The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is ranked as the 15th top school of pharmacy out of the 141 ranked programs comprising the “2024 Best Pharmacy Schools” by US News and World Report. This recognition secures CU Pharmacy’s position in the top 10% of all such schools in the nation
The CU Pharmacy family is saddened by the recent passing of 1953 alumna Metta E. Wickstrom (nee Kossler) and husband, Phillip, of Bothell, Washington. Metta passed Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. Phillip passed days later on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Dr. Kavita Nair, PhD, Professor, has been appointed to the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) California Technology Assessment Forum independent evidence appraisal council. Over the last decade her primary research interests lie in evaluating the treatment of neurological diseases. Primarily in examining the comparative effectiveness of disease modifying agents used in the management of multiple sclerosis using a combination of several measures to include brain atrophy measurement, clinical cognition, blood biomarkers and patient reported outcomes.
The CU Pharmacy family is saddened by the recent passing of 2020 alumnus Tyler Justin Reed, 30, of East Sandwich, who passed Friday February 23, 2024, leaving family, friends, colleagues and all whom he encountered heartbroken.
Alumni Careers Hospital-Based Pharmacy
Arjay Mendoza graduated from CU Pharmacy's award-winning International-Trained PharmD program in 2022 and went on to pursue a residency with the United States VA and teach classes at his alma mater, The University of Manila in the Philippines. He made time to chat with the Orange County Pharmacists Association (OCPhA) podcast about his remarkable career journey.
What happened in 2023? At Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, a lot. Our alumni shared their experience with students and future pharmacists, our faculty continued to get creative in their teaching methods, our graduates had one of the highest NAPLEX pass rates in the nation, and we continued to find innovative ways to make pharmacy school more accessible and interactive.
Community Faculty Clinical Careers Community Pharmacy
The world watched as pharmacists across the globe played a pivotal healthcare role during the COVID pandemic. But engaging in public health is nothing new for the Skaggs School of Pharmacy. In any given year CU Pharmacy faculty and students are on the front lines of education and access to community care.
Alumni Clinical Careers Community Pharmacy
This article was originally featured on Walmart Health and Wellness Linkedin. Alumna Elizabeth Piehl, PharmD '22, has been working in community pharmacy as part of the Walmart team since she was a student.
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. In April, the scheduled Drug Take Back Day was organized at CU Anschutz students from the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) American Student Pharmacists chapter, over the counter medicine safety group and led by two PharmD students, Daniel Donovan and Benjamin Abraham.
It's been said that two heads are better than one. That adage is especially true when it comes to scientific research and harnessing some of the most brilliant minds in the field. That collaborative spirit of discovery is the inspiration behind the Skaggs Scholars Program established in 2011.
Students Pharmacy Perspectives
The CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences shined a spotlight on high-achieving students recently during the 2023 Awards Convocation Ceremony. See the full list of award winners below:
Keep The Party Safe, Colorado’s awareness effort to prevent fentanyl overdoses, and AEG Presents: Rocky Mountains,have launched a new partnership to help educate concertgoers in Colorado about the risk of fentanyl contaminated recreational drugs across the state.
Donald A. Vecchio “Don” died February 8, 2023, a few months short of his 91st birthday. Don was a man of faith who loved life and lived it to the fullest. He was the only child of Dominic and Mary Vecchio, raised in North Denver where he graduated from North High School. Don received his pharmacy degree at CU Boulder, followed by four years of service in the Army.
On Thursday, Feb. 23, CU Pharmacy transformed its regular lunch and learn into an Alumni Association panel discussion for Black History Month. Hosted by the CU Pharmacy Alumni Association, in collaboration with the Career Services Office and the School’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, the event provided the opportunity for students to network with alumni and ask questions about their journey in the pharmacy profession.
Roy Dean Brunson, Pharm.D. class of 2006, passed away on January 15, 2023. He was born February 12, 1955, in Fort Hood, TX, and spent his early childhood in Hawaii. Roy had several careers before choosing pharmacy. Most notably, he was a tennis pro at the Coco Palms Resort in Kauai, HI, where he met his wife, Carol.
The Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CU Pharmacy) at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is thrilled to announce a pharmacy pipeline program with the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver). The partnership programallows students to enter CU Denver as an undergraduate and seamlessly transition to CU Pharmacy to earn their Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD).
The School of Pharmacy keeps a running list of publications in partnership with Strauss Library to highlight published research. This page is updated at the end of each month, and we are working to refine our search and filtering fields. During this process we may inadvertently miss a research paper. If you notice this, please let us know by emailing sop.communcations@cuanschutz.edu.
Was it really 2020 (too)? Or was 2022 much different than 2020? This year CU Pharmacy expanded its reach with awards, a new remote program, and in-person events (again!). Twenty twenty-two was not twenty twenty-too. It was a year to flourish.
Research Faculty Pharmaceutical Sciences
Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Manisha Patel, PhD, begins her term as president of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) at the conclusion of the Society’s annual meeting in Nashville, Dec. 2- 6. A medical and scientific society of 4,700 members, the AES is dedicated to advancing research and education for preventing, treating and curing epilepsy. Founded in 1946, AES is an inclusive global forum where professionals from academia, private practice, not-for-profit, government and industry can learn, share and grow to eradicate epilepsy and its consequences.
Dr. Meghan Jeffres, PharmD, sounds off on using cephalosporin antibiotics when a patient has a penicillin allergy. Breakpoints is a podcast produced by the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP).
The Alumni Association of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences held their third-annual Alumni Awards which honored three outstanding alumni, spanning three generations of pharmacists.
CU Pharmacy alumni spanning 60 years of graduates gathered with their friends and family, along with students, faculty, and staff, on the CU Boulder campus, Saturday, Oct. 29 to celebrate the annual Homecoming event at Ralphie’s Corral.
“We have represented with us today 60 years of alumni from 1959 to 2018 and we’re happy to have everyone here,” said Dean Ralph Altiere.
Pharmacy Clinical Research Podcast
In an American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) journals podcast, Dr. Sara Wettergreen, PharmD, speaks on harnessing the power of placebos and mitigating nocebo effects.
In a Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of American (SHEA) podcast, Dr. Megan Jeffres, PharmD, BCIDP, discusses why intravenous (IV) to oral (PO) conversion has immense potential to benefit patients by preventing unnecessary intravenous therapy associated with risks such as prolonged length of stay, line-associated infections, and excess cost and inconvenience.
NOTE: This post originally appeared in PR Newswire on June 1, 2022. It has been edited for clarity and space.
The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CU Pharmacy) and TRC Healthcare (TRC) have launched a new training program to help pharmacists deliver better healthcare for patients who use cannabis products. The online program, known as RxAdvanced: Guide to Cannabis, gives pharmacists a foundational knowledge of cannabis that strengthens their role as stewards of public health.
The annual meeting of the Colorado Pharmacists Society (CPS) was held June 2-3, 2022, and many of our own were honored with distinguished awards. CPS improves patient care and public health by advancing and supporting the professional practice of pharmacy while serving as the voice of pharmacy in Colorado. CPS provides support and services to over 800 member pharmacists, technicians and associated pharmacy professionals. Congratulations to all of those honored.
Press Releases COVID-19 Pharmacy
Note: Portions of this media release originally appeared on the FDA website. It has been edited for content and space.
On June 6, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir), to authorize state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid to eligible patients, with certain limitations to ensure appropriate patient assessment and prescribing of Paxlovid.
At the close of each academic year, we acknowledge outstanding students who have been recognized both within their program and from external organizations. Congratulations to all students for their hard work and continued dedication to the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences.
NOTE: This release was originally published by the National Lipid Association on June 4, 2022. It has been edited for clarity and space.
At the close of each academic year, we recognize outstanding leadership and awards from our team of faculty and researchers. Congratulations to the Spring 2022 awardees.
William F. Carlyle, 97, passed away Monday, Feb. 7, 2022 in Urbana, IL. A 1950 graduate of the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy, Bill was a pharmacist and manager of McBride’s pharmacies on Main Street and Lincoln Square in Urbana until his retirement.
Tell us more about yourself. What shaped who you are today?
I was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa but have spent the majority of my life here in America. We did not have much growing up but my father was determined to change our circumstances for the better. He worked incredibly hard and sacrificed a lot to bring my mother, sister, and I here in hopes of opening up a new world of opportunities that would otherwise not be available to us.
Black History is American History, and all February we are recognizing individuals who are standouts in their field in honor of Black History Month. Their dedication to their craft is moving our world forward, one step at a time. Check back all month as we update this page with more standout history makers!
On Feb. 3, Kenny Yuan, PharmD, ’21, passed away unexpectedly. Born and raised in Richmond, VA, Kenny was completing his post-graduate-year-one residency in Arizona at the Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. Before coming to CU Pharmacy, Kenny completed his undergraduate studies at the Virginia Military Institute and served six years in the United States Army. He attributed his studies in pharmacy and leadership experience in the military with guiding him through his work as a pharmacist. In particular, he was interested in clinical research, critical care, and infectious diseases.
Opportunity has always been important to University of Colorado alumni Dan ’94 and Kristen ’88 Womer. It’s why they chose to include scholarships for the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the College of Music in their estate plans. In their words, “If we can help even one student to graduate without debt, we will feel like we have left an important legacy to the university.”
Dr. David Gurule, PharmD, '16, joined us for 5 Minutes with a Pharmacist, a new series on why our alums live and work in Colorado. "I was born and raised in rural Colorado so to me it has always been what I have known," he says. "I really enjoy the people. I get to see most on a regular basis and have formed relationships with them and their families."
Perhaps Marguerite Cole Moore, ’60, was predestined to become a pharmacist. Her father, Wallace Cole, grew up in Salida, Colorado, and worked there for Wagoner’s Drug Store. When he graduated from high school in 1924, he worked in Denver for Maier Drug and Strickland Drug Company, prior to enrolling in the Capitol College of Pharmacy. After graduating in 1928, he purchased a drug store in Center, Colorado. Eventually, he ended up buying Pioneer Drug in Lamar, Colorado, which he renamed Cole’s Prescription Pharmacy. He received his fifty-year certificate of Pharmacy Registration in 1978.
The School of Pharmacy keeps a running list of publications in partnership with Strauss Library to highlight published research. This page is updated at the end of each month, and we are working to refine our search and filtering fields. During this process we may inadvertently miss a research paper. If you notice this, please let us know by emailing sop.communcations@cuanschutz.edu.
Robert 'Bob' Leslie Light, BS, '78, of Sun Lakes, Arizona passed away on November 8, 2021 after complications from COVID-19.
Bob is recognized as a pioneer of compounding who has helped the pharmaceutical industry maintain and exceed standards of quality set by state and federal levels, and whose methodologies have been adopted by Walgreens across the country. Bob traveled to Brazil to educate physicians about pharmacy compounding and said the experience was the exclamation point to an amazing pharmacy career.
Alumnus Ronald “Ron” Lewis Kennedy, RPH, passed away on December 7, 2021. A 1968 graduate of the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, he was awarded the Distinguished Coloradan Award from the School in 2014 in recognition of lifetime achievement in the field of pharmacy.
Faculty Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences
Manisha N. Patel, PhD, has been installed as First Vice President of the American Epilepsy Society (AES), a medical and scientific professional society with 4,500 members. Dr. Patel’s term started at the end of the society’s annual meeting, held in Chicago December 3-7, 2021. She will serve in the society’s presidential line and begin her term as president in 2023.
Pharmacy Perspectives Pharmacy
The Skaggs School of Pharmacy is renowned for our experiential programs. At the core of this meaningful student educational experience are our preceptors who dedicate their time and talent to mentor and train the next generation of pharmacy professionals. The 2021 Preceptor Award winners are:
Alumni Philanthropy Pharmacy Advancement Health Sciences Integrative Health Medicine
Longtime friend and supporter, Henry Leopold Strauss, 93, passed away peacefully on April 8, 2021 at the home where he lived for the past 60 years. Strauss, RPh '51 leaves a lasting legacy with the University and Colorado and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, his alma mater.
A new study of Medicare payments has found that over a five-year period, the payments for medications prescribed to people with neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy increased by 50% while the number of claims for these prescription medications only rose by only 8%. The study is published in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study, funded by the American Academy of Neurology, also found that most of the increase was due to rising costs for neuroimmunology drugs, mostly for multiple sclerosis.
Remote education is nothing new to the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. As early as 1998, the School launched its innovative Distance Degrees Program (DDP), offering what was promoted at the time as iPharmD degrees for North American and International practicing pharmacists who lacked an advanced doctorate degree.
Research Patient Care Faculty Pharmacy
New research from Dr. Meghan Jeffres, PharmD, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and University of Porto in Portugal, indicates that most surgical patients with a history of penicillin allergy can safely be given the guideline-recommended antibiotic cefazolin to prevent infection instead of alternative antibiotics that are less effective and more expensive. The researchers reported in JAMA Surgery that the frequency of allergies to both penicillins and cefazolin was so small that most patients should receive cefazolin regardless of their allergy history.
Sandra Leal, a 1999 CU Pharmacy graduate and EVP of TabulaRasa Healthcare, is the new president of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the largest association of pharmacists in the United States and the only organization advancing the entire pharmacy profession. Leal officially assumed her three-year leadership term at the 2021 APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition on March 15.
From faculty who worked on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic to researchers who worked on treatments for COVID-19 to the students who prepared to play a vital role in vaccine distribution, the CU Pharmacy community proved it could make an impact on health in dire circumstances.
A bill approved in July and backed by the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences pushes open the door to highly effective HIV-prevention drugs, potentially curbing infection for the state’s most at-risk citizens. In November, pharmacists in Colorado gained the ability to prescribe and dispense HIV prevention medications, making it one of the first states in the nation to allow patients to receive pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment directly from a pharmacist. More than 14,000 people are reported to be living with HIV or AIDS in the state of Colorado; a number which has been rising over the last five years.
As Aubree Turner relaxed her arm and waited for the poke, the importance of the vaccination training with her fellow students that September day weighed more heavily on her mind than usual. With flu season near, and a pandemic not relenting, Turner knew this clinical exercise soon would be put to a real test.
As early as November 14, pharmacists in Colorado will be able to prescribe and dispense HIV prevention medications, making it one of the first states in the nation to allow patients to receive pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment directly from a pharmacist. More than 14,000 people are reported to be living with HIV or AIDS in the state of Colorado; a number which has been rising over the last five years.
We are pleased to announce that The ALSAM Foundation, a generous long-time benefactor to the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS), has provided an initial grant, which together with support from the Chancellor’s Office and the SSPPS, will fund a major new robotic high throughput/high content screening and imaging instrument for drug discovery and elucidation of new drug targets.
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Robert Page, PharmD, MSPH, FAHA recently served as chair of an American Heart Association (AHA) writing group that found cannabis use shows substantial risks and no benefits for cardiovascular health. The group also says more research is critical. Below is a news release from the AHA.
Industry analysts say the market size of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals could generate up to $2 billion by the end of 2020 — and legal sales could earn up to $23 billion by 2025.
As scientists around the world scramble against the COVID-19 clock, searching for a vaccine that could stop the viral infection before it happens, a trio of experts on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have taken a different tack: overpowering the new mutation after it invades the body.
Note: This story is part of an ongoing series, "Pharmacists on the Front Lines," which highlights the work of CU pharmacists in the COVID-19 battle.
Even the most well-stocked hospital in the U.S. is not immune to an all-too-familiar consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic: drug shortages. As the FDA monitors the drug supply chain contributing to the supply disruptions and shortage of drug products, pharmacists in COVID-19 units are using their drug expertise to develop innovative solutions.
Note: This story was originally published in the Winter | Spring 2019 edition of Pharmacy Perspectives. Since its publication, Dr. Sandra Leal was named president-elect of the American Pharmacists Association.
When Sandra Leal was growing up in Nogales, Arizona, her family depended on pharmacists across the border in Mexico for medical care. Today, Dr. Leal,PharmD, MPH, FAPhA, CDE, has devoted most of her career to helping underserved, low-income patients access quality health care from pharmacists.
Since he was a teen, computers and pharmacy have fascinated Dean Marucci, PharmD, a 2018 graduate of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Thanks to a pivotal P4 rotation, he has found a job that blends both interests perfectly.
Pharmacy Perspectives, the magazine of the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, tells the stories of students, faculty and alumni — from discoveries in pharmaceutical sciences to innovations in patient care.
AURORA, Colo. – Health screenings can catch conditions early, helping patients avoid a condition’s worst consequences or even preventing it from developing altogether. Think of mammograms to catch breast cancer early or high blood pressure screening before a person has a stroke. Screening helps pre-symptomatic patients take actions to reduce their risk of a catastrophic outcome.
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Dean Ralph Altiere, PhD, is leading pharmacy education on an international scale with a new position with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
Pharmacists are playing a critical role in the response to the coronavirus pandemic. From the halls of hospitals to the counters of community pharmacies, they are caring for patients at every level of the pandemic. Faculty members at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences are no exception.
Eight people earned the first certificates awarded in Integrative Health and Medicine (IHM) by the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in spring 2019.
The IHM certificate is a nine-credit-hour, online program developed to provide any practicing health care professional or pharmacy student with a greater understanding of herbal medicines, non-botanical dietary supplements, and other related modalities in the treatment of human disease.
John Song is a third-year student at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences because chemotherapy gave his beloved cousin, Stephanie Maurer, extra time to live before she died of cancer at 34.
“She was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer and was expected to survive three months,” recalls Song. “Because of the chemotherapy she received, she lived for a full year and was able to experience the birth of her niece, hold her, and play with her.”
"Volunteering for the AHEC health screening booth at the National Western Stock Show has become one of my favorite volunteer opportunities thus far. I first volunteered last year as a first-year pharmacy student. As a first-year student, I jumped at the chance to have more direct patient care experiences and was excited to do so in such a fun environment like the stock show. This opportunity was more rewarding than I had hoped, and I volunteered again to participate in this year’s stock show. This year I not only was able to complete health screenings, but I also helped coordinate and administer donated flu vaccines.
Bringing resources directly to patients, such as free health screenings and free flu shots, helped reach a patient population that is often left underserved. I could not count the number of patients I spoke with that do not have a relationship with a primary care physician in their community or don’t see a doctor on a regular basis. Providing resources in a relaxed environment in which they are comfortable, helps us build rapport and create that first link with the healthcare system.
Approximately 280 4th graders from local elementary schools in Aurora visited campus over winter break to participate in the award-winning and ever-popular event called "Pharmacist for a Day." A spin-off of the Service Learning Program, this event is a way to engage youth in health education while providing pharmacy students the opportunity to develop their skills as healthcare professionals. Translating pharmacy education into something that is both accessible and meaningful to diverse groups of children proves to be a valuable exercise in effective communication.
"This program is a great opportunity to introduce kids and elementary school teachers alike to the field of pharmacy in a fun, safe environment,” said Patricia Meyer, IPPE Student Coordinator. “The kids really enjoy digging in to the science activities and while we don’t know if this translates into them pursuing pharmacy as a career, it’s always good to increase awareness of pharmacy as a health profession.”
Pharmacists will – and must – play key roles in tackling the world’s health challenges, Dr. Catherine Duggan, chief executive officer of the International Pharmaceutical Federation, said in her keynote address to the second Pharmacy Strategies for New Opportunities Worldwide (SNOW) Symposium in Breckenridge, Colo. on Jan. 25, 2019.
Dr. Duggan cited the World Health Organization’s 2019 list of global health issues ranging from the potential for an influenza pandemic to antimicrobial resistance to HIV to primary health care in her speech. “Pharmacy is absolutely front and center in all these challenges,” said Dr. Duggan, who recently became CEO of the federation, know as FIP for its French name Fédération Internationale Pharmaceutique.
The Colorado Legislature is back in session, and once again faculty from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences are working closely with lawmakers to provide their expertise on the opioid crisis.
The Skaggs School of Pharmacy is the home of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, which coordinates Colorado’s statewide response to the opioid epidemic. School of Pharmacy professor Robert Valuck, PhD, RPh, is the Consortium’s executive director, and he has helped lawmakers understand the crisis and provided them with reliable information for the past several years.
The Legislature convened in early January, and its agenda included bills that would expand medication-assisted treatment and create new law enforcement programs. "The bills the legislature passed last year and the ones it will consider this session will make an impact to Coloradans dealing with substance use disorder and help the public understand the risks of opioids,” Valuck said.
The Colorado Sun
March 18, 2024
“Everybody always says, ‘This is so cool, it’s the future of medicine,’” said Dr. Christina Aquilante, the director of pharmacogenomics at the Center for Personalized Medicine. “It’s not the future. It’s the now. It’s happening.”
NBC News
March 18, 2024
Dr. Robert Page, PharmD, appears on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt to discuss cannabis use and heart problems.
AARP
February 22, 2024
What’s the best over-the-counter pain medication? It depends on what hurts — and why. “If you can target the pain with a medication that treats the underlying cause, the pain relief will be better,” says Sunny Linnebur, PharmD.
Medscape
February 13, 2024
Adults using medical cannabis for chronic pain, especially those with cancer or cardiometabolic disease, have a slightly elevated risk of developing arrhythmia, according to an editorial by Robert Page, PharmD.
SOP Communications
