Pharmacy Administration News

Pharmacy Professor Honored with Elsie M. Hood Teaching Award

April 8, 2022

OXFORD, Miss. – With a passion for statistics and commitment to student learning, John Bentley, professor of pharmacy administration at the University of Mississippi, is the winner of the 2022 Elsie M. Hood Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.

This award recognizes one Ole Miss professor each year who embodies teaching excellence and exceptional student engagement.

Pharmacy Administration Faculty Awarded Grant to Study Opioid Tapering

March 17, 2022

OXFORD, Miss. – Faculty members of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmacy Administration have received a grantthrough the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

Titled “Safety and Effectiveness of Opioid Tapering Among Older Adults,” the $432,303 grant will allow researchers to study older adults who are using long-term opioids to manage chronic pain.

Rosenthal to Serve as Speaker for TEDxUniversityofMississippi Event

February 14, 2022

OXFORD, Miss. – Meagen Rosenthal is one of eight exciting speakers who will explore ‘New Avenues’ in the arts and sciences for the seventh annual TEDxUniversityofMississippi, set for Feb. 22 at the University of Mississippi.

The in-person event begins at 7 p.m. in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are free but must be reserved through the Ford Center Box Office, phone 662-915-7411.

School of Pharmacy Partners with Takeda Pharmaceuticals on Fellowship

November 12, 2021

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. have established a new fellowship that will help pharmacy administration students enrolled at the university to gain valuable industry experience in a real-world setting.

Takeda is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, with a long history in research and development of patient treatments. The company employs approximately 47,000 people, including more than 19,000 in the United States.

Rosenthal to Lead Magee Institute

October 8, 2021

OXFORD, Miss. – Meagen Rosenthal, associate professor of pharmacy administration, research associate professor in RIPS, accomplished researcher and leader in community well-being and engagement, has been named the inaugural interim executive director of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi.

“We are fortunate to have a leader of Dr. Rosenthal’s caliber on campus to lead us through development of a plan build an institute focused on improving, if not saving, lives,” said Natasha Jeter, UM assistant vice chancellor for wellness and student success. “Engaging with stakeholders, including alumni, students, faculty, staff and professionals in well-being fields is the backbone of this work, and Dr. Rosenthal is uniquely qualified.”

Congratulations to Our 2021 – 2022 Department Award Winners!

Siddhi Korgaonkar – Farlow Fellowship Award
Hyllore Imeri & Irene Nsiah – Research Paper of the Year Award
Irene Nsiah – MME Fellow
Swarnali Goswami – Terence E. Downer Scholarship

Siddhi Korgaonkar

Hyllore Imeri and Irene Nsiah

Irene Nsiah

Swarnali Goswami

Faculty Feature: Joseph Dikun

September 28, 2021

Joseph Dikun is no stranger to the University of Mississippi and the School of Pharmacy. He has been a graduate student at the university for several years, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in pharmacy administration.

This year, he also became one of the school’s newest faculty members. Dikun now serves as an instructional assistant professor of pharmacy administration, as his role helps educate a new generation of student pharmacists.

Faculty Receive First Science Education Partnership Award

August 9, 2021

OXFORD, Miss. – A team of University of Mississippi faculty members has received a prestigious $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Science Education Partnership Award program.

This is the first SEPA grant awarded to the university. It brings together faculty from across the university to participate in Project SCORE, which stands for Student Centered Outcomes Research Experience.

Pharmacy Alumnus Honors Former School Administrators with Scholarship

July 23, 2021

OXFORD, Miss. — Of those who crossed paths with University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy administrators Charles Hartman and Mickey Smith, many will say what a great impact each had on their lives and careers. David Newton is one of those who is quick to note the influence each had on him personally.

As a result, Newton is making a difference for future pharmacists and educators with the Raye R. and David S. Newton Scholarship Endowment. This unique gift will help students in both the UM School of Pharmacy and School of Education.

Graduate Student Council Research Grants Further Range of Research

July 2, 2021

OXFORD, Miss. – With projects ranging from service robots in the hospitality and tourism industries to a novel treatment of dry eye disease to relationship ghosting, 20 University of Mississippi graduate students are exploring a range of research and creative scholarship as recent recipients of Graduate Student Council Research Grants.

The $1,000 grants, funded by the university’s Graduate School and Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, or ORSP, will support projects that contribute to the university’s research mission while also helping the students develop their research and grant-writing skills.

Faculty, Researchers Honored by School of Pharmacy

June 11, 2021

OXFORD, Miss. — The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy recognized four of its faculty members for their excellence in and commitment to teaching, service and research during its annual faculty retreat.

“Our stellar faculty and research scientists go above and beyond to advance the mission of our school and profession,” said David D. Allen, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “It’s truly a privilege to have the opportunity to recognize their efforts.”

Donna Strum Named Interim Dean at School of Pharmacy

May 25, 2021

OXFORD, Miss. — Donna Strum, associate provost and professor of pharmacy administration at the University of Mississippi, will serve as interim dean of the School of Pharmacy and executive director of the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences effective July 1.

Strum steps in for David D. Allen, current dean of the pharmacy school, who was named president of the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. A national search for the permanent position will be forthcoming with the search committee being finalized and appointed in the coming weeks.

ISPOR Student Chapter Takes Top Group Honors

The University of Mississippi ISPOR Student Chapter earned first place as the top Outstanding Chapter Award for the 2020-2021 year. Learn more about the chapter on the school’s website or visit the group’s Facebook page.

PharmChats: Dr. Mickey C. Smith

We spoke with Dr. Mickey C. Smith, F.A.P. Barnard Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy Administration, about his extensive career in pharmacy and academia, as well as his years as a faculty member with the Department of Pharmacy Administration.

UM Professor Named to Board of National Pharmacy Foundation

November 23, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. — John Bentley, a professor of pharmacy administration and director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, has been named to the Board of Directors of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education.

AFPE is the oldest pharmacy foundation in the country. It was founded in 1942 to support pharmaceutical education in the United States. The organization funds numerous scholarships and grants that benefit researchers and academics within the pharmacy profession.

Isom Center Welcomes New Fellows

September 7, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. –The Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies at the University of Mississippi has chosen a new group of faculty members for its two-year fellowship program.

Created in 2018 with eight inaugural faculty fellows, the program is designed to support research projects conducted by faculty in the areas of gender and sexuality. The support includes grant-writing support, research assistance and the organizing of conferences or symposia.

UM Administrators Address Performance-Enhancing Drugs in New Book

September 4, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. — After noting the absence of an all-inclusive resource on performance-enhancing drugs, current and former University of Mississippi administrators worked together to publish “Sports Pharmacy: Performance Enhancing Drugs and the Athlete.”

The project was organized and guided by Marvin Wilson, associate dean emeritus for academic and student affairs at the School of Pharmacy. The resulting book provides comprehensive information on banned substances, such as performance-enhancing and illegal drugs, as well as comparative lists of prohibited agents and associated penalties for United States professional, collegiate and amateur athletes in various sports.

Welcome To Our New Graduate Students!

Shishir Maharjan

Saara Nasruddin

Emily Gravlee

Professor Named Pharmacy Administration Chair

OXFORD, Miss. – Dr. Yi Yang, a University of Mississippi professor of pharmacy administration, has been named chair of the Department of Pharmacy Administration at the School of Pharmacy.

Since joining the school in 2005, Yang has served as co-editor with Donna Strum, the university’s associate provost and professor of pharmacy administration, on Understanding Pharmacoepidemiology, a widely used textbook in American pharmacy schools. She also leads an ongoing National Institutes of Health-funded project to study the epidemiology and safety of opioid use among older adults.

Graduate Students Awarded Grants to Fund Further Research

OXFORD, Miss. – Sixteen University of Mississippi graduate students are continuing their exploration into research and creative scholarship pursuits such as Alzheimer’s disease, skin cancer and young adult literature in Mississippi classrooms as recent recipients of Graduate Student Council Research Grants.

The students each received one of the $1,000 competitive research grants funded by the university’s Graduate School and Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. The funds will be used for projects conducted over the next year or two.

Walmart Foundation Funding Fuels New Food Prescription Program

May 27, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. – Three University of Mississippi professors are recipients of a nearly half-million-dollar grant from the Walmart Foundation that will create a food prescription program to improve access to fresh food for Mississippians.

The $442,154 grant from the Walmart Foundation will fund a program that is expected to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables and increase food security and food access for citizens of Charleston in Tallahatchie County.

Pharmacy Administration Student Named AACP Walmart Scholar

May 27, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. – Wesley Sparkmon, a graduate student in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, has been named 2020 Walmart Scholar by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Walmart Scholars Program.

The honor and accompanying $1,000 scholarship are given to recipients who are committed to a career in academic pharmacy.

New Center to Engage Mississippi Communities as Research Partners

April 27, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. — The University of Mississippi is home to a new center that aims to empower local communities to take charge of their community development, policy change and resilience building by using data and the arts.

The UM Community First Research Center for Wellbeing and Creative Achievement, or UM: CREW, will be a resource for Mississippi communities – from counties and cities to groups of citizens – to create, access, analyze and apply knowledge and data to improve community well-being and local and regional decision-making.

Pharmacy Faculty Named Distinguished Teaching Scholars

April 22, 2020

OXFORD and JACKSON, Miss. —University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty members David Colby, Meagen Rosenthal and Gary Theilman have been named as Distinguished Teaching Scholars for a three-year term.

The honor recognizes professors who have proven to be exceptional teachers and colleagues, and who promote effective teaching and learning.

ISPOR Student Chapter Honored

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi chapter of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research placed second for Outstanding Student Chapter.

Congratulations to our student leaders and faculty advisers on this great accomplishment!

Is the South More at Risk for COVID-19?

April 14, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend life in cities across the world, a University of Mississippi sociologist is focusing on the current and potential impact of the virus on rural communities across the South.

Anne Cafer recently co-authored a research brief about the potential impact of COVID-19 on the rural South with Meagen Rosenthal, assistant professor of pharmacy administration in the Ole Miss School of Pharmacy. Drawing on their work, Cafer explains why Mississippi is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

Keep Teaching: 7 Tips for Converting to Online Instruction

March 26, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. – As everyone adjusts to a new normal while trying to stay safe in the midst of COVID-19, University of Mississippi faculty are going above and beyond to provide uninterrupted coursework, but in an online format to keep students engaged and, above all, safe.

Two of the university’s most experienced online professors say their best advice is for educators to take a breath, think about their students and then take it one piece of technology at a time.

Meet Jen Blakley, January’s Staff Member of the Month

January 27, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. – Jen Blakley, administrative assistant in the School of Pharmacy, has been named Staff Council’s Staff Member of the Month for January. To help us get to know her better, she answered some questions for Inside Ole Miss.

MME Fellow Yiran Rong Presented Award

November 21, 2019

Pharmacy Administration graduate student Yiran Rong was officially presented her award as the 2019-2020 Medical Marketing Economics Fellow.

At the presentation was Doug Paul, 2012 Ph.D. graduate and partner at MME, to join department chair John Bentley in handing the award.

Ole Miss Pharmacy Surpasses $1 Million in Private Support

November 4, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy accomplished an ambitious goal during the 2018-19 fiscal year as it surpassed $1 million in private support.

Supporters contributed $1.1 million in gifts and commitments, marking the fifth time since 1982 the school moved past the seven-figure benchmark.

Pharmacy Administration Announces Department Award Winners

Congratulations to the Department of Pharmacy Administration award winners for 2019-2020!

– Outstanding Student Research Paper: Ashley S. Crumby
– William E. Farlow Fellow: Kaustuv Bhattacharya
– Terence E. Downer Scholarship: Siddhi Korgaonkar
– Graduate Student Research Grant: Chukwuebuka Dibie
– MME Fellow: Yiran Rong
– Alumnus of the Year: Benjamin F. Banahan III

See the Facebook post for more pictures.

UM Pharmacy Student Selected as PQA-CVS Health Foundation Scholar

September 27, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy student Matthew Wittman was one of nine students nationwide selected to the Pharmacy Quality Alliance-CVS Health Foundation Scholars Program.

The program is designed to support student interest in performance management and quality improvement while fostering student-mentor relationships. Wittman will work on a unique research concept with the assistance of a mentor and present the results at the PQA Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, next May.

Marie Barnard, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Administration, is serving as an external evaluator for the project entitled “Increasing the Quality of STEM Education and Research,” which is awarded to the Natural Science Division at Tougaloo College through National Science Foundation (NSF) /HBCU-UP grant #1912191.

The project aims to recruit and retain STEM majors. It will also provide more student research opportunities and enhance faculty research and teaching.

“This grant aims to promote student success in STEM coursework and, eventually, in their careers by supporting them in their critical early years,” Barnard said. “Evaluation of the program will identify best practices that could spread across the country to improve minority student recruitment and success in STEM fields.”

When Faculty Give Back: Former Department Chair’s Gift to Benefit School of Pharmacy

June 6, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – A former University of Mississippi faculty member – known globally as a leading pharmaceutical marketing expert – has made a major investment in the department he once led at the School of Pharmacy, increasing educational experiences for students.

With a $350,000 IRA transfer, Dr. Mickey Smith established a pharmacy administration endowment named for him and his late wife, Mary. The generous resources will provide funding for graduate student support, faculty development and seed funding for research projects. It will also help cover conference travel expenses and provide support for guest speakers and lecturers among other needs.

PQA and School of Pharmacy Establish Medication Quality Research Partnership

May 14, 2019

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy have established a three-year research partnership to develop and evaluate measures of prescription medication quality.

The University of Mississippi team will support PQA’s measure research and development work by evaluating quality measures using CMS Medicare and Medicaid administrative claims data.

School of Pharmacy Ranked Sixth in Research Funding

May 7, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – TheUniversity of Mississippi School of Pharmacy rose to sixth in the nation in external research funding for 2018, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Research funding reached $21.2 million in 2018, placing theSchool of Pharmacysecond in the SEC and among the top 5 percent of pharmacy schools nationwide.

Three Pharmacy Faculty Honored by National Healthcare Association

March 19, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – Three School of Pharmacy faculty were recognized by the pharmacy academy of the National Academies of Practice at its annual meeting March 7-9 in Pentagon City, Virginia.

NAP is an organization that seeks to advance healthcare by fostering collaboration and advocating for policies that act in the best interest of individuals and communities through interprofessional collaboration, education and clinical practice.

Three Pharmacy Professors Win New Investigator Awards

January 24, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – Three faculty members in the University of MississippiSchool of Pharmacyhave won competitive 2019 New Investigator Awards from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, giving the school five winners over the past two years.

AACP honors a limited number of research projects from junior faculty across the country every year. UM’s three winners for 2019 were Marie Barnard, Sujith Ramachandran and Vitor Pomin, who joinUM’s two 2018 recipients of the award.

Faculty Feature: Manvi Sharma

January 14, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – Manvi Sharma, assistant professor of pharmacy administration, joined the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty in the fall after previously holding postdoctoral research fellow positions in the Department of Internal Medicine at the UTHealth McGovern Medical School and Health Services Research at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Learn more about Sharma in the Q&A below.

Pharmacy School Administrators Celebrate 25 Years of Friendship

October 4, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy administrators Alicia Bouldin and John Bentley are proof that opposites can complement each other.

However, for all the pair’s differences, 25 years of working alongside each other created a bond of trust and appreciation that spurred them to celebrate their 25-year “friendiversary.”

Pharmacy Administration Announces Award and Scholarship Winners

August 31, 2018

Congratulations to the Pharmacy Administration graduate students who earned scholarships and awards for their outstanding work!

Check out the winners at the Facebook gallery: “Pharmacy Administration Award Winners”

UM Pharmacy Diabetes Research Moves Forward with Project Proposals

August 28, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – After completing in-depth discussions with diabetes patients and stakeholders throughout the state, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty and students are turning research questions from the “PaRTICIpate in Diabetes Self-Management Research Collaborative” into project proposals.

This research development project, which began in September of 2016, resulted in 20 patient-centered research questions aimed at helping to manage Type 2 diabetes. Now the focus is on turning three of these questions into three separate research project proposals in hopes of leveraging the research into something greater.

UM Pharmacy Team Places Third in PQA Healthcare Challenge

June 25, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – A team from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy placed third out of 22 teams in the Pharmacy Quality Alliance Healthcare Quality Innovation Challenge last month in Baltimore, Maryland.

The four-student group consisted of third-year student pharmacists Mariah Cole of Meridian, Mississippi, and Anna Crider of Brentwood, Tennessee, as well as Pharmacy Administration graduate students Sushmitha Inguva of Hyderabad, India, and Siddhi Korgaonkar of Mumbai, India.

Photos from 2018 ISPOR

Pharmacy Administration had a great representation at ISPOR 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland!

2018 Summer Internships

Ian Freeman is working at Amgen in Thousand Oaks, California, gaining experience in health economics and outcomes research.
Monika Salkar is working at Glaxo Smith Kline in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, in the Value Evidence Outcomes (VEO) department. She will have projects that involve developing retrospective study designs and analyzing the company database.
Chuk Dibie is working at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Deerfield, Illinois, as he engages in relevant industry projects to gain hands-on skills. As he learns more about the ever-changing pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, Chuk looks to develop a professional network of mentors that encourage growth and continual development in the HEOR sphere.
Kaustuv Bhattacharya, is working at Pharmerit International in Bethesda, Maryland, as this internship will help further develop his skills in the field of health economics and outcomes research, specifically real-world evidence and patient-reported outcomes. The projects assigned to Kaustuv are closely related to his dissertation research, so it will help familiarize him with some methodologies he plans to explore.
Siddhi Korgaonkar, is working at Alkermes Inc. in Waltham, Massachusetts, serving as an HEOR summer intern. This will provide her with exposure to working in the pharmaceutical industry. Siddhi will gain hands-on experience, practical learning and networking with professionals that will broaden her career prospects and help her grow as a researcher.
Sushmitha Inguva, is working at AbbVie in North Chicago, Illinois, as she is excited to strengthen her knowledge in patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and their application to the Parkinson’s disease area.

Erin Holmes Named PY2 Teacher of the Year

Erin Holmes won the 2017-18 PY2 Teacher of the Year Award. Erin is an associate professor of pharmacy administration and research associate professor in RIPS. Her teaching interests include pharmacy law, pharmacy management, and health care administration.

Chuk Dibie Wins PY1 Teaching Assistant Award, Interning in Illinois

Chuk Dibie won the 2017-18 PY1 Teaching Assistant of the Year Award. He also will be interning at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Deerfield, Illinois, this summer.

Pharmacy Administration Grad Student Receives Pre-Doctoral Fellowship

May 21, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Ashley Crumby, a University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy graduate student, was named a recipient of the Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Sciences given by the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education.

Crumby will use her fellowship to continue research for her dissertation entitled “Valuation of mentorship in pharmacy education and the impact of perceived involvement,” as she measures the value student pharmacists place on mentorship.

Alumnus Surprises Student Pharmacist by Covering Tuition

March 29, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Blake Thompson, the 2018 Hartman lecturer for the University of MississippiSchool of Pharmacy, surprised a crowd of student pharmacists, faculty, friends and family at the March 9 lecture by offering to cover a semester’s worth of tuition for one student.

Thompson, a UM alumnus who is vice president for government affairs at Ohio State University, delivered a lecture focused on the importance of taking career risks. To demonstrate, he asked any student to come onstage and speak to the nearly-full Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts about his or her own career goals.

Congratulations to Blake Thompson, the 2018 Pharmacy Administration Alumnus of the Year recipient! Thompson, vice president for government affairs at Ohio State University, delivered the School of Pharmacy’s 2018 Charles W. Hartman Memorial Lecture titled “Risk and a Prospective Payment System.”

Pharmacy Administration Professor Named APhA Fellow

March 12, 2018

Erin Holmes, associate professor of pharmacy administration at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, will be inducted as a Fellow of the American Pharmacists Association at the organization’s annual meeting Mar. 16-19 in Nashville, Tennessee.

“When I think of those who are current APhA Fellows and those who are being inducted in my cohort, I am absolutely humbled,” Holmes said. “This is an incredible honor, and I am grateful to those who nominated and supported me.”

Ohio State Executive to Deliver Pharmacy’s Hartman Lecture

March 7, 2018

Blake Thompson, vice president for government affairs at Ohio State University and a University of Mississippi alumnus, will deliver the School of Pharmacy’s 2018 Charles W. Hartman Memorial Lecture.

Thompson, who is also secretary to Ohio State’s board of trustees, will speak on “Risk and a Prospective Payment System,” drawing from his background in health care policy and university leadership and governance.

Sandy and John Bentley Hit Love Out of the Park

February 28, 2018

When Sandy and John Bentley began dating, they knocked love right out of the park. Almost 30 years later, the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty members continue to show their relationship is a grand slam.

Sandy and John met as undergraduate student workers in Drake University’s dining services. The pair didn’t really know each other until John, now UM School of Pharmacy’s chair and professor of pharmacy administration, spilled a five-gallon bag of chocolate milk as he tried to refill the container. It was a good thing he didn’t cry over spilled milk.

Community Health the Focus of 2018 Waller Lecture

February 6, 2018

C. Daniel Mullins, professor and chair of the Pharmaceutical Health Services Research Department at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, will deliver the 2018 Coy W. Waller Distinguished Lecture at the University of Mississippi.

The lecture, “Patient-Centered Discovery,” at 11 a.m. Friday (Feb. 9) at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts, will focus on ways in which scientific and medical knowledge are translated into workable health solutions for patients. The School of Pharmacy and its Department of Pharmacy Administration are hosting the event, which is free and open to the public.

Pharmacy Administration Names Alumnus of the Year

September 18, 2017

On Wednesday, Sep. 13, the Department of Pharmacy Administration honored Steve Blackwell with its 2017 Alumnus of the Year award.

Blackwell earned his Ph.D. in pharmacy administration from the School of Pharmacy in 1998. For nearly the past 20 years, he has worked with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a social science research analyst with the Research and Rapid-Cycle Evaluation Group in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.

Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student Scholarships

August 30, 2017

Congratulations to the Pharmacy Administration graduate students who were awarded 2017-2018 scholarships for their outstanding work!

Manasi Suryavanshi (left) won the Terence E. Downer Scholarship, and Nilesh Gangan was named the Medical Marketing Economics Endowed Fellow, the second in the department’s history.

Pharmacy School and Diabetes Patients Collaborate on Research

August 2, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – Capping off nearly a year of discussions with people who have diabetes and diabetes stakeholders across the state, researchers from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy invited them all to a meeting in Oxford to generate diabetes research questions as part of a research initiative.

Researchers involved in the project, called “PaRTICIpate in Diabetes Self-Management Research Collaborative: A Conference Series,” invited people with diabetes to a series of meetings throughout…

Pharmacy Faculty: Marie Barnard

July 24, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – Marie Barnard began work as an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Administration on July 1, 2017.

Barnard most recently served as interim director of the UM Center for Educational Research and Evaluation. She has also worked as assistant dean in the UM School of Applied Sciences and executive director of the Center for Intelligence and Security Studies.

Originally from Drexel Hill, Penn., she earned her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical science from the School of Pharmacy…

Pharmacy Administration Professor Wins New Investigator Award

At last week’s School of Pharmacy Faculty/Research Scientist Retreat, it was announced that Meagen Rosenthal received the School of Pharmacy’s New Investigator Research Award for 2016-2017. This is a well-deserved recognition and a very high honor.

Staff Spotlight: Lela Chalmers

June 1, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – Lela Chalmers is an administrative assistant in the Department of Pharmacy Administration. She has been at the School of Pharmacy since July of 2016…

Pharmacy Administration Adds Former Student to Faculty

Dr. Sujith Ramachandran, a former graduate student at the UM School of Pharmacy, began a new position as an assistant professor in the Pharmacy Administration department. His research interests include pharmaceutical marketing and health outcomes.

Nilesh Gangan Finalist for ISPOR Presentation Award

Nilesh Gangan has been selected as a finalist for the ISPOR 22nd Annual International Meeting Research Presentation Award. His poster presentation was titled: PSY1: Assessment of Hospitalization Due to Overdose Among Mississippi’s Division of MedicAid (DOM) Beneficiaries with Opioid Prescriptions.

Sushmitha Inguva Finalist for ISPOR Presentation Award, Interning in New York

Sushmitha Inguva has been selected as a finalist for the ISPOR 22nd Annual International Meeting Research Presentation Award. Her presentation is titled: PMH53: Impact of Using Affiliate IDs on PQA’s Opioid Multiple Provider Measure Among MedicAid Beneficiaries. She will also be interning with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Tarrytown, NY this summer.

Chuk Dibie Wins PY1 Teaching Assistant Award, Interning in California

Chuk Dibie won the 2016-17 PY1 Teaching Assistant of the Year Award. He also will be interning at Genentech/Roche in San Francisco, CA this summer.

Professor Erin Holmes Named Distinguished Teaching Scholar

May 11, 2017

OXFORD and JACKSON, Miss. – UM School of Pharmacy professors Kim Adcock, Robert Doerksen, Erin Holmes and John Rimoldi have been recognized as Distinguished Teaching Scholars for a three-year term beginning this year. This honor recognizes faculty members who have proven to be exceptional teachers and colleagues and who…

Alan McKay Named UM Pharmacy Alumnus of the Year

April 10, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – Alan McKay, founding dean emeritus of the Shenandoah University Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, has been named the 2017 University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

McKay accepted the award April 8 at the annual School of Pharmacy Alumni Weekend banquet.

McKay completed his master’s and Ph.D. in health care administration, now called pharmacy…

John Bentley Named Pharmacy Administration Chair

February 15, 2017

Pharmacy administration professor John Bentley became the chair of the Department of Pharmacy Administration in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy at the beginning of the spring semester.

Bentley received his Ph.D. in pharmacy administration from the UM School of Pharmacy in 1998 and began working as an assistant professor in the department upon graduating…

Pharmacy Professor Co-Authors Winning Paper

February 8, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – Meagen Rosenthal, assistant professor of pharmacy administration at the University of Mississippi, is co-author of a report that won the 2016 Best Paper award from the journal Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.

The paper, titled “Confronting inequities: A scoping review of the literature on pharmacist practice and health-related disparities,” reviews and...

Pharmacy School Seeks Input for Diabetes Self-Management Project

January 10, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – Researchers from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy are inviting health care professionals from the Oxford, Saltillo and Charleston areas to help brainstorm research questions for a study on diabetes self-management.
The project, titled “PaRTICIpate in Diabetes Self-Management Research Collaborative: A Conference Series,” will build on research that shows improvement in the health of diabetes patients when they are able to…

Read more: “Pharmacy School Seeks Input for Diabetes Self-Management Project”

Archived News

2016

Pharmacy Administration Chair Named Associate UM Provost

December 9, 2016

OXFORD, Miss. – Donna Strum, chair and professor of the University of Mississippi’s Department ofPharmacy Administration and research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the School of Pharmacy, will become associate provost in 2017.

A native of Germantown, Tennessee, Strum earned three degrees from UM, including a doctorate…

School of Pharmacy Awarded Funds for Diabetes Self-Management Project

October 17, 2016

OXFORD, Miss. – The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute granted a Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award of $214,084 to a team of University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy researchers to support a project that aids patients’ self-management of diabetes…

Read more: “School of Pharmacy Awarded Funds for Diabetes Self-Management Project”

Pharmacy Professor Wins UM Faculty Achievement Award

August 30, 2016

OXFORD, Miss. – The School of Pharmacy is delighted to announce that John P. Bentley, professor of pharmacy administration, is the recipient of the 2016 University of Mississippi Faculty Achievement Award.

At the fall faculty meeting on Friday, Aug. 26, Morris Stocks, UM provost and executive vice chancellor, called Bentley one of the university’s finest.

“His pharmacy research helps the world understand the roles that pharmacists play in…

Pharmacy Administration Department Wins Excellence in Inclusiveness Award

July 5, 2016

OXFORD, Miss. – The department of pharmacy administration received the 2016 Excellence in Promoting Inclusiveness in Graduate Education Award at the doctoral hooding ceremony in May. The award, which includes $2,000 for the recipient to continue the inclusiveness efforts, was established by the University of Mississippi Graduate School in 2004 to recognize individuals or programs that demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting a diverse and…

School Honors Four at Faculty Retreat

June 17, 2016

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy honored four of its faculty members for their excellence in and commitment to research, teaching and service at its annual faculty retreat in June.

Dr. Donna West-Strum, professor and chair of Pharmacy Administration, won the Faculty Instructional Innovation Award for her..

Pharmacy Administration graduate students Kaustuv Bhattacharya and Manasi Suryavanshi were inducted in the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society April 7, 2016.
Pharmacy Administration graduate student Sujith Ramachandran received the Graduate Achievement Award in Pharmacy Administration presented at the Honors Day Ceremony on April 7, 2016.

2015

Pharmacy Administration graduate student Sujith Ramachandran won the Terrence E. Downer Scholarship, September, 2015.
Pharmacy Administration graduate student Ruchitbhai Shah won the 2015-2016 Outstanding Student Research Paper Award.
Pharmacy Administration graduate student Sasikiran Nunna won the William E. Farlow Fellowship Endowment for 2015-2016.

2014

Dr. John Bentley, Professor of Pharmacy Administration was awarded the ISOQOL Outstanding Article of the Year Award on October 18, 2014. His article “Functional status, life-space mobility, and quality of life: a longitudinal mediation analysis” was published in Quality of Life Research in 2013. This award recognizes and honors the single best article dedicated to health-related quality of life (HRQL) research that was published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Congratulations to Dr. John Bentley, Professor of Pharmacy Administration for receiving the Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award from the Graduate School. June, 2014.
Congratulations to Dr. Erin Holmes, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Administration, for being nominated as one of the School of Pharmacy’s new Distinguished Teaching Scholars. May, 2014.
It gives us great pleasure to announce that our Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student, Krutika Jariwala, has accepted an Epidemiologist position at BCBS in Michigan. Her start date is January 20, 2014. We now have our first epidemiologist graduating from our department. Congratulations Krutika.
Congratulations to Joe Dikun. Each year the University of Mississippi, along with numerous other colleges and universities, honors those students who have made significant contributions to their campus in the area of scholarship, leadership, and student activites by selecting them to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. We are proud that Joe Dikun, Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student was selected for this great honor.
Congratulations to Krutika Jariwala. She has been awarded a Dissertation Fellowship for the spring 2014 semester.

2013

Congratulations to Dr. John Bentley. He has been granted a joint appointment within the Department of Marketing, School of Business Administration.
Congratulations to our new ISPOR student chapter officers for the academic year 2013-2014. Zainab Shahpurwala (Joint President and Treasurer), Ruchit Shah (Vice President), Sasi Kiran Nunna (Secretary).
Congratulations to Grad Student, James Parrett, for being selected to serve on the Policy and Legislative Advocacy Advisory Group of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists National Committee.
Congratulations to Graduate Student, Krutika Jariwala, for receiving the Research Grant Award along with the Farlow Fellowship Award this summer, 2013.
Congratulations to Dr. Erin Holmes, Assistant Professor, for receiving the Faculty Service Award at the School of Pharmacy Faculty Retreat, June, 2013.
Congratulations to Manasi Datar, Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student, for receiving the ISPOR Distinguished Service Award at the ISPOR Annual Conference this year in New Orleands, LA., May, 2013.
Congratulations to Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student, Krutika Jariwala, for receiving a Dissertation Grant from the Organization for Autism Research.
Joe Dikun, Phad Graduate Student,received the Friend of the Student Award at the 2013 Awards Program.
Congratulations to Sujith Ramachandran, Phad Graduate Student, for receiving the Teaching Assistant of the Year Award for the PY1 Pharmacy Class at the 2013 Awards Program.
Retired Professor, Dr. Mickey Smith, Publishes Book on Pharmacy Legend.
Congratulations to Tina Brock for being recognized as the Alumnus of the Year for Pharmacy Administration, April, 2013.
Congratulations to Phad Graduate Students, Tristen Jackson, Sujith Ramachandran and Ruchit Shah as 2013 Initiates to Rho Chi Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Please join us in Congratulating Dr. Erin Holmes as she was appointed to the JAPHA editorial board in February, 2013.
Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student, Kruitika Jariwala Publishes on Electronic Prescribing in National Journal .

2012

Congratulations to Alicia Bouldin on her new appointment as the Associate Dean of Outcomes Assessment and Learning Advancement, effective July 1, 2012.
Congratulations to our Pharmacy Graduate Student Ram Sankar Basak . He received the Best Poster Honorable Mention “Attitudes Toward and Practice of Disposal of Unused Prescription Medications” at the Southern Pharmacy Administration Meeting in Austin, Texas. June 22, 2012. Co-authors, Namita Joshi, Zainab Shahpurwala, Alicia Bouldin, David McCaffrey III, and Donna West-Strum.
Congratulations to our Pharmacy Admin Graduate Student, Manasi Datar for receiving the Best Podium, “Economic Outcomes Associated with On-Pump Versus Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) in High Risk Elderly Patients” at the Southern Pharmacy Administration Meeting in Austin, Texas. June 22, 2012.
Congratulations to the UM ISPOR Student Chapter for winning Second Place as an Outstanding Student Chapter at the 2012 ISPOR 17th Annual International Meeting in Washington, D.C. June, 2012.
Congratulations to the UM ISPOR Student Chapter for winning the ISPOR Student Network T-Shirt Competition Award at the UM 2012 ISPOR Conference in Washington, D.C. June, 2012.
Congratulations to Phad Graduate Student, Rohan Mahabaleshwarkar for receiving the “Best Student Poster Research Presentation Award” at ISPOR 2012 Conference in Washington, D.C., “National Hospitalization Burden Associated with Spinal Cord Injuries”. This award is very competitive, with only 3 awards presented among all student posters at ISPOR. June, 2012.
Congratulations to Phad Graduate Student, Rohan Mahabaleshwarkar for receiving the “Poster Finalist” ribbon at the ISPOR 2012 Convention in Washington, D.C. June, 2012.
Congratulations to Phad Graduate Student, Zainab Shahpurwala for receiving the 2012 APhA-APRS Postgraduate Best Paper Award on Economic, Social & Administrative Sciences. May, 2012.
Congratulations to Phad Graduate Student, Clive Mendonca for receiving the 2012 DIA Drug Information Journal’s Student Award for excellence in publishing by a student contributor. Clive’s paper is entitled “Effect of Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising Exposure on Information Search”. May, 2012.
Congratulations to Dr. David McCaffrey III as award winner to receive the Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Faculty Advisor from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), April, 2012.
Congratulations to our Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student, Krutika Jariwala, for winning 2nd place in the Social Sciences category at the Graduate Student Council (GSC) Annual Research Day on April 5, 2012.
Congratulations to Pharmacy Administration Graduate Students, Manasi Datar, Namita Joshi, and Rohan Mahabaleshwarkar, for being inducted into the Rho Chi Honor Society, March, 2012.
Congratulations to Dr. Alicia Bouldin, for being elected as President-Elect to Phi Lambda Sigma.
Congratulations to Dr. Erin Holmes and Pharmacy Administration Graduate Student, Manasi Datar, for receiving the APhA – APPM Presentation Merit Award for their community residency poster “Pharmacy Students’ Perceptions of Community Pharmacy Residency Programs (CPRPs) at the 2012 Annual APhA Convention in New Orleans, March, 2012.
Congratulations to Dr. Rahul Khanna, assistant professor of pharmacy administration and research assistant professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences for receiving the AACP New Investigator Award, January, 2012. Dr. Khanna is among 18 recipients of the New Investigator Awards announced by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Rahul Khanna will use the award to study the relationship between the health and well-being of caregivers of autistic children and the emotional and physical stress they experience. To read more

2011

Congratulations to Graduate Student, Sai Dharmarajan for receiving the William E. Farlow Fellows Award, September, 2011
Congratulations to Graduate Students, Tasneem Lokhandwala and Clive Mendonca for receiving the Student Research Paper of the Year Award, September, 2011
Congratulations to Drs. McCaffrey, West, Bentley, Pace and Holmes for receiving the NACDS Foundation grant titled “Measuring and Improving Primary Medication Adherence”, September, 2011
Congratulations to Dr. David McCaffrey for receiving the University of Mississippi 2010-2011 Excellence in Advising Award
Congratulations to Dr. David McCaffrey for receiving the School of Pharmacy Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award, May, 2011
Congratulations to Dr. John Bentley for receiving the Friend of the Student Award from the Student Body at the 2011 School of Pharmacy Awards Program, April 15, 2011
Congratulations to Dr. Erin Holmes for receiving the Teacher of the Year Award from the PY2 Pharmacy class at the 2011 School of Pharmacy Awards Program, April 15, 2011
Congratulations to Zainab Shahpurwala who has been selected to be included in the 2010-11 Who’s Who class for the University of Mississippi
Winfield and Rachel Cotton Lecture – February 15, 2011 – 1:30 pm – TCRC 1000 – Dr. Kenneth Kaitin, Director and Research Professor, Tufts University, will present :Pharmaceutical Innovation at a Crossroads: Economic and Political Perspectives on the Drug Development Process” Learn more
Garners Establish Endowment in January, 2011.

2010

Dr. Rahul Khanna has been included as an Associate Member of the UMMC Cancer Institute in December, 2010
Dr. Yi Yang and Dr. Donna West-Strum published “Understanding Pharmacoepidemiology” December, 2010
Coy Waller Lecture – October 29, 2010 -11:00 AM- Gertrude Ford Center – Dr. Marv Shepherd will present “The Worldwide Landscape of Counterfeit Drugs”
Dr. David McCaffrey was presented the UM-SOP Service Award at the Faculty Retreat on August 5, 2010
Drs. David McCaffrey and Noel Wilkin were promoted to Professor-Department of Pharmacy Administration, July 2010
Kyle Null was recognized as an AACP Wal-Mart Scholar, with Dr. Alicia Bouldin serving as Faculty Advisor, at the AACP Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA, July 2010
Dr. Alicia Bouldin was invited to be a member of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education editorial board, July 2010
Kyle Null and Phil Schwab, graduate students in the Department, receive Podium Presentation Awards at the Southern Pharmacy Administration Conference in Memphis, TN, June 2010
Drs. Donna West-Strum and John Bentley were part of the Science of Safety research team that was awarded the FDA Leveraging/ Collaboration Award , June 2010
Congrats to Dr. David McCaffrey for being selected the UM 2009-2010 Pharmaceutical Sciences Teacher of the Year, May 2010
Tushar Padwal, a M.S. graduate student, begins a summer internship in the Qualitative Services and Statistics Division at BioVid Corporation in Princeton, NJ , May 2010
Clive Mendonca, a PhD graduate student, begins a summer internship in the marketing and commercialization department at ToleRx Inc. in Cambridge, MA, May 2010
Dr. David McCaffrey received the Friend of the Student award at the School of Pharmacy Awards Day, April 2010
Kyle Null, a Ph.D. student, was named PY1 Teaching Assistant of the Year, April 2010
Phil Schwab, Ph.D. candidate, received honorable mention for his poster presentation at the American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., March 2010

2009

Su Bunniran, a doctoral candidate, received the Department’s Graduate Student Paper of the Year Award, August 2009
Kyle Null was awarded the William E. Farlow Fellowship by the Department Faculty, July 2009
Dr. Dewey Garner received the Hall of Fame award from the Mississippi Pharmacists Association, June 2009
Su Bunniran was awarded the Graduate Achievement Award from The University of Mississippi, April 2009
Clive Mendonca, graduate student, was awarded the Teaching Assistant of the Year award by the P-3 pharmacy class at the School of Pharmacy Awards assembly, April 2009
Dr. John Bentley received recognition as an APRS-APhA Fellow at the APhA annual meeting in San Antonio, TX, March 2009
Dr. Dewey Garner received the A. Richard Bliss Grand Council Citation of Appreciation from Kappa Psi at the APhA annual meeting, March 2009
Dr. Ben Banahan is named Director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management (CPMM).

2008

Drs. John Bentley and Alicia Bouldin were named Thelma H. Cerniglia Distinguished Teaching Scholars by the School of Pharmacy, 2008
Medical Marketing Economics LLC, a consulting group based in Oxford, has committed $350,000 to support The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. Part of this gift will be used to create and endow the MME Fellowship in Pharmacy Administration, 2008
Dr. Noel Wilkin, who previously held the position of Chair of the Pharmacy Administration department and Director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management in The University of Mississippi School Of Pharmacy, has been appointed as the University’s Associate Provost, January 2008