So. Much. Potential.
Each year, the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences assembles photos of its incoming class. The composite, a time-honored tradition to capture the class exactly as they are on their first day of pharmacy school. Each face brings with it ambition, courage, curiosity, and a rich lived experience.
You’re attending an international conference. The workshops have been carefully vetted, and rehearsed speakers are ready to share their cutting edge solutions to world problems.
What about the problems without solutions? What about the issues we can’t solve… yet?
Faculty Students Pharmacy Perspectives
Colorado is one of the most progressive states in the nation in which to practice pharmacy. The state was one of the first in the nation to allow pharmacists to prescribe HIV medications, removing a barrier for the 15,000+ Coloradans living with HIV; one of the first to allow pharmacists to give immunizations, something that helped prevent severe disease and death during the COVID emergency; and one of the first states to grant pharmacists provider status, which allows pharmacists to effectively work with a greater healthcare team to optimize patient-centered care.
This spring, Assistant Professor Kelly E. Anderson, PhD, MPP, watched as drug maker Ely Lilly slashed insulin prices – a move to make insulin more accessible to millions of Americans.
“It was a watershed moment,” she said.
A trio of PharmD students set a record this spring, taking fourth place at the American Colleges of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Clinical Research Challenge (CRC) and clinching the highest win for any CU Pharmacy team in the history of the competition.
Research Faculty Pharmacy Perspectives
Clinical pharmaceutical research. Drug trials. Pharmaceutical trial patients. These medical buzzwords have a new home at CU Pharmacy – making the school a key player in not only developing new pharmaceuticals, but managing drug trials so new developments in pharmacy can be brought to the market, and one day save a life.
Faculty Alumni Pharmacy Perspectives
Before she left to hike Mount Everest base camp, Chandler Follett, PharmD, Clinical Instructor, said it would be fine.
“Hiking is just walking around with your backpack, right?” she mused.
Erika Freitas, PhD, inaugural Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, wants to level set on her position title.
“To me, the order matters and it should be equity first,” she says, “because that’s where we have the potential to make more immediate impact. And without equity, diversity and inclusion will never achieve the needed depth for true transformation.”
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Graduation
Research is critical to healthcare, from improving treatments to finding causes, and CU Pharmacy’s PhD graduates are up for the challenge.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Graduation
Maria Trivino doesn’t stop moving. She runs. She swims. She works full-time. And for the last two years she’s been working on her master’s degree in Cannabis Science and Medicine at CU Pharmacy.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Graduation
Determination doesn’t sleep, and neither does Lisa Chang, BS, MBA, and soon to be Doctor of Pharmacy from the North American-Trained PharmD program (NTPD).
Unlike traditional PharmD programs, where training is in-person, the NTPD program at CU Pharmacy is built for individuals already licensed to practice pharmacy but who want the added benefits of a doctoral degree.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Graduation
When the Class of 2023 started at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, it was the fall of 2019. COVID-19 did not even exist. Online learning was not totally mainstream. Eager to get started, the class came to CU Pharmacy ready to pave their own path.
International pharmaceutical corporation Ely Lilly and Company slashed the list price of insulin 70 percent, and capped patient insulin out-of-pocket costs at $35 per month. For University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Assistant Professor Kelly Anderson, PhD, MPP, the move, in conjunction with state and federal legislative efforts to cap insulin out-of-pocket costs, is a “watershed moment” in making prescription medications accessible and affordable.
Recently, The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) released its most up-to-date North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination® (NAPLEX®) results, showing University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CU Pharmacy) graduates had a first-time pass rate of 96 percent. Only two other schools in North America saw higher scores.
Over twenty-five years ago, the Distance Degrees and Programs (DDP) Office at the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences changed how students access advanced education in healthcare with its breakthrough North-American Trained PharmD program. Recently, the DDP office was recognized for its work when it was awarded the Global Education SIG 2022 Outstanding Program Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) for its International Trained PharmD pathway. The award recognizes an established program or unit within a School or College of Pharmacy for their outstanding work and impact within the area of global education.
Faculty Pharmacy Clinical Awards
CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences’ Paul Reynolds, PharmD, joined a short list of elite educators earlier this month when he accepted the Critical Care Practice and Research Network (PRN) Educator Award from the American Colleges of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) at its 2022 Global Conference. The award honors a member who has made substantial and outstanding contributions to clinical pharmacy education at either the undergraduate or the postgraduate level.
R. Brett McQueen, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, along with his colleagues at the University of Exeter, UK, have been awarded a two-year, $600K grant from JDRF to develop a comprehensive web-based tool to inform global public health adoption and therapeutic investment decisions on the costs and benefits of identifying people at risk of type-1 diabetes (T1D) world-wide. McQueen is principal investigator on the project, with Exeter co-investigators Dr. Richard Oram, MD, associate professor, Diabetes UK Harry Keen Fellow; Prof. Jonathan Fieldsend, Professor of Computational Intelligence; and Dr. Lauric Ferrat, PhD, applied mathematician.
When Manisha Patel, PhD, was notified she had been awarded the Javits Award in Neuroscience, she was honored. The Javits Award is a conditional, seven-year research grant given to scientists for their superior competence and outstanding productivity.
Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmacy Clinical
The Experiential Programs at CU School of Pharmacy are an integral part of its PharmD education, comprising over 33% of the curriculum. The hands-on learning allows students clinical training opportunities to ensure that students have the self-confidence and ability to practice independently upon graduation.
Faculty Pharmacy Perspectives Cancer Pharmacy
Professor. Researcher. Fulbright awardee. Cindy O’Bryant, PharmD, can now add Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs to her impressive CV.
Pharmacy Perspectives Vaccinations Pharmacy
COVID-19 infections have plummeted, mask mandates are dropping, and the state of Colorado is welcoming the spring with a renewed sense of “post-Covid” enthusiasm. But not all Coloradans are breathing easier. According to the CDC, approximately 1.75 million people, or a third of the population in the state, have yet to be vaccinated. Many of these people are part of historically underserved, marginalized communities where access to health care is low and vaccination hesitancy is high.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmacy
“I’ve always been interested in science . . . but I had a personal, really adverse reaction to a medication, and I had to stop and think, what can we do to make medications better? And what can we do to make the best medications available to people who need them?”
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmacy
She originally intended to be a medical doctor, but thought pre-med and biology sounded boring, so she majored in neuroscience in undergrad. Later, when she had free time in her course schedule, she took an elective on the history of country music. Now, Jordan Palan is graduating with her MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a concentration in pharmacokinetics – and she loves working at her fellowship with the CU Innovations Team.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmacy
Arjay Mendoza is an avid tennis player. He tries to play at least twice a week, at some newly renovated courts close to his house.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmacy
When Faithful Anane-Asane left Ghana at age 17, he knew he would be back. Born and raised there, he moved to the United States in 2007. More than a decade later, he returned for an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotation, where he was able to combine his internship with a family visit to enjoy good food and education at the same time.
Before coming to CU Pharmacy, P1 Webster Cleveland had a career as an Aviation Electronics Technician (AT) for the U.S. Navy. He received accelerated advancement to E-4 3rd Class Petty Officer out of technical school, and soon after was promoted to the rank of E-5 2nd Class Petty Officer in his first enlistment. When ATs reach the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer E-9, they are promoted to Avionics Technicians.
Any medical professional will tell you that kids need special attention. So, when assistant professor Lucas Orth, PharmD, had the opportunity to work with the Colorado Pediatric Preparedness for the Emergency Room (COPPER) program, he knew it was worth his time.
Research COVID-19 Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmaceutical Sciences
Throughout the pandemic, we have struggled to get ahead of COVID-19. Now, with research from the Mallela Research Lab at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, scientists can take steps to be proactive instead of reactive – and possibly predict how the virus will act next.
Research Students Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmaceutical Sciences
For P4 Madison Ricco, pharmaceutical research has been a passion of hers as long as she can remember. As an undergrad, she led research projects at her institution. As a P1, she enrolled in the honors program for a research-intensive experience. And, as a P2, she enrolled in the Master of Science (MS) in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree; the first student to ever attempt both programs congruently.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives Magazine
“Story Slam always sticks out as this event, this kind of seminal event in their pharmacy training, where they really become a unified class.”
Jay Bolan, Senior Academic Coordinator for Experiential Programs, reflects on the annual event typically done in the spring of the P1year. Story Slam is a friendly competition of amateur storytelling in which the audience selects the best story, or storyteller. Each year, the P1 class gathers in one group to each tell 5-minute stories using one of three prompts – How I got here; Confirming Experience; and Do-Over.
The class of 2025 are the go-getters. The ones who did not let a pandemic derail their plans. The students who arrived this fall ready to jump in, be flexible, and learn. They came to CU Pharmacy from eight countries, sixteen states, and one U.S. territory. They came to thrive.
Dr. Cindy O’Bryant, PharmD, Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, received a Fulbright Specialist Program Scholar Award. A program of the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Specialist Program is a unique opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two to six-week, project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe. On November 27, Dr. O’Bryant left the U.S. for Nigeria with other oncology pharmacists to share her knowledge and experience in cancer care to advance pharmacy oncology practice. She made time to answer questions before her trip about her award, what she expects from the field, and what she hopes to share with medical professionals in Nigeria.
Earning a PharmD from her home in Window Rock, Arizona, Diedre Greyeyes is one busy lady. The full-time remote student at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is also a full-time distance student at Colorado State University (CSU) earning an MBA. And because of the magic of technology, Greyeyes is able to do both from her home – a necessity when the closest Target is over two hours away.
Dr. Tina Brock is excited to be the new Associate Dean of Education at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. And she said every word in the name of the school, almost without having to pause. Almost.
Is there a way to reduce the time spent in trialing different medications, such as antidepressants? Is there a way to predict who may be at increased risk of experiencing medication side effects?
In 2018, we chatted with PharmD student and Denver Barbarians Rugby player, Carmine Hernandez. At the time, Hernandez was a second year CU Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences student and fresh off winning the rugby Men's Division II National Championship with the Barbarians. Today, he is approaching graduation, planning his future, and excited about his residency. We caught up with Hernandez as he begins this new chapter.
Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences student Glenn Harter is ready to take on a PhD in organic chemistry this fall at the University of Southern California (USC), and he views his master’s degree at CU Pharmacy as a necessary step to achieve his considerable dreams.
For Omniah Elmorshedy, the path to a PharmD looked a little different than most. A student in our Distance Degrees and Programs Office, Elmorshedy already had a Bachelor’s of Pharmacy from Egypt and had been practicing pharmacy in her home country, where a doctor of pharmacy is not necessary. She moved permanently to the United States in 2015 where she had a seven-month internship, took and passed the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), and was able to practice as a licensed Pharmacist – and yet, she wanted more.
“I moved to the United States from Nigeria when I was seven years old, and when I was about to go to high school, my parents decided I needed to go back to Nigeria. So I did. I went to a boarding school in Nigeria for three years, and I noticed that so many diseases can be prevented by access to healthcare.”
Life in pharmacy school is not easy. As students progress through their doctoral program, studies, rotations, and exams take precedent. For two graduating CU Pharmacy students, the drill is all too familiar – and they added military service to their workload.
Over the past year, despite its challenges, two University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates excelled in their contribution to research. In recognition of their work, Mustafa Ibrahim, PhD, ’20, Clinical Pharmacology, and Colin Anderson, PhD, 20’ Toxicology, won the annual Harold C. Heim Award for Excellence in Research and Graduate Education. The distinction is accompanied by a $2000 cash award and was presented by Warren Heim, son of former Dean Harold C. Heim.
Alumni Students Diversity Pharmacy Scholarship
According to former Skaggs School Director of Student Services Beverly Brunson, her career was a happy accident, spanning nearly three decades, changing thousands of lives, and redefining how we see the face of pharmacy.
COVID-19 Students Public Health Pharmacy
Pivot might be the word of the past year. With COVID-19 continuing into fall of 2020, the CU Pharmacy PharmD program needed to develop a new plan to fit its service-learning curriculum. Previously fulfilled by an elementary school education program, with K-12 schools in limbo, the department got creative – and fulfilled an un-met community mental health need for isolated older adults.
Peter Anderson, PharmD, professor and Director of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, was named the 2020 recipient of the John and Barbara Shell Prize in Research and Graduate Education, the highest honor given by the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Initially started in 2002 as an annual award, this distinction is now presented every two years for outstanding achievement in research and graduate education. A committee of past recipients selects the recipient from among tenured professors in CU Pharmacy.
When the rest of the higher education world was reacting to COVID-19 and doing an immediate pivot to online student interviews, the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences was ahead of the curve.
OBR Oncology
September 17, 2023
An analysis of Medicare Part D formulary files from 2010 to 2020 showed that utilization management has soared for specialty brand and generic oral oncology drugs, with prior authorization used most prevalently. Kelly Anderson, PhD, MPP, said that what the study found “was consistent with my expectations and what we hear anecdotally from clinicians and patients.”
Drug Topics
September 07, 2023
Danielle Fixen, PharmD, notes that the role of a pharmacist varies depending on the state, but that pharmacists can perform drug-interaction checks and educate patients on potential side effects they may experience. “Some states have pharmacists within the medical marijuana dispensary while others do not,” she said. “Given the multiple drug interactions with cannabis, it is important to evaluate [its] safety...in patients.”
Cannabis Now
August 24, 2023
A new study shows that maybe cannabis doesn't increase heart attack risks, but this study is inconsistent with previous research. Dr. Robert Page, PharmD, noted that “the way cannabis is consumed may make a difference in how it affects the heart and blood vessels. Many people don’t realize that cannabis smoke contains components similar to tobacco smoke.”
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
July 27, 2023
Dr. Daniel LaBarbera’s laboratory is engaged in multidisciplinary cancer drug discovery and development - and has been featured in a 2023 peer reviewed cancer research highlight by the DOD's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
Jordan Kellerman
