2014Report to the Community

B I L L G A T T O N

College of Pharmacy

National Champs!

E A S T T E N N E S S E E S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

2

3 Greetings from the Dean

4 Students win national title at Clinical Pharmacy Challenge

8 Faculty members part of major NIH-funded study

12 New research concentration added

14 Why Choose Gatton?

20 Bettie Wilson Scholarship formed, inaugural recipient named

22 Thank you: Gatton College of Pharmacy Honor Roll

Table of Contents

East Tennessee State University’s Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy

2014 Report to the Community

Dean

Larry Calhoun, PharmD

Executive Associate Dean

Michael Crouch, PharmD , FASHP, BCPS

Chair of Department of Pharmacy Practice

Ralph Lugo, PharmD

Chair of Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

David Roane, PhD

Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

Steve Ellis, MS

Director of Operations

Sherry Armitage, MA

Writing and Editing

Joe Smith ETSU Office of University Relations

Graphic Design

Andy Barnes

Principal Photography

Larry Smith, Charlie Warden and Jim Sledge

www.etsupharmacy.com

3

Table of Contents

Writing and Editing

Joe Smith ETSU Office of University Relations

Graphic Design

Andy Barnes

Principal Photography

Larry Smith, Charlie Warden and Jim Sledge

www.etsupharmacy.com

Greetings from the Dean

L A R R Y D . C A L H O U N

Monday, Oct. 14, 2013, was far from a typical Monday at the Gatton College of Pharmacy.

A group of students, faculty and staff joined me as we huddled around an office member’s computer anxiously

watching a live stream of the ACCP Clinical Pharmacy Challenge Championship from Albuquerque. This was a big day

for our college, as a team of students from ETSU who had begun the competition as one of 100 teams from across the

nation had successfully moved through the quarterfinal and semifinal matches and was now down to the final round.

Text messages from members of the audience were flooding in as we watched ETSU face off against St. John’s

University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. By the end of the competition, victory was ours as these students

from the Gatton College of Pharmacy were crowned as the 2013 champions.

Earning a national award like this is quite an accomplishment, especially for a college of pharmacy that, as of May

of this year, will have graduated only its fifth class of students. This competition is just one of many examples that

demonstrate the high caliber of students we have at the Gatton College of Pharmacy. Our graduates continue to

perform well on national licensure exams. From the Class of 2013, which is our most recent graduating class, 98.5

percent of our graduates passed the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination, or NAPLEX. That percentage

is higher than both the state and national averages of 96.9 percent and 95.3 percent, respectively. And, we also

exceeded the state and national average pass rates on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE)

with a 95 percent pass rate on that exam. Our highly successful performance on these national exams, which are

given to all pharmacy school graduates across the nation, clearly shows that graduates of the Gatton College of

Pharmacy are receiving an exceptional education and are well prepared to enter the profession of pharmacy practice.

Our educational curriculum will be further enhanced in the upcoming months as we

continue to develop international student exchange programs with other institutions

around the world. We now have five affiliation agreements with institutions in Ireland,

Scotland, and Hungary. These international experiences will allow our students to

understand health care delivery systems in other countries and to be exposed to both

inner city/metro and rural settings. This spring, the Gatton College is hosting a symposium

and will welcome representatives from these five schools as well as guests from other

international organizations. We anticipate that these conversations will result in additional

faculty and clinical practice exchange opportunities. All of this is very exciting, and I look

forward to updating you on our international exchange work in future community reports.

Another highlight of the 2013 year came late last fall when we held our first donor

appreciation dinner and said “thank you” to some of the many generous donors whose

fervent support has allowed the Gatton College to thrive and has already enabled more

than 240 students to realize their dream of becoming a pharmacist. When the Gatton

College was established nearly nine years ago – yes, can you believe it has been nine years – we were very unique

in that we were creating a college that was part of a state institution but was privately funded. Because of our loyal

supporters, that funding model has proven to be very successful, and we now have leaders from other institutions

across the nation approaching us interested in learning more about how our funding structure works.

We have been successful because of people like you. Thank you for helping make dreams become possible, and

thank you for being part of our story.

3

Photos: Use all if you can:

ACCPtrophy – disk 1

DrCluckwithgroup – disk 1

4

In the head-to-head championship match, the ETSU contingent of three fourth-year students – Brandon

Leeson of Indianapolis, Josh Whaley of Greeneville and Allie Torrence of Jefferson City – bested St. John’s

University School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, located in New York City. This quiz-bowl-like tournament

tests participants’ knowledge of clinical skills and pharmacotherapy.

The competition began in September 2013 with 100 teams representing schools of pharmacy around the

nation. The Gatton College of Pharmacy advanced through the early rounds and was one of eight schools

that qualified for the quarterfinals,

which began Saturday, Oct. 12, in

Albuquerque.

The ETSU team also included two

other fourth-year students, Chancey

Carothers of Kingston and Tracy

Carter of Saltville, Va., who served

as alternates. Dr. David Cluck, an

assistant professor of Pharmacy

Practice who is ETSU’s faculty liaison

to the ACCP, served as the team’s

faculty mentor.

Dr. Larry D. Calhoun, ETSU’s dean of

pharmacy, said many throughout the

College of Pharmacy building followed

the championship match over the

Internet and celebrated when the

outcome was settled.

“On behalf of the faculty, staff and students at the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, I am so proud of our team

and Dr. Cluck,” Calhoun said. “This is another instance that illustrates the fact that we have great students

and great faculty.”

A team of student

pharmacists from ETSU’s

Bill Gatton College of

Pharmacy captured the

national championship of

the American College of

Clinical Pharmacy-Clinical

Pharmacy Challenge, held

in October 2013.

National Champs!Gatton College of Pharmacy wins national title in Clinical Pharmacy Challenge

“This is another instance that illustrates the fact that we have great students and great faculty.”

DR. LARRY D. CALHOUNDean of the College of Pharmacy

5

The Gatton College of Pharmacy APhA-ASP chapter has achieved new heights on both the regional and

national level. During the Region 3 Midyear Regional Meeting in November 2013 in Birmingham, ETSU

celebrated the election of its second regional officer in our chapter’s history. Following Loren Kirk’s

election as the Region 3 delegate for 2012-2013, Will Beaty, Class of 2016, was elected as the 2013-

2014 Region 3 Member-At-Large.

Beaty will serve as an innovative and energetic connection

among 38 colleges of pharmacy, as well as the region’s

link to the national scene. In addition, two of ETSU’s

student pharmacists were selected to serve on two

National Standing Committees. Abby Surles, Class of

2015, will serve as one of four members from across

the country on the National Awards Standing Committee,

which is charged with reviewing all annual chapter

reports from more than 120 colleges of pharmacy,

and awarding all national and regional awards from

APhA-ASP. I will serve as the Vice-Chair of the National

Education Standing Committee, charged with reviewing

and innovating all community outreach and professional

development programs. Abby and I are the Gatton College

of Pharmacy’s first national position holders.

The Gatton College of Pharmacy APhA-ASP Chapter has

also been working to expand its professional development

and knowledge of policy. The chapter hosted a speaker

from the Tennessee Pharmacists Association to educate

members on the role of professional organizations.

Additionally, the chapter sponsored two resolutions at the

regional level this year. The first was sent directly to the National Policy Standing Committee for action,

and the second, in collaboration with Mercer University College of Pharmacy Chapter, was passed at

the Midyear Regional Meeting.

In addition to advocacy, the APhA-ASP is committed to community service through provision of patient

care. The focus of these events is education—on everything from diabetes and hypertension to

prescription drug abuse, medication adherence and self-care, as well as provision of flu immunizations.

Since June 2012, chapter members have conducted 70 educational and wellness events that reached

9,000 people. Additionally, direct services, such as vaccine administration, have been provided to

5,000 patients.

Impacting Pharmacy Education: The Bill Gatton Chapter of the American Pharmacists Association—Academy of Student PharmacistsBy Haley Trivett, Class of 2015, Chapter President

The month-long event began with an

official recognition from Johnson City

Mayor Ralph Van Brocklin, who presented

a proclamation during a City Commission

meeting.

Other activities included public education

events on colds, flu and diabetes; an

open house for pre-pharmacy students;

a screening of a documentary on drug

addiction; and a general health fair and

a flu clinic.

American Pharmacists Month is the

initiative of the American Pharmacists

Association (APhA), which strives

throughout the month to encourage

interaction between consumers and

their pharmacists, as well as to remedy

what it considers to be underutilization of

pharmacists as professional health care

providers.

According to APhA research, consumers who know their pharmacists are twice as likely to ask questions

about their medications – an important distinction considering the effect of medication misuse. Last year,

more than $290 billion was lost in the treatment of complications of 1.5 million cases of preventable,

medication-related adverse events, the APhA said.

The Gatton College of Pharmacy chapter of the American Pharmacist Association-

Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) represents the collective voice and

interests of student pharmacists. APhA-ASP is one of the most visible groups in the

college, with public initiatives in such areas as diabetes education, immunizations,

HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, and the deterrence of prescription drug abuse.

During the 2012-13 academic year, APhA-ASP participated in over 40 patient care

events. And now, with the American Pharmacists Month event, the chapter is adding

more to its list. Loren Kirk, a third-year student pharmacist, was one of the ETSU

organizers of American Pharmacists Month.

“The leadership of the APhA-ASP chapter looked to capture this momentum in a

productive outlet,” Kirk said. “The patient care activities were the direct result of this

outlet and the work of student pharmacists who are excited about their profession and motivated to help

patients improve their health, wellness and quality of life.”

6

October was American

Pharmacists Month, and

the student pharmacists

at the Gatton College of

Pharmacy took to the

streets with a number

of community outreach

projects designed to

promote awareness of the

profession.

Gatton College of Pharmacy celebrates American Pharmacists Month

W I L L B E AT Y H O L D S A P R O C L A M AT I O N P R E S E N T E D

B Y J O H N S O N C I T Y M AYO R R A L P H VA N B R O C K L I N .

77CARING for a

Community

T H E S T U D E N T N AT I O N A L P H A R M A C E U T I C A L A S S O C I AT I O N ( S N P H A ) ,

P H I D E LTA C H I A N D T H E P H A R M A C Y L E A D E R S H I P S O C I E T Y P H I

L A M B D A S I G M A J O I N E D TO G E T H E R I N T H E S P R I N G TO H E L P B U I L D A

H A B I TAT F O R H U M A N I T Y H O U S E I N K I N G S P O R T.

MEMBERS OF KAPPA PS I PHARMACEUT ICAL FRATERN ITY AND CHR IST IAN

PH ARMAC ISTS FELLOWSH IP INTERNAT IONAL WORKED TOGE THE R TO

D EL IVER “ BLESS ING BAGS” TO THE HOMELESS. ALL SUPPL IE S WE R E

PURCH A SED W ITH FUNDS RA ISED BY THE ORGAN IZAT IONS.

P H I L A M B D A S I G M A L E A D E R S H I P S O C I E T Y S P O N S O R E D

A W I N T E R C O AT D R I V E F O R H O M E L E S S C H I L D R E N .

T H E G AT TO N C H A P T E R O F K A P PA P S I R E C E I V E D T H E

P H I L A N T H R O P Y AWA R D F O R T H E AT L A N T I C P R O V I N C E F O R

T H E Y E A R .

M E M B E R S O F T H E S T U D E N T S O C I E T Y O F H E A LT H - S Y S T E M

P H A R M A C I S T S PA R T I C I PAT E I N A C O M M U N I T Y H E A LT H E D U C AT I O N FA I R .

8

Drawing on investigators from the colleges of Public Health,

Pharmacy and Medicine in the ETSU Academic Health Sciences

Center, an interdisciplinary team will target substance abuse

prevention through research on multiple fronts, while developing

additional research infrastructure at the university to address the

topic.

While prescription drug abuse is a problem nationwide, the Southern

Appalachian region is disproportionally affected. That makes this

initiative especially relevant to the region, said Dr. Robert Pack, who

is the principal investigator on the grant. Pack is a professor and

associate dean for Academic Affairs at the ETSU College of Public

Health.

Pack will work with four ETSU co-investigators, including Drs. Nick

Hagemeier and Jeff Gray, assistant professors of Pharmacy Practice

at the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy; Dr. Fred Tudiver, professor

of Family Medicine at the James H. Quillen College of Medicine;

and Dr. Arsham Alamian, assistant professor of Biostatistics and

Epidemiology at the College of Public Health.

The team will study how improving communication among health

care providers who prescribe drugs, pharmacists who dispense

them, and the patients who receive them can reduce illicit use of

prescription medicines. Hagemeier will lead a study that develops

and tests assessments that can be used to evaluate and strengthen

health care providers’ communication behaviors specific to

prescription drug abuse. Gray will lead the study that quantifies the

outcomes of community drug take-back events and drug donation

boxes where citizens can bring their old, expired, or left-over

medications. Removing substances with a potential for abuse from

households will benefit the community and the team is studying the

magnitude of this impact.

The team has assembled a wealth of state and national statistics that illustrate the crisis. One of the starkest

figures is the amount of hydrocodone prescribed for Tennesseans in 2010, which amounts to a veritable river

of pharmaceutical narcotics. There were 272 million doses of hydrocodone prescribed in Tennessee that year,

which is enough to supply 51 doses to every man, woman and child over the age of 12 in the state. In each

of the 14 counties east of Knoxville, there were more than 1.4 hydrocodone prescriptions written for every

person on average in 2011.

“Prescription drug abuse and misuse can be deadly,” Hagemeier stated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention reported last year that one person dies of an unintentional drug overdose every 19 minutes.

The impetus for the project grew from an ETSU prescription drug abuse/misuse working group that meets on

a regular basis and draws faculty, staff and students from throughout the university that are interested.

Two Gatton College of

Pharmacy professors

are part of a major, five-

year interprofessional

research program aimed

at battling prescription

drug abuse and misuse, a

problem that has reached

epidemic proportions. The

project is made possible

through a $2.2 million

grant awarded to ETSU by

the National Institute on

Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Targeting Prescription Drug AbusePharmacy professors participate in interprofessional project

N I C K H A G E M E I E R

J E F F G R AY

9

“Prescription drug abuse is undoubtedly complex, and no single profession will be able to tackle it alone,”

Hagemeier said. “The research we’re conducting here will help inform development of interventions that

benefit all health disciplines. Given ETSU’s focus on interprofessional endeavors and the number of folks here

who have an interest in this research area, we feel we’re capable of positioning ETSU’s Academic Health

Sciences Center as a national leader when it comes to prescription drug abuse prevention.”

The competition for NIH grants of this scale is strong, and Pack said there are multiple factors that weighed

in ETSU’s favor in the competition. Multiple research studies, continuing education and community outreach

projects related to prescription drug abuse are already in place at ETSU, and the university has an extensive

record of providing leadership in rural health policy, community partnerships and rural primary care research.

“Jeff and I are very excited about advancing research that will help health care professionals and their

communities advance prescription drug abuse prevention,” Hagemeier added.

“It is a pleasure to be an active participant in ETSU’s external funding efforts,” Gray said. “Sponsorship from

highly regarded and competitive entities such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests ETSU

has the capacity and innovation necessary to address such complex issues locally and nationally.”

A portion of the grant will allow for expanded efforts to address diversion and accidental poisonings through

guided disposal of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medication.

“Recognizing the volume of prescription medications dispensed to our residents annually, we desire to equip

those patients with information related to appropriate storage and disposal options for their medications,”

Gray added.

Dr. Wilsie Bishop, vice

president for Health

Affairs and university

chief operating officer,

lauded the work of the

ETSU research team.

“Interprofessional

collaboration is

important in how we

educate our students

and conduct our

research,” Bishop said,

“and it’s essential to us

achieving our mission

of making a difference

in the community and

region.” D R . N I C K H A G E M E I E R WA S A M O N G T H E K E Y N O T E P R E S E N T E R S AT

T H E A P PA L A C H I A N R E G I O N A L S U M M I T O N P R E S C R I P T I O N D R U G

A B U S E , H E L D O N T H E E T S U C A M P U S I N S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3 .

10

A year ago, the Generation Rx organization at the Gatton College of Pharmacy received a second-place national

award during the annual meeting of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-

ASP). The award recognized the students’ efforts to provide education and outreach activities on the dangers of

prescription drug misuse and abuse.

As part of their work, the students developed a “Provider Tool Kit” that included information and resources that

health care professionals can use in their practice settings to help prevent prescription drug abuse by appropriate

prescribing and monitoring.

Now those toolkits will be going into the hands of more health care providers, thanks to a grant from the Cardinal

Health Foundation.

Dr. Sarah Melton, associate professor of

Pharmacy Practice, is the faculty advisor for

the Generation Rx organization at Gatton and is

leading the grant project, which will take ETSU

students into schools and physician offices in

two rural Southwest Virginia counties.

“Our work is part of the Project Lazarus initiative which is a community-based initiative to

combat prescription drug abuse,” she said. “Through our grant, we will be educating health

care providers about appropriate prescribing. Student pharmacists will also be offering

training in the community on administration of intranasal naloxone, a medication used to

reverse opioid overdose.”

Melton said that Project Lazarus efforts are being conducted across several Southwest

Virginia counties, including Russell and Tazewell counties, which have high rates of overdose

death from prescription medications. Student pharmacists will be providing education

to middle and high school students in each county. They will also be providing outreach

activities to colleges in the region.

Understanding ways to prevent or intervene against prescription drug abuse is crucial for all

pharmacists, Melton believes.

“As pharmacists, we are on the front line,” she said. “We are the last provider that patients see before they take their medications home. We are uniquely

positioned to educate patients about the risks associated with misuse or abuse of the medications. It is important for pharmacists to have the skills to identify a

patient at risk for misuse, diversion, or substance use disorders and intervene as needed.”

The Gatton College is one of 26 non-profit organizations to be awarded funding nationally. Consideration is given to programs that are specifically focused on

increasing awareness of the dangers of misusing and abusing prescription medications and to those that educate communities about the proper use and disposal

of prescription drugs.

Preventing prescription drug abuse is one of the key strategic priorities of the Cardinal Health Foundation. Since 2009, the Cardinal Health Foundation has

partnered with The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy to develop four GenerationRx toolkits — comprehensive suites of materials designed to help health

care providers, pharmacists, parents, teachers and other concerned citizens educate teen and adult audiences about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

A fifth toolkit focused on medication safety for elementary-age children will be launched in 2014. These toolkits can be downloaded free of charge at

www.CardinalHealth.com/GenerationRx.

Cardinal Health Foundation awards grant to ETSU Grant will support efforts to educate community, promote awareness of growing epidemic

S A R A H M E LTO N

“As pharmacists, we are on the front line. We are the last provider that patients see before they take their

medications home. We are uniquely positioned to educate patients about

the risks associated with misuse or abuse of the medications. It is

important for pharmacists to have the skills to identify a patient at

risk for misuse, diversion, or substance use disorders and

intervene as needed.”

SARAH MELTON

And, in recent years, the Gatton College has also helped prepare pharmacists

to serve in academic positions. In fact, two recent graduates of ETSU’s

pharmacy residency programs have now joined the College of Pharmacy

faculty.

Dr. Jessica Freshour was a member of the Class of 2010 and completed a

PGY1 residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville,

followed by a PGY2 residency in internal medicine with a secondary

emphasis in academia at the Gatton College of Pharmacy.

Class of 2011 alumna Dr. McKenzie Calhoun was a PGY1 resident at the VA

Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Nashville. She too completed a PGY2

residency in ambulatory care at the Gatton College.

Freshour and Calhoun now serve as assistant professors in the Department

of Pharmacy Practice.

Dr. Jennifer Sorah is a PGY2 ambulatory care pharmacy resident and a

clinical instructor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. Sorah was born

and raised in Bristol and attended ETSU for her pre-pharmacy coursework

and completed her Doctor of Pharmacy at McWhorter School of Pharmacy

at Samford University in Birmingham. Upon graduating in May 2012, she

completed a PGY1 residency at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in

Memphis. Her clinical interests include geriatrics and cardiovascular risk

reduction, as well as academia.

Dr. Robert Wood is a PGY2 internal medicine pharmacy resident and a clinical

instructor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. Originally from Knoxville,

Wood earned his associate’s degree in pre-pharmacy at Walters State

Community College in Morristown. He attended the Bill Gatton College of

Pharmacy and graduated in May 2012. He then completed a PGY1 pharmacy

practice residency at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

His interests include oncology, cardiology, psychiatry, infectious diseases,

research, and academia.

Residency Graduates Move to Faculty Positions at ETSU

Gatton Welcomes New Residents

When the Gatton College

of Pharmacy was founded

in 2005, it was established

with the mission to prepare

pharmacists for service

in rural areas. Since the

graduation of the first class

in 2010, the school has

remained true to

that mission.

J E S S I C A F R E S H O U R

D R . J E N N I F E R S O R A H

M C K E N Z I E C A L H O U N

D R . R O B E R T W O O D

11

In the current academic year, a total of 58 students,

representing more than 25 percent of the eligible student

body, have enrolled in research electives with one of the 15

faculty members who offer this opportunity. As a direct result

of their research involvement, a number of students have

presented posters at national meetings and several have

published and co-authored manuscripts. One student even

spent several months this past fall at the National Institutes

of Health studying the neuronal basis of addiction. While most

students at Gatton pursue traditional careers in community

or hospital pharmacy, many recognize the value of laboratory

and clinical research in providing additional educational

opportunities that develop their critical and analytical thinking

skills as well as their writing and presentation skills.

This opportunity to enroll in a research elective has become so popular over the last several years that the

college now offers a Concentration in Pharmacy Research (CPRx). This program, which serves as an added

credential upon graduation, recognizes PharmD students who have demonstrated excellence in research.

The CPRx provides students with the means to differentiate themselves from other graduates, and it

increases their competitiveness for positions in residencies and post-graduate fellowships. The concentration

outlines a curriculum that enables participating students to add an “Award for Excellence in Research” to

their transcripts by completing a total of 12 credit hours of research courses, including a capstone experience

of submitting a manuscript for publication based on their work. The CPRx program places the GCOP in a

unique echelon of pharmacy schools, and enables GCOP graduates to distinguish their scholastic records to

most effectively compete for the best jobs in pharmacy.

Approved by the Faculty Council in 2013, the CPRx already has a total of 10 participants, most of whom

have earned more than half of the credits needed for the special distinction. The inaugural student in the

program, Chelsea Phillips, is working with Dr. Nick Hagemeier in Pharmacy Practice to study social and

behavioral aspects of prescription drug abuse as part of

an interprofessional team of researchers at ETSU that was

awarded a $2.2 million grant by the National Institutes

of Health. Other students include Amy Redmond, paired

with faculty member Dr. Stacy Brown in Pharmaceutical

Sciences, Hei Yin Tsui, working on cancer pharmaceuticals

with Dr. Victoria Palau, and Chris Conder, who has completed

a four-month state-of-the-art research project with Dr.

Geoff Schoenbaum at the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Additionally, CPRx students will be giving oral and poster

presentations every spring at the ETSU Appalachian Student

Research Forum. Each year, the event selects winners for the

best oral platform presentation and best poster presentation.

This past year, the Gatton College of Pharmacy had an

impressive showing with 30 students participating in the

Gatton Students Eagerly Pursue Research Opportunities

12

With a growing desire

to augment the value

of their professional

education, Gatton

College of Pharmacy

(GCOP) students are

increasingly pursuing

opportunities to work

alongside faculty

members on their

ongoing research

projects.

C H R I S C O N D E R A N D G R A C E C A M P B E L L P R E S E N T

T H E I R F I N D I N G S AT A N AT I O N A L P H A R M A C Y M E E T I N G .

A M Y R E D M O N D W I T H H E R 3 R D

P L A C E - W I N N I N G P O S T E R AT T H E

2 0 1 3 A S R F.

annual Research Forum. Notably, GCOP student Haley Trivett, who worked with

Gatton faculty member Dr. Brooks Pond, won the award for best oral presentation;

Chris Conder in the laboratory of Dr. Chuck Collins was second. Impressively,

Jessica Bentley, who also worked in the laboratory of Dr. Pond, won the award for

best poster; Hei Yin Irene Tsui with Dr. Palau came in second and Amy Redmond

with Dr. Brown won third prize. Gatton pharmacy students have quickly made their

mark on the ETSU Health Sciences Campus with their participation in this annual

research event.

The growing number of students who desire a research experience while at GCOP,

as well as the successful launch of the CPRx program in 2013, has created a

unique student-driven opportunity. In order to facilitate organization and execution

of this growing program, an oversight committee has been formed to aid in student

progress, retention and recruitment. The number of courses approved for credit

in the CPRx has increased to include PhD-level courses such as “Advanced Drug

Metabolism,” which helps to provide an increased competitive footing for GCOP

graduates. The overall goal of the concentration is to foster student mastery of the

knowledge and skills needed to apply basic and clinical knowledge and scholarship

to the practice of pharmacy. The Gatton College of Pharmacy faculty are confident

that these research experiences will not only make Gatton graduates more

competitive, but will make them better pharmacists who are equipped to meet the

changing health care needs of the citizens of northeast Tennessee and beyond.

13

Congratulations to Dean Larry Calhoun, who completed a highly successful term as Chairman of the Board of the Johnson City/Jonesborough/

Washington County Chamber of Commerce during the 2013 year. Dean Calhoun has been with the Chamber of Commerce for a number of years and will continue to serve on the executive

leadership team as Past-Chairman.

C H E L S E A P H I L L I P S , I N A U G U R A L S T U D E N T I N

T H E C P R X , W I T H P O S T E R P R E S E N TAT I O N AT A

N AT I O N A L P H A R M A C Y M E E T I N G .

J E S S I C A B E N T L E Y A N D FA R R A H S Y N D E R W I T H T H E

W I N N I N G P O S T E R AT T H E 2 0 1 3 A S R F.

A unique mission“To develop progressive pharmacists that improve health care, focusing on rural and underserved

communities”

Vibrant student lifeParticipate in a wide range of pharmacy fraternities, clubs, committees, and organizations, including

the national award-winning chapter of Generation Rx

Quality faculty and staff Well-trained faculty members with extensive experience, and a college-wide open-door approach to

education and administration

Distinctive learning environmentSmall class sizes and one-on-one availability with faculty advisors contribute to a family environment

and a focus on learning

Interprofessional education Students from five colleges work collaboratively as members of the Academic Health Sciences

Center at ETSU

Individualize your training• ELECTIVES AND APPES

Tailor your education by choosing electives and APPE rotations that prepare you for your career,

such as independent pharmacy ownership

• CONCENTRATION IN PHARMACY RESEARCH

• CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

• Immunizations

• Medication Therapy Management

• DUAL DEGREES

• PharmD/MPH

• PharmD/MBA

Why choose Gatton?

14

15

Gatton College of Pharmacy researcher builds a Trojan horse to battle cancer

The Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy’s

Class of 2017

15

The beginning of a new journey…

16

…and the ending of another journey

The Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy’s

Class of 2013

Hooding Ceremony - May 10, 2013

17

The Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy’s

Class of 2013

18

Class of 2010Joshua Arrington recently accepted an offer from Catamaran Pharmacy Benefits Management which is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Joshua serves as the clinical consultant for the state of South Carolina.

Rachel Hanners transferred jobs last year and is now working as an Acute Care clinical pharmacist at the Lexington VA Medical Center in Lexington, KY. Rachel serves a preceptor for the Gatton College of Pharmacy.

Aaron Hartley still works for Walgreens and became pharmacy manager in one of the Madison, TN, stores in April.

Melissa McCall, who has been working as Pharmacy manager for Food City store #657 in Kingsport since May 2011, received an MBA from Milligan College in December 2013.

Emily Phipps Price is now Pharmacy Manager at a Walgreens store in Bristol, TN.

Tim Rowe recently became owner of Rowe’s Pharmacy in Kingsport, TN, and was elected as President of the First District Pharmaceutical Association.

Paige Sholes, who continues to work as a consultant pharmacist at Pharmacy Network Services in Johnson City, was elected the secretary/treasurer of Tennessee Pharmacists Association’s long-term care society in 2013.

Brooke Crawford Stayer last helped found the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee at Holston Valley Medical Center in the summer of 2013 and now serves as Co-Chair. Brooke also obtained Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy in the fall of 2013.

Dan Kincaid and fellow classmate Kaleb Miller recently completed the opening of a new pharmacy for Ingles Grocery in Johnson City. Dan is also serving as the medical coordinator for the State of Franklin Civil Defense League.

Class of 2011Jennifer Aiken was promoted to Pharmacy Manager at Publix Store #1116 in Nashville, TN, in April 2013.

Ivy Clark was promoted to Pharmacy Manager for a Kroger Pharmacy in November 2013.

Kenny Dyer was elected Secretary/Treasurer-Elect for the Tennessee Society of Health-System Pharmacists and earned board certification in pharmacotherapy (BCPS).

Rebecca Vaden Englehardt was selected for participation in the Emerging Leader Program for CVS which places her on track to become pharmacy supervisor.

Zach Frye was elected Chair of the Tennessee Society of Chain Pharmacists representing chain pharmacists across the state for the Tennessee Pharmacists Association.

Monica Griffin, in addition to her duties as Pharmacy Manager at CVS #3723 in Oak Ridge, TN, provides long-term care consultation services in the Knoxville area through Clinical Management Concepts based out of Johnson City.

Trever Tummins is now employed with Network Health Care in Franklin,TN.

Class of 2012Melanie Angles Crass is currently the pharmacy manager of a 24-hour Walgreens in Tampa, FL. Her store operates a health care clinic and specializes in HIV therapies and compounding.

Corrine Edwards recently started a new position in clinical pharmacy as a Medication Therapy Management pharmacist at Physicians Pharmacy Alliance in Cary, NC. She reports that it is a great job and that she loves to go to work every day.

Bobby Lewis is now employed by Food City pharmacy and serves as the Pharmacy manager for the store in Kodak, a top five store in the company.

Kimberly Henson was promoted to Pharmacist-In-Charge at CVS store #7745 Ringgold, GA.

Ryan Love is now the Pharmacist-In-Charge of CVS store 5592 in Mars Hill, NC.

Tyler Melton is now the Pharmacy Manager at the Walmart in Sylva, NC.

Phillip O’Bourke was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the United States Commissioned Corps.

Sara Weidert completed a Pharmacy Practice PGY1 at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in May 2013 and took a Clinical Pharmacist position at Ministry St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield, WI, where she has been working as an ICU and ER pharmacist. She also became BCPS certified in June 2013.

Robert Wood is currently completing a PGY2 Residency in Internal Medicine at the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, Johnson City. Additionally, he holds an adjunct faculty appointment with Walters State Community College’s Pharmacy Technician Program’s Advisory Committee where he is actively involved in curricular revision to transform the certificate program into an associate’s degree program.

Christan Thomas, who is completing a PGY-2 Residency in Oncology at New York Presbyterian Hospital, has accepted an offer to join the faculty at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Class of 2013Niki Blevins is working on a CMS-funded grant program known as IHARP (Improving Health of at-risk Rural Patients). The purpose of IHARP, which was awarded to Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in partnership with Aetna Healthcare and VCU College of Pharmacy, is to improve health outcomes for patients throughout Southwest Virginia. Niki provides transition care for patients enrolled in the hospital as well as direct care services through affiliated primary care clinics.

Rebecca Carlson is now the Pharmacy Manager at Bryson City Pharmacy and was promoted to Pharmacist-in-Charge in November.

Rebekah L. Loden is currently working at two pharmacies in her hometown area. Her primary position is as Pharmacist-in-Charge for Midtown Professional Pharmacy in Harriman, TN, but she also performs relief work at Live and Let Live Drug Store in Rockwood, TN.

Lindsy Stone recently accepted a staff position as the overnight pharmacist for 24-hr Walgreens in Kingsport, TN.

Rob Winter was made a Pharmacy Manager for Walgreens in Texas in October 2013.

Lauren Stanton recently began employment as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with Morristown Hamblen Healthcare System, which is part of Covenant Health of East Tennessee. Lauren still remains true to her community pharmacy roots by working part time for Walgreens.

Class Notes

19

Gatton College of Pharmacy student Rhett Byrne has been chosen as the inaugural recipient of

the Bettie Wilson Pharmacy Leadership Scholarship.

The scholarship endowment is the result of the “Thirty-Day Salute to Bettie Wilson” fundraising campaign, which began in late November 2013 and exceeded

its goal of $10,000 in less than 30 days. To date, $32,655 in gifts and pledges have been received from 109 donors, including a

matching gift of $10,000 from Wilson’s family. Dianne Duncan, a member of Wilson’s pharmacy school class and the scholarship

campaign steering committee, led the effort to raise funds from classmates in the

University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy Class of 1965.

To be eligible for the Wilson Pharmacy Leadership Scholarship, an applicant must

be a rising second-, third- or fourth-year pharmacy student; have a grade point

average of 3.0 or greater; and have demonstrated commitment to the profession of

pharmacy and the Gatton College of Pharmacy.

“When the dean called to let me know about the scholarship, I was speechless,”

Byrne said. “Bettie Wilson has done so much for our college and the state of

Tennessee, and to have my name associated with hers is the highest honor.”

Wilson is a local pharmacist who retired in 2009 after 42 years in the field. She

was employed by Mountain States Health Alliance from 1972 until her retirement,

holding such positions as associate director and department director of the

Johnson City Medical Center pharmacy, as well as system services director for all

MSHA hospital pharmacies. She was named the 1998 Hospital Pharmacist of the

Year by the Tennessee Society of Health System Pharmacists for her service to the

profession.

“The phenomenal success of the ‘Salute to Bettie’ is a direct result of her many

leadership contributions to the profession, to the Gatton College of Pharmacy,

and to the many individuals she mentored throughout her career,” said Dr. Larry

Calhoun, dean of the college. “We appreciate every donor who contributed to the

endowment as a lasting tribute to Bettie Wilson.”

Byrne is a fourth-year pharmacy student at ETSU who plans to graduate in May. He earned his bachelor’s degree

in business in 2008 at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and completed his pharmacy prerequisites at ETSU

while working for Wilson Pharmacy in Johnson City from 2008-2010.

Byrne is the only student to be elected class president for all four years at the Gatton College of Pharmacy. As president, he has served as a liaison between his

class and administration, and helped shape administrative responses to various student issues and suggestions.

He was a member of the student leadership council that founded the Association of Interprofessional Health Students, the first student organization of its kind in

the nation. He also helped lead the student prologue for the Interprofessional Education Pilot Program during the 2012-13 academic year.

A mentor to first-year pharmacy students, Byrne has served as a Student Ambassador for the college, representing it to various constituents. He is also a member

and former officer of the Gatton Chapter of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists, a delegate to the Tennessee Society of

Student Pharmacists, and a member of the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society.

Tax-deductible gifts to the Bettie Wilson Pharmacy Leadership Scholarship Endowment may be made online at www.etsu.edu/give.

ETSU pharmacy student Rhett Byrne named first Bettie Wilson Scholarship recipient

20

B E T T I E W I L S O N

R H E T T B Y R N E

“Bettie Wilson has done so much

for our college and the state of Tennessee, and

to have my name associated with

hers is the highest honor.”

RHETT BYRNE

Snapshots!

21

T H E G AT TO N C O L L E G E O F P H A R M A C Y S A I D “ T H A N K YO U ” TO T H E M A N Y L OYA L S U P P O R T E R S O F T H E C O L L E G E

D U R I N G T H E D E A N ’ S S O C I E T Y D I N N E R , T H E F I R S T A N N U A L D O N O R D I N N E R O N W E D N E S D AY, N O V. 2 0 .

T H E C O L L E G E J O I N E D E T S U F I R S T L A D Y D O N N A N O L A N D A S M E M B E R S O F PA R T N E R S I N

E X C E L L E N C E V I S I T E D T H E G AT TO N C O L L E G E O F P H A R M A C Y

22

Thank You to Our DonorsDean’s Society Platinum IV$4,000,000 to $4,999,999 CumulativeBill Gatton FoundationBill Gatton

Dean’s Society Gold$500,000 to $999,999 CumulativeBlue Cross Blue Shield of TN Health FoundationEstate of Fred Brumit, Sam Brumit, ExecutorCardinal HealthCity of Johnson CityEastman Chemical CompanyJohnson City Power BoardMountain States Health AllianceWellmont Health SystemGeorge* and Lillian Yount

Dean’s Society Silver$100,000 to $499,999 CumulativeAppalachian Regional CommissionBank of Tennessee/Carter County Bank/William B. Greene

FoundationBranch Banking & Trust/BB&TClinical Management Concepts Guy B. Wilson, Jr. & Debra WilsonMitch Cox Realtor, Inc. Mitch & Barbara CoxDecanter Machine, Inc. Jim & Sandy PowellEast Tennessee State University FoundationEastman Credit UnionFirst Tennessee BankFood City/K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. Steve SmithHealth Alliance PHOC. L. “Buddy” & June Ann JonesLaughlin Memorial Hospital, Inc.Philip E. & Barbara McManus

Scott M. & Nikki NiswongerBeulah Snyder Rose Foundation Joseph C. SnyderState of Franklin Bank/A Division of Jefferson Federal BankSullivan County, TennesseeWashington County, TennesseeNathan Yokum Trust

Dean’s Society Bronze$50,000 to $99,999 CumulativeAtmos Energy CorporationCapital BankCitizens Bank Tri-CitiesJohnson City/Jonesborough/Washington County Economic

Development BoardJohnson City PressKing Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Pharmacy Plus Programs David PesterfieldK. Newton & Carmen RaffRegions FoundationThomas Construction Company, Inc.Shirley B. Underwood*WalgreensEleanor E. Yoakum

Dean’s Society$10,000 to $49,999 CumulativeAmerisource BergenBrookside Pharmacy Nelden C. McCortLarry D. & Kathryn K. CalhounCentral Drug Store Cindy B. FisherCumulus Media, Inc.Citi CardsClayton Family FoundationCorley’s Pharmacy Alan Corley

Martha S. CulpCumulus MediaCVS Caremark Charitable TrustJaney DiehlStanley K. & Christy Dunbar/Moody Dunbar, Inc.Frontier HealthGreater Eastern Credit UnionGlen E. HallPatricia G. HollandHolston Medical GroupWilliam L. & Kathryn JenkinsH. Johnson’s Pharmacy Richard A. & Sandra ShumakerTravis* & Linda KellerRichard A. & Lois A. Manahan FamilyJerry L. & Emma Lee MillerNuclear Fuel Services, Inc.Olde Towne Pharmacy, Inc. Kent WalkerPeter C. & Leslie PanusPeoples Community BankRobert M. & Carol M. PlummerJames E. RheinRowe’s Pharmacy Eddie & Dot RoweCarol P. & Patrick SloanJohn P. Squibb, Sr.* & Martha SquibbSunTrust BankTakoma Regional HospitalRichard C. TetrickMike & Debbie ThomasJohn D. & Ann M. TickleWalmart Health and WellnessBarry J. WaltonBettie K. WilsonThe Wilson FamilyEllen Wilhoit Offutt

* indicates deceased

Gatton College of Pharmacy Cumulative Giving Levels Through December 31, 2013

Annual Gifts & Pledge Payments Received from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013

$100,000 to $499,999City of Johnson City

$50,000 to $99,999Johnson City Power BoardMountain States Health Alliance

$25,000 to $49,999Jefferson Federal Charitable Foundation

$10,000 to $24,999BB&TClinical Management ConceptsLaughlin Memorial Hospital, Inc.Mitch Cox, RealtorPeter C. PanusPharmacy Plus ProgramsWalgreens

$5,000 to $9,999Johnson City PressRegions Foundation

$2,500 to $4,999Estate of Shirley B UnderwoodTravis* & Linda Keller

$1,000 to $2,499Olde Towne Pharmacy, Inc.Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. ShumakerWalMart Health and Wellness

$500 to $999Dr. Jerrie S. Bowers & Mr. James SchweitzerDr. & Mrs. Larry D. CalhounCentral Drug StoreMr. Randall R. Merritt & Mrs. Brenda E. MerrittMr. & Mrs. D. Christopher MetzgerMs. Margaret R. MooreDr. Walter B. Thompson & Dr. Beverly Thompson

$250 to $499Dr. Bonnie L. BurchettCorley’s PharmacyDr. William B. Greer & Mrs. Edwina Y. GreerMs. Carol B. JohnsonMs. Helen D. McCraryMylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Mr. Larry L. & Mrs. E. Shea Renfro

$100 to $249Mr. & Mrs. John D. BadgettMrs. Janet P. BanksBerry’s Pharmacy, Inc.Dr. & Mrs. Chester BlankenshipDr. McKenzie L. CalhounSteven R. & Rebecca CampbellFrancie T. & Lester W. CannonDr. Charles C. CollinsMs. Maria D. Costa

Mr. James Crowell & Dr. Marion R. CrowellEli Lilly & Company FoundationEmmett & Sally EssinFirst District Pharmaceutical Assoc.Gillenwater Chiropractic CenterDr. John W. GilliamGray Pharmacy Inc.Mr. & Mrs. Timothy L. LingerfeltMr. A. Keith LivingstonMr. William M. MillerMoore’s PharmacyMr. & Mrs. Ted PateMr. & Mrs. Wade H. PowellRogersville Professional PharmacyDr. Nancy H. Scherrer & Dr. Paul Scherrer

up to $99Mr. & Mrs. Carl H. BennettDr. Rachel E. HannersDr. Sara Miranda KiselauskasDr. Benjamin R MichaloveDr. Amy M. PerkinsRowe’s PharmacyMr. & Mrs. Dillard M. Sholes IIIDr. & Mrs. Herman A. Stribling, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Harry D. VickDr. Thomas W. Weller

Please note that this listing includes those who have made annual gifts and pledge payments, for the period indicated, and does not represent cumulative giving to the college.

The AHSC at ETSUStrength in interprofessional education

Dr. Brian Noland is the ninth president of ETSU. Before

he became president of ETSU in January 2012, he served five

years as chancellor for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy

Commission. Prior to that, he worked at the Tennessee Higher

Education Commission from 1998-2006 and served as associate

executive director for THEC before leaving his post for West Virginia.

Noland received his doctoral degree in political science from

the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Noland earned both his

master’s and bachelor’s degrees from West Virginia University.

Dr. Wilsie Bishop is ETSU’s university chief operating

officer, and, as vice president for Health Affairs, has oversight of the

Academic Health Sciences Center. She recently completed a term on

the board of directors for the Association of Academic Health Centers.

Bishop has been a tenured professor since 1983 and previously

served as dean of the ETSU College of Public and Allied Health. She

earned graduate degrees in education and public administration as

well as her doctor of public administration from the University of

Southern California. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees

in nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2013, Dr. Bishop

was inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame.

East Tennessee State University’s Bill Gatton College of PharmacyOur MissionTo develop progressive pharmacists that improve healthcare, focusing on rural and underserved communities

The College accomplishes this mission by:

• Providing outstanding education with emphasis on interprofessional training • Conducting innovative research and scholarship

• Developing and delivering exceptional direct patient care • Engaging and serving the university, community, and profession

Our college is a proud member of the Academic Health Sciences Center at ETSU, which includes the James H. Quillen College of Medicine, the College of

Nursing, the College of Public Health, and the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences.

Learn more about our college and our university at these websites:

www.etsupharmacy.com • www.etsu.edu

East Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution and is fully in accord with the belief that educational and employment opportunities should be available to all eligible persons without regard to age, gender, color, race, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. TBR 260-146-13 1.2M

2323

2424

Painting by Nancy Jane Earnest. A framed image was presented to

Mr. Bill Gatton (accepted on his behalf by Chris Lee) during the

dean’s society dinner, the Gatton College of Pharmacy’s first annual

Donor Dinner on Nov. 20. See Page 21.