SPRING 2008
Extracts + Graduates The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy Magazine for Alumni and Friends
I N S I D E In Memory
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Alumni Honored
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New Director
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Student Features
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Alumni Capsules
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Post-Doctoral Grads 12
Planning Under Way There’s excitement in the air at the College of Pharmacy. The merger of the University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio provides a historic opportunity for the college to reach a new level of excellence. “We stand to benefit from the merger more than any other UT program,” said Dr. Johnnie Early II, dean of the College of Pharmacy. “Our superb program will become superior in its preparation of practitioners.” Only two pharmacy schools in Ohio are located on health science campuses. Integrating the technological and intellectual resources of the College of Pharmacy and the UT Medical Center will result in new and specialized learning, research and teaching opportunities. ”We are all one big family now,” explained Steve Martin, professor of pharmacy. “We share a common vision and that alignment of purpose means enhanced collaboration and cooperation.” Here’s how the College of Pharmacy will benefit from the merger:
Mauro Named College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year, Page 7
UT Professor Appointed to National Institutes of Health Committee, Page 8
Access to a premier medical training facility. The College of Pharmacy will have access to the abundant resources of a renowned medical school and hospital that specializes in trauma and intensive care, transplantation, cardiac and cardiovascular care, and oncology. UT pharmacy students will share learning experiences with students in other health professions, including medicine, nursing and physical therapy. Expansion of hands-on learning. The UT Medical Center has been a training site for UT pharmacy students and post-graduate residents for more than 20
years. But the merger means more hands-on learning opportunities. “Our new curriculum is structured around the availability of high-quality pharmacy practice experiences for students beginning their first year,” said Martin. “Many of those experiences will occur at the UT Medical Center.” Experiential learning will also expand into new areas of practice. For example, a clinical pharmacy residency will be established in the Movement Disorder Clinic, which assists patients with Huntington’s Disease, Essential and Familial Tremor, Tourette’s Syndrome and other disorders. In addition, the UT Medical Center’s Department of Pharmacy will soon implement a model of decentralized pharmacy services. “ This will include a pharmacist’s presence on the nursing units as a recognized clinical person who is both a trusted resource of professional information and a member of the healthcare team,” said Mark Chastang, vice president and executive director of the UT Medical Center. “Rounding with physicians on various services will be included in the daily activities.” This model will open up additional opportunities for pharmacy students and residents to “shadow” and learn from pharmacists involved in direct patient care. Collaboration on research studies. Faculty and practitioners in the College of Pharmacy and the UT Medical Center will experience synergy in areas where their research interests converge. “The merger will facilitate the development of research teams focused on particular disease states,” said Dr. William Messer, continued on page 4