVS Health in San Marcos, Texas.

Bethany Perez White, PhD 2012, is now a Research Assistant Professor, Northwestern University and Director, Northwestern University Skin Tissue Engineering Core.

Scott Siegert, PharmD 2006, is now the Executive Director, Head of Medical Affairs at Neurocrine BioSciences in San Diego, California.

Sherry (Maher) Siegert, PharmD 2009, is now the Senior Medical Science Liaison, Cardiology and Anti-Infectives at Astellas Pharma.

of California, San Francisco, had $41,779,990 and 53 funded investigators.

Annette (Pellegrino) Chavez, PharmD 2004, is now the Director, Medical Affairs at La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company in San Diego, California.

Caroline Park, PharmD 2005, is now the Scientific Director, US Hepatology at AbbVie. Patty West, daughter of alums Dennis West, BS 1967, and Patty West, BS 1968, executive produced a film that debuted at the Cannes Film Festival this year. The film is titled THEY. The protagonist, J, has been diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder, and goes by the selected pronoun “they.” Through a series of activities, performances and events, J’s growth and complex gender identity are explored within the precarious family dynamic.

OCT

14

Alumni Reunion will be held this year on October 14, 2017 at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Oak Brook.

Visit go.uic.edu/pharmreunion.com for more details.

We will be recognizing class years ending in 2 and 7; however, all alumni are welcome.

Karen Sweiss, PharmD 2005, was awarded the 2017 Oncology Pharmacy Practice Literature Award.

There’s an App for that!

Stan Reents, former UIC resident, founded AthleteInMe.com®. The company has recently released Version 3.0 of its innovative and award-winning mobile app: “Exercise Calorie Converter.” The app converts the calories in restaurant menu items into minutes of exercise. The results, specific for the user’s body weight, are presented as minutes of walking, jogging, biking, and swimming. “Americans obtain 40% of their calories from dining out,” says Reents. “Most restaurant menus don’t provide calorie amounts, let alone their exercise equivalents, so that’s why we focused on that. Grocery foods will be added later.”

The Pharmacist | 27

An alumni gathering was held in Arizona at the Chicago Cubs spring training game.

 Babies  Stephanie (Williams) Crosby, PharmD 2010, and her husband Tom welcomed their first child, son Liam Bryce, on April 25 at 5:44 p.m.

Ernest Law, current PhD Student, and wife Su welcomed their first child, son Caeden Winter on November 28, 2016 at 5:16 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz. and was 20 inches long.

Nanette Gamazon Masangcay, PharmD 2010, and husband Jeff Masangcay welcomed son, Lincoln Nash on June 20, 2016.

Ashley (McMullen) Kobylinski, PharmD 2011 and husband Mark welcomed daughter Amelia on May 22. She weighed 7lbs. 2.5oz., 19.75” long. (NO PHOTO)

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Jessica (Katz) Wills, PharmD 2014, sent in baby photo. Big sister Emily, big brother Raymond and baby Rena.

Patrick Zueger, PharmD 2013, and wife Megan welcomed daughter, Camille Elizabeth on April 7 at 10:55 p.m.

She weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz.

Jeff Krueger, PharmD 2014, and his wife Julie welcomed their second child, daughter Edith Zhuyidi, on May 2 at 8:43 a.m. Edith was 6 lbs. 3 oz., 19 ¾” long and joins big brother Benjamin, age 2. (NO PHOTO)

OBITUARIES Bernard Greenberg, 95, died of colon cancer May 5 in his Hyde Park home.

Greenberg, a retired professor of entomology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, assisted law enforcement agencies in murder investigations by helping to determine details of the death from the presence or absence of bugs on the body. In the United States, he is sometimes called the father of modern forensic entomology.

APR

29

Beth Gorski, PharmD 2012, married David Bisaccia on April 29 at Eaglewood Resort in Itasca, Illinois.

MAR

10

Evana Robbani, PharmD 2014, married Samin Chowdhury on March 10 in Huntsville, Alabama followed by a reception and festivities in Atlanta.

Fay Marie (Christensen) King, BS 1958, passed away last year at the age of 79.

Faye was the beloved wife of Russell and loving mother of Joanne (Joseph) Costa, Pamela (Brent) Lanier, and Judith (Jeff) Kindermann.

Fay was a hospital pharmacist at Palos Hospital in Palos Heights, Illinois for 28 years.

Ella Bauer, wife of longtime UIC Professor Ludwig Bauer, passed away in February at the couple’s home in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ella was born on May 15, 1924 in Bavaria, Germany and was the only child of Benno and Rosa Dinkelspiel Bamberger. As a young woman she and her parents fled to America to escape the persistent persecution by the Nazis. In 1938 the family resettled in New York City. While in Chicago she went on a blind date with a young PhD named Ludwig Bauer. He too was an only child from Bavaria, Germany. The couple were married in 1957.

FEB

25

Jake Sicinski, PharmD 2015, married Kelsie Stabhope on February 25th at the Allerton Mansion in Monticello, Illinois.

Maggie Allison, PharmD 2015, is engaged to Ted Johnson. (NO PHOTO)

Hari Patel, PharmD 2011, recently got engaged to Ekta Duggal. (NO PHOTO)

Ed Cohen, BS 1975, got engaged to Lillian Maltz on May 6. (NO PHOTO)

Taha Taha, PharmD 2016, recently got engaged to Lana Aziz. (NO PHOTO)

Joseph Gomez, PharmD 2016, recently got engaged to Radhika Mehta. (NO PHOTO)

Dr. Bernard Ecanow passed away on March 17, 2017 at the age of 93. He loved teaching at UIC College of Pharmacy for nearly thirty years. He published more than 60 papers and held several patents. Bernard’s two sons, Jacob and David, graduated from UIC medical school, and his grand-daughter, Naomi, is currently a student in the Honors College and the GPPA Medicine program. 

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UIC College of Pharmacy (MC 874) 833 South Wood Street Chicago, Illinois 60612