School of Pharmacy News & Media Center
The University of Mississippi

Pharmacy Students Recognize Faculty for Teaching Excellence

Posted on: October 1st, 2014 by enparson

May 21, 2014

POYTOY(regalia)

Erin Holmes (left), Debbie Minor, Richard ‘Buddy’ Ogletree and Soumyajit Majumdar

School of Pharmacy classes recognized their outstanding teachers and preceptors during commencement and awards day ceremonies this spring.

During commencement, students in the first year of the professional pharmacy program (PY1) honored Soumyajit Majumdar as their Teacher of the Year, and PY4 students receiving Doctor of Pharmacy degrees honored Debbie Minor as their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Preceptor of the Year and Richard “Buddy” Ogletree as their Introductory Practice Experience Preceptor of the Year.

During awards day, Erin R. Holmes and Ogletree received Teacher of the Year awards from the PY2 and PY3 classes, respectively.

Majumdar, an associate professor of pharmaceutics, teaches Basic Pharmaceutics I for the PY1 class.

“We voted Dr. Jit as our 2014 Teacher of the Year because he has always been approachable, passionate about teaching and ready to do anything within his power to help us,” said PY1 class president Paul White of Tupelo.

Minor and Ogletree both provide PY3 and PY4 students with introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences, or rotations, at the University Medical Center in Jackson. Minor, an associate professor of pharmacy practice based in the Hypertension Clinic, provides a required and elective rotation in ambulatory care. Ogletree, an assistant professor of pharmacy practice based in the Drug Information Center, provides drug information, adult medicine and institutional practice rotations.

“We are so thankful to have Dr. Minor as a preceptor,” said Pharm.D. class president Geremy Carpenter of Jackson. “She uses her words to persuade you into committing your free time to service projects, performing the initial questioning and physical assessment for patients during their visits, and motivates you to take the initiative to educate yourself on medications and studies that you aren’t familiar with.”

About Ogletree, Carpenter said, “He finds creative ways to tie in our learning experiences. He creates a stimulating learning environment where students can gain both knowledge and confidence.”

In addition to being a great teacher, Ogletree is a great information source, said PY3 class president Dillon Clark of Ripley.

“He provides us with a great basis upon which we can build our medication knowledge, and he cares about us. Before a big test, for example, he was at the school the night before, giving encouragement and making sure we had everything we needed.”

Holmes, an assistant professor of pharmacy administration, teaches a pharmacy law course for the PY2 class.

“Dr. Holmes brightens her classroom every day with her friendly face,” said PY2 class president Alexandre Pierre Raymond of St. Louis. “She keeps us encouraged through a tough curriculum and is always willing to go the extra mile to help her students.”