UM Pharmacy Alumna Recognized for Contributions to Medication Use Process

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy is celebrating alumna Hillary Blackburn and fourth-year student pharmacist Laney Murff for accepting the 2024 Pinnacle Award on behalf of Dispensary of Hope in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Pinnacle Award is presented by the American Pharmacists Association to celebrate significant contributions to the medication use process leading to enhancements such as increasing patient adherence, reducing adverse drug events, promoting the use of national treatment guidelines, improving patient outcomes and enhancing communication among members of the health care team.

Blackburn is the chief pharmacy officer for Dispensary of Hope, which has been actively operating and building a national model of medication access for the most vulnerable for more than a decade. The organization comprises a network of dispensing sites focused on a shared mission to provide vital medication access to low income and uninsured individuals across the U.S.

Blackburn has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of pharmacists through mentorship and engagement. She served as a mentor to Murff and engaged her in co-writing the application for the award. Murff accompanied Blackburn to Washington, D.C. to accept the award.

“Their commitment to serving their communities exemplifies our core values and commitment to excellent patient-centered care,” said Donna Strum, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “We are proud of our alumni and student pharmacists for making a difference in patient care.”