Taking Up Residents - Alumni - St. Louis College of Pharmacy

Taking Up Residents
The demand for residency training is on the rise.
But are there enough positions to go around?
INSIDE > St. Louis medication disposal | Track and field All-American | Anatomy of Commencement garb | Top 3 employers
Commencement 2010
On May 14, 188 new doctors of pharmacy received their degrees from St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
R
Ready to take their place
in the world of health
care, the class of 2011
will go on to care for patients in a
wide variety of settings including
hospitals, long-term care centers,
neighborhood clinics, and community pharmacies.
Dr. Kenneth Roberts, the Slone
professor of community pharmacy leadership and dean emeritus
at the University of Kentucky
College of Pharmacy, delivered the
keynote Commencement address.
Class speaker Kelli Fitterling ’10
praised her fellow classmates for
their accomplishment. “I am proud
to be a part of this class who has
shown excellence in academics,
athletics, and service,” she said.
President John A. Pieper urged
graduates to give back. “You are
educated citizens, and it’s up to
you to make our country and our
society even better...I have every
confidence that you will take up
this challenge and succeed beyond
your wildest dreams,” he said.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY COLLEEN KRUTEWICZ
Summer 2011
ST. LOUIS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
SCRIPT
V O L U M E
2 1 ,
N U M B E R
2
Editor
F E AT U R E S
Sheila Haar Siegel
Designer
Colleen Krutewicz
Contributing Writers
Bryan Daniels
Maureen Harmon
Katie Kelly
Connie Mitchell
6
Proofreader
Nancy Busch
President, Alumni Association
Chad Graue ’00/’01
Chair, Board of Trustees
Nancy Konieczny ’77
12
President
John A. Pieper, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Advancement
Brett T. Schott
Director of Alumni Relations
Necole Powell
Script magazine is a joint effort
of the College and the Alumni
Association, published three times a
year for alumni, students, and friends
of the College. Questions or comments
may be addressed to Sheila Haar
Siegel at [email protected].
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Office of Advancement, 314.446.8394
or [email protected]
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W W W . S T L C O P. E D U / S C R I P T
Sixth-year student Joel Henneberry was one of the key players in creating
the St. Louis Medication Disposal Initiative, the first of its kind in the
nation. He shares how it started, what happened during one week in
April, and what Willy Wonka and a grand piano have to do with it all.
Taking Up Residents
As more and more pharmacy schools educate student pharmacists to
provide patient-centered care and the expectation of practice continues to
expand, the interest and demand for residency training is at an all-time
high. But are there enough positions to go around?
maureen harmon
22
ST. LOUIS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
CONTACTS
Green Disposal and Drug Abuse
joel henneberry
Vice President for Marketing
and Communications
Marc Long
Track and field star David Baker is STLCOP’s first-ever NAIA
All-American athlete. He’s also a farmer and community pharmacist
hopeful. He gives everything to his sport, his family, and pharmacy
school. Yet, for Baker, it’s not about winning. He just does it.
katie kelly
Class Notes
Kristine Bryant
All or Nothing
Raising a Business and Building a Family
The two are intensely entwined for Kellie Tilley ’99. She is a community
pharmacist and pharmacy owner, mother, and wife of the Speaker of the
Missouri House. Yet her plan is quite simple—to be her own boss, to give
her kids opportunities she didn’t have, and retire in four short years.
connie mitchell
D E PA R T M E N T S
2
News Briefs
8
On Campus: Draped in Tradition
10
Faculty Profile: Amie Brooks ’99/’00
26
Alumni News
30
Class Notes
News Briefs
Concrete
Faculty
Abstract
Dr. Jasna Marjanovic,
assistant professor
STLCOP students, faculty, and staff
line up early in the morning before
the Go! St. Louis race: (from left)
Stephanie Hand, Heather Pautler,
Sheila Haar Siegel, Marc Long, Necole
Powell, Dr. Chaya Gopalan, Dr. Keelara
Gopalan, Brett Schott, Bret Kimes,
and Ami Patel.
of pharmacology,
presented an abstract
at the Arteriosclerosis,
Thrombosis, and Vascular
Biology 2011 Scientific
Sessions of the American
Heart Association, held
April 28-30 in Chicago. The
sessions attract scientists
and clinicians in the
fields of arteriosclerosis,
thrombosis, vascular
biology, peripheral vascular
disease, and vascular
surgery to explore areas of
cross-disciplinary interests.
Marjanovic presented
the abstract, “The Role of
Staff member Levada Brown
nearing the finish line.
Inositol Polyphosphate
4 Phosphatase Type I in
Thrombosis” as part of
the Kenneth M. Brinkhous
Young Investigator Prize in
Thrombosis Competition,
which recognizes
outstanding endeavors
by new investigators in
STLCOP students were great
sports despite the unseasonably
hot and humid weather.
research in thrombosis.
“We have identified
a novel regulator of
platelet activation:
inositol polyphosphate 4
phosphatase type I,” says
Marjanovic of her research
collaboration with
Washington University
School of Medicine. “Using
a mouse experimental
model, we can now show
that this enzyme plays
an important role in
regulating thrombosis.”
said Marjanovic.
2
SUMMER 2011
Go! STLCOP
Among the more than 11,500 participants
at the Go! St. Louis Marathon fitness
events on Sunday, April 10, approximately
70 purple Eutectic shirts dotted a sea of
runners and walkers. Despite an unusually
warm, humid day, St. Louis College of
Pharmacy participants proved that they
were up for the Chairman’s Challenge.
Chairman of the STLCOP Board
of Trustees Bret Kimes initiated the
Chairman’s Challenge months before the
event, encouraging students, faculty, staff,
and alumni to participate in the Go! St.
Louis half marathon or marathon relay,
and providing weekly training e-mails
and opportunities for group runs and
walks. STLCOP’s involvement was made
possible by a donation from Edward
Jones, where Kimes is a principal.
“The best part of
WEB EXTRA
the challenge was the
To see more
mesh of people that
photos of
participated,” said
STLCOP
runners and
fourth-year student
walkers in
Karen Obermann.
action, go
“Faculty, staff, and
to www.
students suddenly
stlcop.edu/
photos.
had refreshing new
topics of conversation.
I love how everyone congratulated each
other on the days following the race.
It was such a great stress relief!”
Bryan Daniels
fundamental and applied
On Board
The St. Louis College
of Pharmacy Board of
Trustees has elected four
new members who began
their terms this summer.
Arthur Culbert is former president and
CEO of Health Literacy Missouri. Culbert
previously served as senior advisor to the
Missouri Foundation for Health. He
was also associate dean for admissions at
Boston University School of Public Health
and associate dean for student affairs and
educational programs at Boston University
School of Medicine. He received his Ph.D.
in sociology from Boston University.
Cathy (Sampel) Goetz ’85 is the
medication safety officer at St. Luke’s
Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo. Goetz has
been active at STLCOP as a class agent
and has also served as president of the
Alumni Association. In 1999, she received
the Alumni Association’s Outstanding
Achievement Award. She is also the
parent of a current STLCOP student.
Michael Holmes is president of Rx
Outreach, a nonprofit organization
that provides prescription assistance for
low-income individuals. Holmes served
as executive vice president of Strategy,
Human Capital, and Emerging Markets
at Express Scripts before taking on his
current role. Before that, Holmes was a
partner with Edward Jones from 1996
Top 3 Employers
Walgreens is once again
the top employer among
recent STLCOP graduates,
based on the annual
survey conducted by the
Alumni Association and
the Office of Marketing
and Communications.
This year, 17 percent of
respondents took a job
with the nation’s largest
community pharmacy
chain. Last year, 27
percent went to work for
CULBERT
HOLMES
GOETZ
LIEKWEG
to 2005. He earned an MBA from
Webster University and a bachelor’s
degree from Washington University.
Richard Liekweg is group president of
BJC HealthCare with responsibilities for
Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Barnes-Jewish
West County Hospital. Liekweg previously
worked as CEO and associate vice
chancellor at the University of California
San Diego Medical Center. He also
served as administrative director, assistant
COO, and senior associate COO at Duke
University Health Systems and was CEO
of Durham Regional Hospital. He has an
MBA from the University of Michigan.
the company. Are STLCOP
graduates sticking with
community pharmacy
as their favorite health
care setting? Definitely,
though 17 percent
of the class of 2011
accepted a residency
position, which may be
getting a boost from the
increasing expectation
of more clinical patient
care (read more about
residencies on page 16).
Here’s the short list of the top employers of this year’s STLCOP graduates
Schnucks Pharmacy
5%
CVS/pharmacy9%
Walgreens
17 %
FACE-OFF
We asked the more
than 1,601 people
who “like” the College
on Facebook to
share some words
of wisdom for
the STLCOP 2011
graduates. Here are a
few highlights:
“It’s stressful to begin being
a pharmacist. But by the end
of year one you will hit your
stride and things will begin
to get easier. Hang in there
and congratulations to all
the new graduates!”
Melissa Beavers Johnson ’92
“Get a job in a Japanese
nuclear power plant. It will
be much less stressful.”
Dennis James ’77
“Always trust your instincts.
If something seems wrong, it
may just be.”
Carson Bording ’88
“Do not be full of yourself,
yeah you graduate with the
doctor title, but you are still
a pharmacist. Remember we
USED to be the most trusted
profession...not anymore...
ever wonder why that is?”
Tony Jones ’87
“Find the right job, versus the
right salary.”
Michelle Goodrich
Kibodeaux ’03
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
3
News Briefs
Student Research Rising
In early April, St. Louis College of Pharmacy students
and faculty gathered on campus to honor student scholarship
and promote pharmacy research at the second annual
Research Symposium. Nine podium presentations and
12 poster presentations allowed students to showcase
their research projects alongside faculty mentors.
“One of the roles of student research is to provide
learning experiences that
are different than those
typically provided in the
Kyle Amelung
classroom,” said Peter Hurd,
professor of pharmacy
administration and assistant
to the dean for research.
“Student participation in
research can increase the
level of student engagement
with the College, leading
to a more satisfying
College experience.”
Research topics were
varied and included interests
such as strategy development
to increase student
pharmacist involvement in
4
SUMMER 2011
professional pharmacy settings; modeling
WEB EXTRA
To view more
of nucleotide-binding units in TDP-43, a
photos from
brain protein that can unfold under certain
the Research
conditions, causing Alzheimer’s disease,
Symposium,
visit www.
Lou Gehrig’s disease, and various motor
stlcop.edu/
neuron diseases; perceptions of older
photos.
persons by entering college students; an
evaluation of education on the appropriate
use of vitamin K in warfarin reversal; positive learning
strategies for freshman
students; and an analysis of
current medication therapy
management literature
in relation to community
and hospital pharmacy.
For students not currently
engaged in research, the
symposium educated them
about existing research
opportunities and connected
them with faculty experts.
“An important goal of this
event is to provide a way
for students to see different
kinds of research as they
seek out faculty and faculty
projects,” Hurd said.
Mark Gilliland; Facing page, Colleen Krutewicz
Dr. Elizabeth Rattine-Flaherty,
Emily Owen, and Brandon Luong
News Briefs
CLASS OF 2011
PHARMACY RESIDENTS
This year, 30 STLCOP
graduates accepted residency
positions across the country.
Here’s where they’re
headed during 2011-12:
Andrea Basso
St. Louis College of Pharmacy/
St. Louis County Department
of Health
St. Louis, Mo.
Gregory F. Blank
Spectrum Health
Grand Rapids, Mich.
William B. Call
John Cochran VA
Medical Center
St. Louis, Mo.
Blake J. Carley
Marshfield Clinic
Marshfield, Wis.
Ritu K. Desai
Children’s National
Medical Center
Washington, D.C.
Class of 2011 PGY-1 pharmacy residents gathered at a reception this spring held in their honor. Back row (from left):
Allison High, Chandni Patel, Sarah Essenpreis, William Call, Michael Spinner, George Gavrilos, Jimmy Thomas,
Eric McLain, Tracey Hysong, Davin Patel. Front row: Angelina Pucci, Jennifer Wolff, Sonali Vakharia, Ritu Desai,
Stephanie Seaton, Megan VanBerkel, Lyndsi Meyenburg, Jamie Sanders, and Theresa Ringenberg.
Gawrys
VA Hudson Valley
Health Care
Castle Point, N.Y.
Allison E. High
St. Luke’s Hospital
Chesterfield, Mo.
Elizabeth K. Erlain
Froedtert Hospital
Milwaukee, Wis.
Tracey A. Hysong
Cox Health System
Springfield, Mo.
Sarah M. Essenpreis
St. Louis College of Pharmacy/
Schnuck’s Pharmacy
St. Louis, Mo.
Chad L. Kay
John Cochran VA
Medical Center
St. Louis, Mo.
Krista A. Frey
St. Mary’s Health Center
Clayton, Mo.
Kyle R. Mays
St. Francis Hospital
Peoria, Ill.
Steven C. Fuchs
CarePro Pharmacy
North Liberty, Iowa
Eric McLain
Cox Health System
Springfield, Mo.
George S. Gavrilos
Advocate Christ
Medical Center/Hope
Children’s Hospital
Oak Lawn, IllGerard W.
Lyndsi K. Meyenburg
St. Louis College of Pharmacy/
Mercy Family Medicine
St. Louis, Mo.
Science Grant for STLCOP
St. Louis College of Pharmacy has
received a $10,000 Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grant
Award for science education. STLCOP
was one of 12 awardees, selected from
among 59 proposals from small colleges
and universities. Assistant Professor
of Chemistry Ehren Bucholtz plans
to use the funds to purchase a gas
Kristian A. Navickas
St. Luke’s Hospital
Chesterfield, Mo.
Stephanie M. Seaton
University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Chandni R. Patel
Jewel-Osco/University
of Illinois
Chicago, Ill.
Michael L. Spinner
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Md.
Davin S. Patel
Jewel-Osco/Midwestern
University
Chicago, Ill.
Hiral G. Patel
Jesse Brown VA
Medical Center
Chicago, Ill.
Jimmy Thomas
Saint Louis University Hospital
St. Louis, Mo.
Sonali P. Vakharia
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland
Pontiac, Mich.
Megan A. Van Berkel
Methodist University Hospital
Memphis, Tenn.
Angelina M. Pucci
Deaconess Hospital
Evansville, Ind.
Theresa M. Ringenberg
St. Barnabas Medical Center
Livingston, N.J.
Jennifer L. Wolff
Monroe Carell
Children’s Hospital
Nashville, Tenn.
Jamie L. Sanders
John Cochran VA
Medical Center
St. Louis, Mo.
chromatograph with an autosampler.
“The gas chromatograph will
allow students to explore complex
mixtures of analytes,” says Bucholtz.
“Increasing the College’s instrumentation capabilities will give our students
more opportunities to engage in
science not only in the classroom but
in bench research projects as well.”
The Pittsburgh Conference on
Analytical Chemistry and Applied
Spectroscopy (Pittcon), a Pennsylvania
nonprofit corporation, provides funding
for the awards in conjunction with
co-sponsoring societies, the Society for
Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh and
the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh.
The grants are awarded to science
departments at colleges with less than
5,000 full-time students for the purchase
of equipment and teaching materials
for use at the undergraduate level.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
5
Student Profile
DAVID BAKER: ALL OR NOTHING
There is a lot that you would never guess about fifth-year student
David Baker. When he arrives for his Script magazine debut interview,
his quiet mannerisms make him somewhat elusive, and I wonder if
he is going to hold back. But when our conversation begins, Baker
leans forward as if we are exchanging secrets across the table and
his expression becomes increasingly concentrated. The determination
in his eyes is what you would expect from someone twice his age,
and I get the sense that his intense focus is the driving force behind
the four minute and 13-second mile that earned him the title of
St. Louis College of Pharmacy’s first-ever All-American athlete.
On March 5, Baker ran the one-mile race at the National Association
of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Indoor Track & Field Championships
in Geneva, Ohio, with the hope that he could make STLCOP history.
As he entered the final 100 meters of the race in sixth place, the
final All-American spot, two runners challenged him on either side.
“That was when I decided I had to get it; I may never be this close
again,” he said. “So I kicked it up rounding the final corner and,
down the home stretch, I passed two guys to get sixth place. It was
the greatest feeling to cross that line, knowing I’d made it.”
When I ask him about growing up on his family’s 700-acre farm,
balancing pharmacy school with demanding cross country and track and
field schedules, and earning the All-American athlete title, he tells me,
“If you’re going to do something, you should do it whole-heartedly.”
Here’s a more detailed look at what gives Baker his drive …
Small Town, Big Success
Although the city of St. Louis is home to Baker while he studies
pharmacy, he favors small-town living. His upbringing in the
small town of Chamois, Mo., allowed him to master the art of time
management before coming to STLCOP. After school and practice
(he ran track and field and played basketball in high school),
Baker dedicated his time to homework and to helping his parents
maintain their family farm. “I was always working, whether at school,
in sports, or at home. I basically do the same thing at STLCOP.”
Story by KATIE KELLY
Photography by JENNIFER
6
SUMMER 2011
SILVERBERG
Photo Credit
Not an Individual Sport
Baker spends a lot of time chasing or being
chased by fellow cross country and track
and field teammate and sixth-year student
Amr Abualnadi. They are competitive during
practice and even set up times to practice
together when academic conflicts make
practicing impossible. “We are always head
to head. If I try to pass him, he’ll speed up
so then I speed up. In my opinion, that’s how
we’ve gotten so fast,” says Baker. Brothers
in training and in competition, Baker and
Abualnadi are each other’s biggest motivators.
Student Profile
A Rock Solid Foundation
Baker comes from a long line of hard workers and credits his father and grandfather with establishing
the foundation for his work ethic. Marvin Baker, his grandfather, worked as a mechanic at a local car
dealership in Chamois, Mo., and became owner of that same dealership, Baker Chevrolet, in the 1960s. The
success of his business helped to ensure the success of the cattle farm he owned with Alverna, David’s
grandmother. Baker’s parents, Bob and Sharon Baker, added several hundred acres of bottom ground to
the farm along the Missouri River, transforming the nearly all-beef farm into a soybean farm, with cattle
grazing accounting for about 200 of the 700 acres of land. Baker and his brother Jason, who attends
the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, grew up working on the farm after school and
sports practices, and they both travel home as often as possible to lend a hand during harvest season.
Please Pass The Pasta
The evening before a big
run, Baker carb-loads
with meaty pasta. His
race-morning meal
routine usually includes
a bagel with peanut
butter and fruit.
Words to live by
At the end of a race, you won’t see Baker celebrating—at
least not at first. That’s because he pushes his physical limits
until his body will not go any faster or farther. “I feel like I
didn’t do my best unless at the end of the race I’m hitting
the ground in exhaustion.” His motto for running, pharmacy,
and life comes from running legend Steve Prefontaine: “To
give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
No Room for Superstition
But there’s always room for love and support. Baker wears an
ankle bracelet made for him by long-time girlfriend, Sarah,
to remind him that someone is rooting for him at every meet.
When it comes to physical preparedness, Baker relies on a
training regimen that includes targeted workouts (provided
by his coach), lots of stretching, and an off-season running
routine, leaving no room for things like avoiding sidewalk
cracks or wearing the same socks for every race. A few things
that Baker does do before each run? “Physically, I jog a mile,
stretch, then do striders after I’ve spiked up,” he says in
true runner’s lingo. “And I say a prayer before every run.”
Coach’s Corner
They share the same name and
a passion for running, and Coach
David Baker, STLCOP’s cross
country and track and field coach,
doesn’t believe there are limits to
what Baker can do. “David is just
a gutsy runner. He’s able to run
through the significant discomfort
one can experience during a race.
You can really see the pain in his
face, but his legs don’t let him
down. His heart is huge and in
every race he finds a way to pour
it on during the final lap to either
win or move up dramatically.”
Future Plans
He’s not ready to commit to a specific pharmacy
career path just yet, but Baker currently
plans to be a community pharmacist. His
perfect scenario involves returning to the
family farm to build upon the success of his
parents and grandparents while working as
a pharmacist in a neighboring town.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
7
On Campus
Every STLCOP graduate has seen the president’s gown and Commencement accessories.
Here’s the meaning behind the colors, stripes, and all the little details of the regalia.
By Sheila Haar Siegel
Photographs by Jennifer Silverberg
Draped in Tradition
EVERY MAY, THE FLOWING GOWN the president wears at Commencement is retrieved from a
nondescript closet near the boardroom in Jones Hall. After the gown is pulled from its shadowy home, it
is hung up, inspected, and finally deemed ready to be worn on graduation day. This year, President John
A. Pieper dressed in a new presidential robe during his first STLCOP Commencement, and he will wear it
again during his official Inauguration Ceremony on Sept. 17. St. Louis College of Pharmacy is swiftly moving
forward, yet it is also defined by its 146-year history. And few things symbolize our longheld traditions more
than the academic regalia worn by the College president, trustees, administrators, faculty, and students.
BLING All four STLCOP presidents have worn
the golden chain and pendant engraved with
the College seal. It was a gift of the Alumni
Association to the Office of the President in
1974. It is stored in a wooden box, lined with
red velvet. The College seal, created in 1962
for the Centennial celebration, features a
mortar and pestle, weights and scales, and
a recipe symbol bordered with the words
“praeparatio,” “composito,” “dispensare,”
and “1864”—encircled by the College name.
Photo Credit
IN COSTUME Students who are graduating
with academic honors wear a medal with a gold
(summa cum laude), silver (magna cum laude),
or bronze (cum laude) ribbon. STLCOP graduates
wear the traditional black robe with three bands on
the sleeve, indicating that they have a doctorate.
Per the Academic Costume Code, graduates’
hoods are made of the same fabric as the gown
and the base color is black. The doctor’s hood is
four feet long and is lined with the official STLCOP
colors: purple and gold. Graduates sport a black
mortarboard, worn flat on the head so the tassel
falls straight down the side of the face. The tassel
color worn by pharmacy graduates is dark green.
8
SUMMER 2011
On Campus
MILLINERY President Pieper wears a
six-cornered, black velvet ceremonial
hat known as a doctor’s tam. The tassel
is gold, in accordance with rules set by
the American Council on Education’s
Committee on Academic Costumes and
Ceremonies. They dictate that graduation
caps must have a black tassel unless
the wearer has a doctorate, in which
case the tassel may be either metallic or
gold-colored threads. Doctor’s tassels are
shorter than other tassels and can be sewn
to the edge of the tam or mortarboard,
hanging from either the left or right side.
Doctors have a choice of two lengths—one
that falls to wearer’s cheek or a shorter
version that extends two and a half inches
past the edge of the mortarboard or tam.
FINERY Pieper’s presidential gown
uses a school color (STLCOP purple)
for the body of the gown—a recent
trend for colleges and universities.
Down the front of the gown run two
velvet black panels, with the official
College seal embroidered in gold
metallic thread. Customary for a
doctor’s gown, the front panels and
sleeve trim are made of black velvet
and trimmed in metallic gold cord.
STRIPES Similar to a military
uniform, the four bands, or chevrons,
on the sleeve indicate the “rank” of the
wearer, in this case that the wearer is a
president (only presidents are entitled
to wear a fourth velvet sleeve chevron).
If a president resigns, retires, or
returns as a faculty member, he or she
wears earned regalia and is no longer
entitled to display the fourth chevron.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
9
Faculty Profile
Amie Brooks 2011 Outstanding Educator
Amie Brooks ’99/’00, associate professor of pharmacy practice, joined St. Louis
College of Pharmacy in 2006. She currently teaches therapeutics and practices
as a clinical pharmacist at the North Central Community Health Center of the
St. Louis County Department of Health. She regularly serves as a preceptor for
students and residents and has served as a research mentor as well. She also is
the director of one of the College’s PGY1 ambulatory care residency programs.
BY BRYAN DANIELS
This year, Brooks earned the 2011 Joe E.
Haberle Outstanding Educator Award
from the STLCOP Alumni Association in
recognition of her passion and enthusiasm
for teaching, positive attitude about
students’ ability to learn, and innovative
teaching techniques. She has also been
elected a Fellow of the American College
of Clinical Pharmacy—the highest honor
bestowed by its members—for excellence
in clinical pharmacy practice and science.
What does winning the Joe E.
Haberle Outstanding Educator
Award mean to you?
It’s beyond words. It’s something I
never expected to happen. It means I’ve
become part of a group of individuals
I have such high respect for, including
Dr. Haberle and the past recipients. Dr.
Haberle had so much charisma. One of
his major strengths was connecting with
students—whether the best student or the
one who struggled the most. All of the
past recipients are amazing teachers. To be
associated with them feels really special.
It’s great recognition for the hard work,
efforts, and sacrifices over the years.
Do you find it hard to believe that you’ve transitioned from
student to teacher? Do you have to sometimes pinch yourself?
When I first became a faculty member, I worked at Midwestern
University—Chicago College of Pharmacy. A former professor
at STLCOP, Wafa Dahdal, joined Midwestern’s faculty while
10
SUMMER 2011
I was there. I was just out of residency and she’d been my
teacher at STLCOP for a number of years. Certainly, it was
a real transition to serve on committees with her and call her
by her first name. Also I would see a lot of people that I now
work with at professional meetings two or three years after
Jennifer Silverberg
How did you feel upon learning you
were the 2011 recipient of the award?
I was surprised. I was taken aback.
It’s really unbelievable because it’s
such a great honor. It’s a major form
of recognition, and it feels as though
I’ve achieved it so early in my career. I
graduated from STLCOP 11 years ago
and started teaching 10 years ago.
Faculty Profile
graduation. I would refer to them as doctor so and so, as though
they were my teachers. They had to break me of that. To go
from being a student to a colleague is amazing. That’s especially
the case with winning this award and knowing that some of
the past recipients are people I’ve looked up to. Wow, to think
that I’m in the ranks with those individuals is unbelievable.
I’ve always admired that and tried to aspire to have that same
ability to connect with students. Another is Jack Burke, who
demonstrates a strong sense of command in the classroom.
Zack Stacy also has been a strong influence because of how
effective he is in using creative and innovative approaches to
active learning and because of his dedication to students.
What have you learned since entering the teaching profession
that makes you the outstanding educator you’ve become today?
One thing I’ve learned early in my career—and it was a hard
lesson—was that students have many different learning styles.
You have to vary your approach because not every student is
motivated the same way. Another thing I’ve learned is not to be
overly technical if it isn’t necessary. In the clinical environment,
talking to one or two students, I would explain a concept differently
than when talking to an entire class of 200. After giving that
some thought, I adapted my teaching style to be informal and
conversational. Finally, I think that organization of content,
especially in a lecture, is very important. I spend a lot of time trying
to organize the content in a way that’s most beneficial to students.
What do you enjoy about teaching?
What I enjoy about teaching is the same thing that I
love about patient care. I enjoy making connections with
individuals. I like developing relationships and watching
them grow over time. That’s what I love the most.
How did you become interested in pharmacy?
I got into pharmacy with limited knowledge about what a
pharmacist is. I had a summer job delivering medications for a
pharmacy. But I excelled in science-related courses in school and
looked into fields that were good fits according to testing surveys
and analysis. Pharmacy was one of them. At that time, there were
so many jobs available for pharmacists. It was a good practical field
with flexibility. As a student here I learned a lot more about all of
the different areas of pharmacy and the best fit for me. While on my
rotations, I learned clinical pharmacy in the ambulatory care setting
and during my residency I became more familiar with academia.
If you hadn’t pursued pharmacy, what other profession
might you have chosen?
That’s really hard to say. I might be some type of therapist or a
social worker. I say that considering the relationship aspects of
my pharmacy practice job right now. I get to have relationships
with my patients in ambulatory care. I think I’d always be
looking for a job that allows me to have ongoing relationships
with people and impact their lives in a positive way.
What was the best advice you received on your first job?
One of the keys to be successful in the job and staying in the job is
finding a way to strike a balance between professional commitment
and personal life. Most faculty members struggle with that. I’ve
received a lot of advice over the years. I’ve taken that advice to
heart. An early piece of advice I got from a mentor in Chicago [at
Midwestern University-Chicago College of Pharmacy] was to seek
collaborators with strengths in other areas. Often we are drawn to
people like us, but sometimes the best products and projects result
from working with individuals who are different from one another.
Which STLCOP professors do you admire and how
have they impacted your style of teaching?
Evelyn Becker and Lucia Tranel are people I look up to. They
have very unique and amazing ways of connecting with students.
Why should a high school student be interested in a career in pharmacy?
The first thing that comes to mind is the huge variability in
the types of things that can be done in this profession; it’s
a science-based and medical-based field. With that science
and medical foundation, you can go in a number of different
directions. You can teach, go into direct patient care, dispensing
roles, managed care roles, running the business finance side
of things, to nuclear pharmacy and compounding pharmacy.
There are just so many options. It’s attractive to people who
like and do well in science and want to help people. Regardless
of workforce issues, pharmacy is a profession that won’t go
away. People are aging, and as they age, they need medications.
It’s a profession that will be needed on an ongoing basis.
What advice would you offer to a first-year teacher?
There’s a delicate balance between being appropriately authoritative
and connecting with students. It’s important to have mutual
respect with students. You have to establish an environment
of mutual respect without being overly authoritative. New
faculty members are sometimes young; in some cases they are
younger than students and that creates a tendency to approach
teaching in an overly authoritative manner, and it generally
backfires. Secondly, I’d advise them to utilize mentors—teaching
mentors, practice mentors, and scholarship mentors. Finally,
try to find their niche. For example, if you have a therapeutic
niche like diabetes, that could become an area of classroom
teaching as well as research and clinical responsibilities.
From a personal perspective, what would you consider a good day?
I have a two-year-old son, Ledger. Every day with him is
a good day. Throughout much of my life, I haven’t really
been around kids. I’m so amazed at what happens when
a baby turns into a toddler. He’s at a really fun age. I just
enjoy spending time with him and with my husband.
Who has made the greatest impact on your life?
My dad, Dean, passed in 2004. I would describe him as my
hero. He had a lot of integrity. He was hard-working and
honest. He didn’t graduate from college. He made it his
life’s mission for me to accomplish more than he did;
that’s why it was so important for me to graduate from
college. Despite not having a college education, he built
a successful business and excelled in a lot of ways. He
overcame adversity and made things work for the best.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
11
by Joel Henneberry
Photo Credit
Green Disposal
and Drug Abuse
12
SUMMER 2011
Jennifer Silverberg
Sixth-year student
Joel Henneberry
was one of the
key players in
creating the St.
Louis Medication
Disposal Initiative.
Focusing on
prescription drug
abuse prevention
and environmental
safety, the program
was the first of its
kind in the nation.
He shares how
it started around
a table, what
happened during
one week in April,
and what Willy
Wonka and a grand
piano have to do
with it all in this
collection of stories.
Joel Henneberry answers health
questions at Five Star Senior
Center—one of several St. Louis
city facilities that student pharmacists, alumni, faculty, and DEA
agents visited during the St. Louis
Medication Disposal Initiative.
FOR STARTERS
APhA-ASP mid-year regional
meeting, Little Rock, Ark.
We sat at round tables as the
lights dimmed and the screen
brightened. Interviews with the new
kind of addicts—prescription drug
abusers—filled our eyes and ears.
“I used to think that addicts
were just the bums on the street
in New York, or people shooting
up heroin every day, like, I
couldn’t be an addict, I’m from
the suburbs, like…I can’t do that
kind of stuff,” said the 16-year-old
girl with brown, curly hair.
“You know the dose, you know,
you can go on different Web sites
and find the long-term, short-term
side effects; if I wanna be confident,
I’m gonna take these pills. If I
wanna get down and just relax,
I’m gonna take these pills,” said
the bony, 19-year-old boy.
“It makes me really sad to think
about it because I wanted all this
control in my life, but really, the
substance was controlling me; I
lost my childhood, I never had the
chance to be a kid,” said the young
man who started using at age 11.
The lights came up and the 14
of us from STLCOP, amidst the
sea of other student pharmacists,
looked at each other with new
eyes. We scooted to the edge of
our chairs, crowding around a
table, to discuss the five-minute
video, “Teens in Treatment.”
One after another, we committed
to the idea that we would take
action when we got back from the
American Pharmacists Association
Academy of Student Pharmacists
(APhA-ASP) mid-year regional
meeting in Little Rock, Ark.
We quickly learned that our
ambition outran our skill—we
wanted to take it all on at once. At
first we tried to set up a conference
for all of the colleges and universities
in St. Louis, at STLCOP, where
we could present the problem with
possible solutions. We did not
ignore our own campus; we wanted
to start a program in our own
freshman orientation to get parents
talking with future students about
the danger of abusing Adderall as
a “study aid.” And hey, we didn’t
forget about the current students at
STLCOP; we wanted to teach and
warn them too. We were a wildfire
and there was plenty of brush for
burning, a drought of action in the
fields of prescription drug abuse.
We realized we needed some
help from more experienced and
better connected individuals. We
found excellent guidance from Amy
Tiemeier ’01/’02, assistant professor
of pharmacy practice at STLCOP,
Marc Long, vice president for
marketing and communications,
and President John Pieper. More
like “source” than “resource,” these
individuals created the opportunities
in which we were able to play a role,
and pointed our vigor in the right
direction. We began to understand
that there were more components
than just the drug abuse angle.
Proper drug disposal is important
for a greener earth, and the elderly
population is a jackpot for unused
and expired medications, and
quite receptive to our solutions.
INVITED TO THE TABLE
A meeting with the mayor
A few weeks later, a meeting with
the Honorable Francis Slay, mayor
of St. Louis, spawned the directives
under the St. Louis Medication
Disposal Initiative. APhA-ASP
President-elect Alyse Battles and I
sat in chairs around the perimeter
of the mayor’s conference room.
President Pieper wouldn’t have it;
he invited us to sit at the table. The
city marshal made us laugh when
he asked me to clarify how many
years I had been at STLCOP.
“Five!” he said. “No
wonder you look tired!”
The serious group lightened up.
We were all there for a purpose,
trying to let St. Louisans know
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
13
Keeping Water Drug-Free
How to Dispose of Medicines
Always follow your
prescription instructions
and use all medications as
instructed. But if you do not
use all of your prescribed or
over-the-counter medication,
you can take a few small
steps to make a huge impact
in safeguarding lives and
protecting the environment
by disposing of unused
medicines properly:
1. DO NOT FLUSH unused
or expired medications
and DO NOT POUR them
down a sink or drain.
how to safely dispose of their unused
and expired medications to protect the
environment and stem the tide of abuse. The
DEA, city marshals, St. Louis Metropolitan
Police Department, Department of
Human Services, Department of Health,
St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, the
mayor’s office, and St. Louis College of
Pharmacy were all represented by their
powerful and committed leaders.
At that table, St. Louis College of
Pharmacy, the city of St. Louis, and the
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) chased the idea that President
Pieper and Mayor Slay had come up with
last fall—vowing to clean out St. Louis’s
medicine cabinets and create the St. Louis
Medication Disposal Initiative. Every day
during the week of April 25-29, teams of
STLCOP alumni pharmacists, STLCOP
student pharmacists, and law enforcement
officials showed up at St. Louis city senior
centers and housing facilities to talk with
seniors about their prescriptions and to
collect their expired and unused medications
alongside law enforcement officers. On
April 30, National Drug Take-Back Day,
14
SUMMER 2011
2. T
hrow away unused
medication in household
trash. When discarding
unused medications,
prevent illegal diversion
and protect children and
pets from potentially
negative effects:
a. P
our medication into
a sealable plastic bag.
If medication is a solid
(pill, liquid capsule, etc.),
add water to dissolve it.
b. A
dd cat litter, sawdust,
or coffee grounds (any
material that mixes
with the medication and
makes it less appealing
for pets or children to
eat) to the plastic bag.
c. S
eal the plastic bag
and put it in the trash.
information (prescription
labels) from all
medication containers
before recycling them
or throwing them away.
3. P
articipate in the DEA
National Prescription Drug
Take-Back Day in St. Louis
and in other cities across
the country. Visit www.
deadiversion.usdoj.gov/
drug_disposal/takeback
for more information.
Resources:
smarxtdisposal.net
useonlyasdirected.org
nodrugsdownthedrain.org
hosted.ap.org/specials/
interactives/_national/
pharmawater_update
d. R
emove and destroy
ALL identifying personal
people brought their medications to several
designated drop-off sites for safe disposal.
POWERFUL LINENS
Visiting St. Louis city senior centers, April 25-29
I stood at the microphone at Five Star
Senior Center in my white coat. The small
cafeteria was filled with the elderly residents
who dine there daily and were now putting
up with me interrupting their meal time
for a few minutes with a speech about why
they should give us their old medications to
incinerate. I told them about a few statistics,
like the 80 percent of the 71,000 children
who are seen in the emergency room each
year due to ingestion of adult medications
while unsupervised, and how 17 percent of
the medications ingested by children under
the age of 5 who went to the emergency
room got medications from a grandparent
or great-grandparent’s medicine cabinet.
I told them how people are abusing
prescriptions now more than street drugs,
and that 64 percent of these abused
medications come from friends and relatives.
Finally, I told them that we need to be
responsible with unused medications and
keep our water supply drug-free. Disposing
of medications by flushing them down the
toilet harms the environment; it is best to rid
ourselves of unused and expired medications
in other ways.
WEB EXTRA
The gold standard
How often
should you clean
is through
out your medicine
incineration, which
cabinet? Find out
the DEA currently
at stlcop.edu/
provides through
medication
disposal.
the National Drug
Take-back Day.
I told them that today was that day. The
next best option, I explained, is to mix the
medications with coffee grounds or kitty litter,
so that animals don’t eat them by mistake.
Later, Dr. Tiemeier and I were able to
spend some time talking with the residents.
We were pleased to find a majority of the
crowd interested in our advice and already
prepared with their bags of medication
ready to hand over to the DEA agents
who came with us. Dr. Tiemeier happened
to be standing by me when a gentleman
approached us. She asked if he needed
help, and he said no, he wanted to talk to
the doctor, and turned towards me. He
Facing page, Mark Gilliland
How medications in
the water supply affect
humans is still unknown, but
scientists are beginning to
study the potential long-term
effects of pharmaceuticals
in the environment on plants
and wildlife, in particular
how certain hormones
and other drugs cause
abnormalities in fish.
Small amounts of
medicines pass through the
human body without being
metabolized completely and
make their way to surface
waters through municipal
wastewater treatment
systems. New technology
has shown that wastewater
treatment facilities do not
remove all pharmaceutical
wastes and their by-products
and thus, trace substances
end up directly in our
aquatic waste stream.
More than 640 pounds of unused and
expired medications were collected
in the city of St. Louis on April 30,
National Drug Take-back Day. Left:
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy
Practice Amy Tiemeier ’01/’02 at
the Walgreens on Lindell Blvd.
told me about his prostate problems, and
I directed him right back to Dr. Tiemeier,
who gave him a phone number to call for
financial assistance to afford the medication.
We laughed about it later; it was simply
the power of the white coat in action.
ON THE 15TH FLOOR
City of St. Louis senior housing
facilities, April 25-29
A team of four STLCOP students, two
DEA agents, two city marshals, and one
Dr. Tiemeier cased every last door on every
last floor of Heritage House Apartments
on April 29. Many doors we knocked
on to no avail, and some residents were
actually frightened when the members
of law enforcement announced their
presence and shouted back, “You don’t
have a warrant to search this room!”
But for the majority of the residents
who were available, we were able to
collect unused and expired medications
by the handful. One very friendly resident
invited fifth-year student, Kristina
Park, and me into her apartment.
“Now you have yourself a seat and I will
go and get my box of medications,” she said,
“I have been waiting a long time for this.”
As she rummaged through a back room,
she continued to talk to us, her booming
voice bouncing through the apartment.
“I just knew I shouldn’t flush them down
the toilet, you understand, so I just kept
saving them. I was hoping somebody
would tell me what to do with them.”
We answered a few of her medication
questions and found her to be in the higher
category of health literacy because she knew a
lot about her disease states. It was a pleasant
surprise to find a patient so happy to benefit
from our services. I wonder how many other
high-rise buildings in St. Louis are home
to similar residents, waiting for someone to
help them dispose of their medications and to
answer a few questions to put them at ease?
TO MAKE WILLY WONKA BLUSH
Medication take-back day, April 30
We stood as sentries at the Walgreens
on Lindell Blvd., the student volunteers
with Dr. Tiemeier among the other
distinguished guests—a DEA agent and
a St. Louis police officer. On April 30,
National Drug Take-back Day, we all got
to see firsthand that, yes, there is a serious
quantity of medications floating around St.
Louis that needs to be disposed of properly,
and this is just scratching the surface.
As the poor folks who just wanted
to do some shopping whisked toward
the doors, we caught their eye and gave
them our bird-shot sales pitch:
“If you have any old or unused
medications, we are disposing of them
for the National Drug Take-back Day.
We will be here until 2 o’clock.”
We were surprised to see people actually
come back later with bags full. Many were
from a parent or grandparent on chronic
medications whose therapy had changed,
some dated back five and 10 years. One
man just wanted to get rid of the remaining
Vicodin he didn’t take after a shoulder
surgery. “I just don’t like having the stuff
around the house,” he said, conscious of
its street value and burglaries in his area
of town. “Thanks a lot for doing this,”
he said as he smiled and walked away.
We wrapped each of the drop-offs in
brown paper bags, taped them thoroughly,
and stacked them in the trunk of the DEA
agent’s SUV. Before the day was over, one
of the drop-offs stopped us cold—a freezer
bag filled with colorful pills bright enough
to make Willy Wonka blush. This citizen’s
elderly parent hadn’t kept the pills in their
bottles, which gave a stunning illustration of
the variety of medications we were capturing
in the relatively small net we had cast.
646 POUNDS: A GRAND PIANO OR
THOUSANDS OF MEDICATION DOSES?
The days after medication take-back day
In all, our efforts combined to rake in
646 pounds of medication from the city
of St. Louis, more than five times what
was collected last fall during the National
Drug Take-back Day. If you consider
the weight of a 10mg tablet of lisinopril
or a 325mg acetaminophen tablet, this
amount is quite shocking. I can’t imagine
how much is still out there, sitting in
cupboards and cabinets, passing untimely
into hands that shouldn’t touch them, or
into the water we drink and bathe in.
The experiences of this past semester
taught me that when you present yourself
as willing to meet a need, you will begin
meeting, meeting, and meeting that need.
It seems like we succeeded because we
showed up on game day, we had the best
coaches, and we simply wanted to play.
I’d say we are making a great start, and
it wouldn’t hurt to increase our efforts
considerably next year. We have the
ability and the connections to orchestrate
a project of grander scale and the student
pharmacists to provide the manpower.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
15
Photographs by
JENNIFER
SILVERBERG
16
SUMMER 2011
TAKING UP
RESIDENTS
As more and more
pharmacy schools educate
student pharmacists to
provide patient-centered
care and the expectation
of practice continues to
expand, the interest and
demand for residency
training is at an all-time
high. But are there enough
positions to go around?
BY MAUREEN HARMON
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
17
On March 23, Lindsey Vandersteen ’11, then a sixth-year
student, logged on to a computer from her rotation site to
check the results of the 2011 Pharmacy Residency Match.
She had applied to nine programs. But when she went to
the National Matching Service Web site, she got bad news.
Vandersteen hadn’t matched, and she was devastated.
Even though she had heard that there weren’t enough
residencies out there for the number of soon-to-be
graduates, and even though she had only gotten two
interviews, she was hopeful that she’d land a residency.
“You wake up that morning and you don’t match—that’s a
sinking feeling,” she says. But she didn’t have time to dwell
on it.
It was early in the day, but Vandersteen promptly left
her rotation. She knew that at noon, the matching service
would release the names of all of the programs that still
had positions open. That’s when the “residency scramble”
would begin for Vandersteen and the more than 1,250
other students who were looking for post-graduate year
one (PGY-1) residencies and hadn’t matched this year.
Unfortunately, they would all be vying for the same 146
spots. At noon, she poured over the list of programs,
quickly weeding out ones that wouldn’t be a good fit. Then
she started firing off e-mails—20 in all—letting programs
know that she was interested in their open positions. One
message bounced back right away. The recipient’s mailbox
was full.
“I didn’t know if I was doing it right,” says Vandersteen.
“Should I be calling these people?” She had learned all
about the match program, but was less educated on the
scramble process that ensued for folks who hadn’t landed
a position in the match. As the day wore on, Vandersteen
heard from the directors of several programs—many of
whom said their open positions had already been filled.
“That was really scary,” she says.
Of the 20 programs she solicited, she got three interviews.
One woman e-mailed Vandersteen in the morning and
requested to do the interview that afternoon. Vandersteen
agreed, but when the interview time came and went
without a call, she checked her e-mail to find an apology
from the program’s director saying that she had filled the
position in just those few hours. It was a week’s worth of
whirlwind. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m not going to get
one,’” Vandersteen says. “I felt like I was failing.”
But she did get one. In her final interview, one held via
Skype, Vandersteen earned a position in Florida. Prior to
18
SUMMER 2011
that interview, she hadn’t even thought about applying to
programs in Florida. “If the scramble process does work
out for you,” she says, “it can take you to a place you never
pictured.”
Vandersteen, in a sense, was one of the lucky ones. She
headed off to start a residency in June. But 1,100 other
recent pharmacy school graduates across the country didn’t.
The problem is this: a pharmacy career is a pretty
promising and popular path these days. U.S. News and World
Report named “pharmacist” as one of the “Best Careers”
in 2009. To keep up with demand, pharmacy schools are
opening all over the country and students are enrolling at
a rapid rate. Last year, there were 2,915 applicants vying
for 1,951 PGY-1 residencies in the United States. This year
those numbers for PGY-1 residencies jumped to 3,277 and
2,173 respectively. Only about 12 percent of the nation’s
pharmacy graduates choose to do residencies, so at STLCOP,
with 17 percent of the class of 2011 moving on to PGY-1
residencies, it seems as though the College is doing okay,
but tell that to Vandersteen.
“Prior to 2010, we would tell students that they would
be able to get a residency if they didn’t limit themselves to
where they were in the country,” says Jack Burke, director
of the pharmacy practice division at STLCOP and associate
dean of professional education. “If they were willing to
move, they’d get a residency.” What a difference a year
makes.
The demand for residencies, says Janet Teeters, director
of accreditation services at the American Society of
Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), is a direct result of the
future of pharmacy and a tanking economy. Back in 2007, as
the country sat on the brink of financial crisis, ASHP published
its “Long Range Vision for Pharmacy Work,” stating that in
the future, “Licensure alone will be insufficient for pharmacy
practice in hospitals and health systems.” In 2008, the
American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) issued a white
paper indicating that their hope is that pharmacists become
“preeminent health care professionals,” who not only are
responsible for the use of drugs and the treatment and
prevention of disease, but individuals who are educated to
perform at the highest level in a clinical setting. “Although
a majority of today’s pharmacists perform some clinical
functions as part of their practice,” the authors wrote,
“they are not necessarily clinical pharmacists.” To become
clinical pharmacists, ACCP argues, they’ll need licensure,
of course, but they’ll also need experience, and one of
the best ways to get that experience is through residency
training. Put simply: as more pharmacists engage directly
with patients, including treatment options, drug education,
and pharmacotherapy, they’ll depend on residency
programs even more. And as more and more pharmacists
move into specialized areas of practice, from HIV and AIDS
medications to oncology, they’ll need
to go beyond the PGY-1 to a PGY-2 to
specialize.
The future of the profession is
ever-evolving and the education
and training that go with it must also
evolve. Because of the move toward
even more direct patient care, ASHP
and ACCP are pushing to have most
pharmacy graduates complete a residency by 2020—
especially if that graduate plans to work closely with
patients. Some folks, like Sister Mary Louise Degenhart ’60,
special assistant to the president at STLCOP and a national
expert on residency training, think that’s one of the first
steps in making a residency a requirement for all graduates
in the future. Her guess is that the profession will likely
move toward a medical model. “There’s no question that a
medical student will do a residency,” she says. “It should be
the same for our students.”
But where will those students go? Just as the profession
was making these predictions for the future, chain pharmacies
were cutting back on their open professional positions as a
result of the economic turmoil, and pharmacy schools and
Vandersteen, in a sense, was one
of the lucky ones. She headed off
to start a residency in June. But
1,100 other recent pharmacy school
graduates across the country didn’t.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
19
As pharmacists engage in
more direct clinical work with
patients, including treatment
options, drug education,
and pharmacotherapy,
they’ll depend on residency
programs even more.
practice sites began to hold their residency programs steady,
the money woes keeping them from considering expansion.
The students want the residency experience, as Vandersteen
says, to set themselves apart from every other Pharm.D. “I
couldn’t be the best I can be without a residency,” she says.
It’s just a matter of finding one.
Teeters knew there had always been a gap when it came
to applicants seeking residencies and program positions
available. But when that number started creeping toward
1,000 in 2007, she knew that all involved parties would have
to work together to find a solution. In February, just a month
before Vandersteen would begin the post-match scramble,
ASHP held the Pharmacy Residency Capacity Stakeholders
Conference in Washington, D.C.—a conference aimed
at examining the shortage of pharmacy residencies, the
increasing demand for those programs, and to provide
recommendations for bridging the gap.
It was a massive brainstorm. Conference attendees—
20
SUMMER 2011
which included folks from independent and chain
pharmacies, pharmacy schools across the country, and
representatives from the American Association of Colleges
of Pharmacy (among whom was STLCOP President John
Pieper), the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the
Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, and the American
Pharmacists Association—made recommendations to the
current model of pharmacy residencies and suggested new
models as well, which included increasing the current 1-to-1
ratio of resident to preceptor, introducing the “attending
pharmacist” concept, which would mimic the attending
physician role in the medical field, and the use of distance
learning to promote long-distance residencies.
The conference put the problem in the hands of those
who have the power to create change. Before the match in
March, Teeters heard from several folks who had been in
attendance. One went home from the conference and made
a case for his program to expand from four to 12 resident
spots. Another increased his program from six to 10.
“They went back, and received the buy-in to expand their
residency programs,” says Teeters.
That “buy-in” is a huge factor for these practice sites. In
a tough economy, it’s difficult to make the case to expand
programs, so ASHP is working to make that easier for its
members. This summer, they held their annual meeting
in Denver, Colo., where they made the case for residency
program expansion. “It’s a win-win,” says Teeters. If sites
increase their programs, they’ll increase the hands on
deck, which will increase the services they offer. And it’s
economical. Though the program requires funding, says
Teeters, the residents offer their practice sites additional
services, projects, and brainpower at the lower cost of a
resident’s stipend. In exchange, they get the experience
they need to enhance their clinical skills.
In addition to the conference, ASHP Foundation recently
awarded 20 grants of $40,000 each to schools and sites
to grow their residency programs by one. “The foundation
is providing stimulus funding,” says Teeters. This summer
ASHP also will be providing online tutorials on how to
meet accreditation standards for those sites looking to
establish residencies and webinars for preceptor programs.
Lastly, ASHP is launching the Pharmacy Practice Model
Initiative—a program specifically aimed at hospital
pharmacies that encourages those groups to ramp up their
clinical services. “If they redesign their programs to include
more residencies,” says Teeters, “it will free them up to
advance the number of patients covered or advance the
level of clinical services provided.”
This all sounds like the making of a very good plan,
but pharmacy member organizations like ASHP and ACCP
and pharmacy students, faculty, and professionals, are
preparing for the storm. What’s very clear is that the
residency shortage is going to get worse before it gets
better. This year, PGY-1 residencies increased by 11 percent
nationwide, but there were 12 percent more applicants.
And even if current programs can get buy-in from
administrators and the go-ahead to fund new positions,
it takes time to incorporate a new residency even in an
established program. For those schools and sites looking
to start a program from scratch, it can take six months to a
year to get it going and even longer to earn accreditation.
Teeters’ guess is that member groups like ASHP need to
make some major adjustments as well, perhaps making the
accreditation process easier for folks looking to establish
residency programs without compromising quality or
standards. With that in mind, ASHP’s Commission on
Credentials met this summer to examine how accreditation
may need to change to accommodate an increasing number
of residency positions.
“If every existing residency program that’s accredited
could increase their residencies by one,” says Degenhart,
“there would be enough to go around, but that doesn’t meet
the need going forward.” Teeters agrees: “More still needs
to change in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for
residencies in the long run.”
STLCOP is doing its part. This year the College will partner
with Schnuck’s Pharmacy to establish one new community
residency position—with the practice including their
central office, their specialty pharmacy, and a community
store. STLCOP will expand its own residency program with
one of those $40,000 grants from ASHP, using it to create a
new position within the Mercy Medical Center’s program.
STLCOP now offers five PGY-1 and two PGY-2 residency
programs in collaboration with places like John F. Kennedy
Health Center, St. Louis County Department of Health,
and the St. Louis VA Medical Center. Those residencies
train students in acute and chronic disease management,
in-patient and outpatient care, direct patient care, and
navigating the county’s new electronic medical record
database. One residency, at the VA Medical Center, trains
residents in geriatric care, including ambulatory care,
long-term care, and geropsychiatry. Residents of STLCOP
programs also have the chance to do case presentations,
educational and research projects, as well as perform some
teaching duties, including acting as preceptors to students.
Degenhart will have her work cut out for her over the
coming years as this problem continues to grow. “Some
schools haven’t even graduated their first classes yet,” she
“If every existing residency
program that’s accredited
could increase their
residencies by one, there
would be enough to go
around. But that doesn’t meet
the need going forward.”
says, “so it’s only going to get worse.” She’s working with
facilities throughout the St. Louis area to increase residency
training sites around STLCOP. It’s a lot of education and a
lot of training—but students like Vandersteen need experts
like Degenhart to work on their behalf.
All of this is forgetting the fact that there are students who
do match and do go on to complete residencies, and perhaps
those students will be the best ammo to fight the residency
shortage. They are, after all, proving that residencies are
needed for the future of their profession. Davin Patel is one
of those students. After applying to four programs—two in
Chicago, one in Milwaukee, and one in North Carolina, and
flying out to interviews on his own dime, he was relieved
to log on during Match Day and learn that he had matched
with his first choice, Jewel-Osco, a community pharmacy
residency through Midwestern University in Chicago. And
he’s just the kind of candidate to benefit from a residency.
For him, the future is in community care, which means he’ll
be on the front lines of patient health and will spend much of
his career working directly with patients. “If my profession
is moving in a new direction,” he says, “I want to lead that
change, rather than stand back and let change happen.”
And, he says, the residency will keep him competitive in an
economy where jobs are at a premium. When he started at
STLCOP, he says, everyone was getting a job, but now the
market is becoming saturated with pharmacy schools and
graduates, all after the same thing: work. His residency
with Jewel-Osco will school him in more than just patient
care. He’ll spend time researching and collecting data in his
new community. Based on that research, he’ll be required
to develop a new clinical service, and he’ll be charged
with turning that idea into a business proposal, which he
will then implement before his residency is over. He’ll also
learn the ins and outs of academia as he works as adjunct
faculty. And that’s one of the biggest benefits for Patel. “I’ll
be qualified to teach at a university,” he says. “I can’t do that
now.” All he needed was that residency.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
21
Alumni Profile
Photo Credit
text
22
SUMMER 2011
Alumni Profile
Raising a Business
AND
Building a Family
The two are
intensely entwined
for Kellie Tilley ’99.
She is a community
pharmacist and
pharmacy owner,
mother of two,
and wife of the
Speaker of the
Missouri House of
Representatives.
Yet her plan is quite
simple—to be her
own boss, to give her
kids opportunities
she didn’t have,
and retire in four
short years.
By Connie Mitchell
Photography by Jennifer Silverberg
WIFE, MOTHER, STUDENT
Kellie (Phelps) Tilley ’99 is from the
small town of Caruthersville, located in
the Missouri Bootheel on the banks of
the Mississippi River, where her parents
still reside. Growing up, she thought of
becoming a physician, but resources were
scarce, and when she was offered a full
scholarship to Southeast Missouri State
University, she took it. “At that point, I
didn’t know exactly what I would end up
doing,” she remembers. “I might have
pursued a medical degree if I had been
more savvy about student loans and other
options that would have made it feasible.
But I wasn’t that sophisticated, and my
parents told me that they just didn’t have
the money to pay for medical school.”
Ultimately, the answer to her questions
about her future life direction presented
itself in the form of Steve Tilley, a fellow
undergraduate who was preparing to
pursue a career in optometry and join his
father’s practice in his hometown of
Perryville, Mo. She married Steve and
started a family, leaving her bachelor’s
degree unfinished.
The couple and their infant daughter
moved to St. Louis, where Steve began
optometry school. Meanwhile, Tilley
considered her options. She toyed with
the idea of earning certification as a
secondary-school teacher, however, “I
had a friend who had just graduated from
pharmacy school and told me how well
pharmacists do financially,” she says. Her
friend’s enthusiasm was contagious, and
Tilley soon found herself applying to
St. Louis College of Pharmacy. The fact
that she was expecting her second child,
who would be born during her first semes-
Tilley (facing page)
in her Potosi, Mo.,
pharmacy, where she
sells eclectic goods and
local, Amish-made
jams, salsas, sauces,
and pasta.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
23
Alumni Profile
ter, didn’t phase her. “I had to take incompletes in all of my
classes because I went into labor,” she says.
“I honestly don’t know how I did it, looking back,” she
muses. Yet with a baby, a toddler, and a husband who was
enrolled in his own demanding educational program, Tilley
developed the go-getting pattern that still defines her life. “I
had a lot of help from my family, and my husband was very
supportive. To do what I did, you just have to have that kind
of support. And I’m so glad I persevered, even though it was
difficult. Pharmacy is such a great profession.”
Looking back, Tilley sees how her early experiences
shaped her parenting style. “I promised myself that my kids
would not have to go without,” she says. And she is determined to help her daughters, Kourtney and Korrin, pursue
their dreams by earning college and professional degrees that
will lead to fulfilling and financially rewarding careers.
Tilley moved
and expanded
her business,
Austin Plaza
Pharmacy, (to
the lower level
of the same
building) after
this storefront
was broken into
four times by
local residents,
according to
police. Though
Tilley doesn’t
believe that.
24
SMALL-TOWN PHARMACIST
When the Tilleys took up residence in Perryville so Steve
could begin his practice, Kellie completed her pharmacy
degree, commuting to St. Louis and staying with friends
when needed. And after all her hard work, there were no jobs
available in Perryville. The closest pharmacist position she
could find was at a Kmart in Cape Girardeau, about 30 miles
south of Perryville. Tilley took the job and commuted for
two years until an opportunity opened up closer to home.
A local, family-owned drugstore, Healthcare Healthmart
Pharmacy, had lost its pharmacist, and the owner was looking for someone who could work with customers and manage
the pharmacy’s day-to-day operations. Tilley was the perfect
choice, taking the job that she’s now held for the past 10
years.
Although Tilley only worked in an urban setting during
her clinical rotations, she loves the interaction afforded by
serving a rural community where customers become friends
and pharmacists are trusted advisors. “We really go out of
our way to provide the best customer service,” she says. She
SUMMER 2011
welcomes competition in the form of major drugstore chains
and, in fact, gets customer referrals from the bigger pharmacies for some of the specialized service available at Healthcare Healthmart. “If we have someone come in with a sick
child, for instance, we get that prescription out in five to 15
minutes because we know how important it is to the parent,”
she says.
The freedom of working at an independent pharmacy also
allows Tilley to make appointments with customers who are
confused about changes to their prescription drug coverage
or need help choosing a new insurance option. She doesn’t
receive reimbursement for this service but sees it as a valueadded aspect of forming lasting customer relationships.
Relationships with local physicians also become longterm collaborations in which both doctor and pharmacist
are comfortable calling each other to ask questions and talk
directly about specific patients, something that may be more
difficult to achieve in a suburban or urban setting.
Tilley’s daughters, seeing their mother’s success in a
career she loves, both work at the pharmacy alongside their
mom. Kourtney, 17, is a pharmacy tech who visited several
pharmacy schools, including STLCOP, this summer. Korrin,
15, works as a cashier and plans to pursue the degree her
mother once dreamed of—medicine. The girls leave high
school together each day and work until 6 p.m., so that they
and Tilley can spend evenings together dining out, shopping,
or just relaxing.
“We instilled in our girls that they need to choose their
careers wisely in order to maintain the kind of lifestyle
they’re used to,” Tilley says, adding that she and Steve are
committed to providing every opportunity to their daughters. “But it’s up to them to make something of it,” she says.
BEING THE BOSS
While Tilley enjoys the small-town atmosphere of a rural
pharmacy where customers ask for help identifying rashes or
bug bites “and aren’t afraid to show them to us, either,” from a
business standpoint, “independent pharmacies offer some real opportunity,” she notes.
When she learned that Austin Plaza Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy in Potosi,
Mo., was for sale in 2009 because the owner
was ready to retire, she and her partner, Terry
Hyde, who handles the books at the Perryville pharmacy she manages, bought the
business.
“I had thought it would be a good idea to
own a business, and this one practically runs
itself,” she says. Knowing that small-town
residents often resist change, Tilley and
Hyde were careful to retain existing staff and
made very few initial changes. “We didn’t
micromanage, and I think that was appreciated,” she says.
In assessing the potential opportunity, the
partners knew it was important to clearly
Alumni Profile
understand the business in terms of costs, profit margin,
staff, customer base, and market position. In the case of Austin Plaza, a combination of Hyde’s accounting and financial
expertise along with Tilley’s strong knowledge of pharmacy
was what it took to make the deal happen.
“Terry deals with the accounting aspect, and I know the
pharmacy business,” she says. “We make such a great combination, and the business has continued to grow because of
both of our efforts and hard work.”
Another ingredient the pair needed before purchasing the
existing business was capital. The Tilleys worked for many
years before they were in a position to afford a sizable business opportunity. “You don’t go in blind or without resources,” she says. “You really have to know what you’re getting
yourself into and how much financial risk you’re willing and
able to take.”
After all the pieces came together and everything checked
out, business ownership has been both financially and
emotionally rewarding. Tilley doesn’t shy away from making
decisions and also likes the fact that she benefits financially
without putting in a lot of hours. The key is employing
people you can trust, she says. Austin Plaza Pharmacy has 14
employees, including Jerry Geolat ’78, who has worked with
Tilley for 10 years. She visits the pharmacy every week or
two to handle paperwork and check up on the business, but
her involvement on a daily basis is very limited. Meanwhile,
she still enjoys her part-time position in Perryville.
POLITICAL WIFE
Two careers, a business, and two children would keep any
family busy. But the Tilleys have even more responsibilities—to the people of Missouri.
Seven years ago, when their daughters were 10 and 8
years old, Steve Tilley decided to run for office. In 2004, he
was elected to serve as a state representative for the 106th
district, which includes part of Perry, St. Francois, and St.
Genevieve Counties. In 2008, he became the house majority
leader, and this year he was elected Speaker of the House. He
intends to run for the office of lieutenant governor in 2012.
For five months each year, Steve is away for four days a
week, heading to Jefferson City on Monday morning and
returning home late Thursday. There also are occasional
weekend events that require his presence. “I’m a single parent
during that time,” Tilley says. “Luckily, we have good kids.
But the higher up the political ladder he goes, the more he
has to do, so we just see him when we see him.”
Just as Steve supported her while she finished her pharmacy degree, Tilley stands firmly behind her husband and has
adjusted to their slightly unconventional schedule. “When
he decided to run for office, he asked if I’d have any objection,” Tilley remembers. “I didn’t know what being a state
representative really entailed, but when you love someone
you don’t stop him from doing what he wants to do. So the
whole family has made sacrifices, but we keep the lines of
communication open, and we must be doing something right
because we’re still here and still together.”
Despite her stalwart support, Tilley
stays out of the
political spotlight.
“I don’t really like
that scene. I’ve been
to the Capitol to see
how things are done,
and there’s a lot I
don’t agree with. I
think there’s far too
much argument,”
she notes. “But I told
Steve that my only
stipulation would be
that if he ran for office, he’d have to stay
true to himself and
do what he believes
is right. And he has.”
Tilley attends functions with Steve when needed, and she’s
knocked on many doors and ridden in many parades in her
role as a political wife.
Yet her career as a pharmacist helps provide the ballast she
needs to remain steady through the choppy political seas.
And she admits there’s something to be said for having the
ear of one of the state’s most powerful politicians. “People do
ask me to talk to Steve about pharmacy-related issues, like
insurance, from time to time,” she says.
Tilley visits her
Potosi pharmacy
usually once
every week or
two. The rest
of the time, she
relies on her
14 employees
who deliver
prescriptions
daily to patients
in their homes.
FINDING BALANCE
No one would argue with the fact that Kellie Tilley is a hard
worker. Yet she’s looking forward to a time when she’ll be
able to scale back. In just four years, both her daughters will
be in college, and Tilley sees herself retiring from the Perryville pharmacy and enjoying her second home in Las Vegas
for several months each year.
Tilley’s business ownership is geared toward that goal. “I
like owning businesses that other people manage day-to-day
so that I have the freedom to do what I want,” she says. “Too
many people work their whole lives and have very little to
show for it, or their health declines before they’re able to really enjoy retirement. Steve and I have made a lot of sacrifices
and worked hard in order to be financially stable while we’re
still young enough to have fun.”
When asked what advice she would give pharmacy
students and recent graduates, Tilley pauses and then says,
“You have to think about what you ultimately want from your
career and your life. And you may not know what that is for a
few years. But be ready when opportunity knocks.”
She notes that many independent pharmacies are owned
by individuals who will soon be looking to retire. “You can
really walk into a great situation, but be careful to choose a
business partner that you know well and can communicate
with. Keep your eyes and ears open, do your homework, and
ask lots of questions.”
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
25
Alumni News
This has been an incredible year for
me. Since my election as president of
the Alumni Association, I have had the
opportunity to speak and meet with
STLCOP alumni from around the country and from all facets of pharmacy. I am
continually impressed by the commitment of alumni to their communities, by
the intelligence of current students, and
by the pride that we collaboratively have in our alma mater’s
dedication to producing top-notch pharmacists!
As I mentioned in the last issue of Script, the College’s new
strategic plan, STLCOP 20/20, will define the future of St. Louis
College of Pharmacy. The process is completed, and the
planning committee had great alumni representation! Joel
Hennenfent ’96/’97, Brenda Gleason ’97/’98, and Luann Quach
’09 have been key leaders in the planning process.
There has been a lot happening within your Alumni Association, too! We have been working hard to reconnect alumni
with the College and with one another through a multitude of
events, programs, and communications. Of course, we can only
be successful with your help. As a fellow alumnus, I encourage
each of you to get involved, play a role, and offer some suggestions on advancing the association.
You can support your Alumni Association in many ways:
attend an event; volunteer to serve on a committee; start an
alumni chapter in your area; become a preceptor; host a student group at your corporation; mentor a student or support
student programs such as the Welcome Back BBQ, White Coat
Ceremony, or Survival Station during finals. You can also attend Reunion Weekend and bring alumni friends. Let us know
how and what you are doing by submitting a class note or
updating your information through the password-protected
online community. Or nominate a distinguished alumnus or
alumna to receive an Alumni Award.
For more than 136 years, the rich history of our Alumni
Association has continued to grow. We currently have 6,559
living alumni living in all 50 states and 13 countries. On May
14, we welcomed 188 new STLCOP graduates as alumni. So
whether you live near or far, graduated 50 years ago or three
months ago, our Alumni Association is an excellent support
and network system created for you and for STLCOP students.
Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 314.446.8398 or visit
www.stlcop.edu/alumni for more information.
It’s been a pleasure serving as your 2010-11 Alumni Association president.
Chad Graue ’00/’01
President
26
SUMMER 2011
New Board Members
The Alumni Association has elected four new members to
the board of directors this year (instead of three) due to
a tie in the vote count. They will serve a three-year term,
which began July 1, 2011. Learn a bit more about newly
elected alumni board members Maria Chianta, Tim Koch,
Meike Newell, and Robert Salter.
Maria F. Chianta ’91/’00
Current position: Medical
science liaison, Covidien
Pharmaceuticals
About: As a medical science
liaison, Chianta presents
scientific and clinical data
for Covidien’s pharmaceutical products, focusing on the
treatment of chronic pain
and osteoarthritis to provide
better patient care and
outcomes.
Timothy R. Koch ’95
Current position: Director
of pharmacy regulatory
affairs, Walmart Health &
Wellness Division; adjunct
instructor, STLCOP
About: Koch has worked in
a variety of positions during
his 12-year tenure with
Walmart, ranging from pharmacist to district manager
to his present position,
which he has held for five
years. His current role at
Walmart includes managing
relationships with federal
and state government and
regulatory agencies. As an
adjunct faculty member for
the College, Timothy serves
as a preceptor for students
during sixth-year rotations
with Walmart’s Department
of Regulatory Affairs at the
Chianta ’91/’00
Koch ’95
corporate office in Arkansas.
Meike L. Newell ’97
Current position: Clinical
manager, Eastern Missouri
Psychiatric Hospital System
(EMPHS); adjunct clinical
instructor, STLCOP
About: As a clinical manager
within EMPHS, Newell
focuses on mental health
clinical support, education,
and outreach in the St. Louis
region. As an adjunct clinical
instructor, Newell guides
Pharm.D. candidates during
experiential rotations with
EMPHS.
Robert L. Salter ’70
Current position: Executive
director, The Consortium for
Leadership Development,
Anheuser-Busch School
of Business, HarrisStowe State University;
Managing Broker, Realty
Mart–St. Louis
About: Salter received a
master’s degree in Hospital
Administration from Saint
Louis University in 1973
and also has post-graduate
certificates in pharmacy
and real estate. Robert has
spent the majority of his
professional career practicing or teaching health care
administration.
Newell ’97
Salter ’70
Katie Kelly
Letter from the Alumni
Association President
Please register online for Reunion Weekend events by October 7.
alumni.stlcop.edu/Reunion
Scholarship Awards Luncheon 2011
The College thanked donors at two events this past
spring: the annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon and the
Mortar and Pestle Society Dinner. The Scholarship Awards
Luncheon, held on April 12, gave individuals, businesses,
and organizations that sponsored student scholarships the
chance to meet the 2011-12 recipients. More than $282,000 in
scholarships was awarded to STLCOP students.
Annual Mortar and Pestle Society Dinner 2011
Kickoff BBQ, “Blithe Spirit” performance, after-hours parties, Trolley Tour,
reunion receptions, and dinner—whether it is your anniversary year or not,
all alumni are invited to attend Reunion Weekend events.
FRIDAY, OCT. 21 & SATURDAY, OCT. 22
REUNION WEEKEND 2011
Alumni News
The annual Mortar and Pestle Society Dinner recognized
those who have donated at least $1,000 this past year or
have cumulative lifetime giving of $10,000 or more to the
College. Members of the society donated nearly $300,000
during 2010. Former Board of Trustees chairman Bret Kimes
was honored with the society’s Distinguished Service
Award during the dinner. The award honors exemplary
leadership and philanthropy in support of the College.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
27
Alumni News
10
1
9
2
3
8
7
6
5
4
SPRING EVENTS 1-5 Alumni congratulated the Class of 2011 and welcomed members into the alumni ranks with a
happy hour at Mandarin Lounge in the Central West End. 6-10 During a weekend trip to Memphis this spring, alumni
enjoyed a stay at the historic Peabody Hotel, a tour with live music and sites that make Memphis the Home of the Blues,
a group happy hour, and famous Memphis barbecue!
28
SUMMER 2011
Alumni News
OUR 15TH ANNUAL ALUMNI AND FRIENDS GOLF CLASSIC proved to be a success once again with 128 golfers and
various sponsors raising more than $20,000 in support of student scholarships. A special thanks to the following
sponsors: Alberici Constructors; RxSystems, Inc.; Jeff and Randy Baumgarth; McCarthy; CLAYCO; Pfoodman; Shop ’n
Save – a SUPERVALU Company; Gregory P. Young; Liberty Mutual Group; S.M. Wilson & Co.; Bill ’67 and Nancy Reed;
Creative Printing Services; Tom ’71 and Geri Meyer; and MMS – A Medical Supply Company.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
29
1970s
Terry Rehmus ’79 recently
received his Doctor of
Pharmacy degree from the
University of Kansas School
of Pharmacy. Terry is the
associate director of training
for the health economics
outcomes research group of
Johnson & Johnson, where
he develops and facilitates
nationwide training
programs. This spring,
he celebrated 10 years of
service with the company.
Terry and his family reside
in Wildwood, Mo.
1990s
Joel Hennenfent ’96/’97
has been elected for a threeyear term to the American
Society of Health-System
Pharmacists (ASHP) House
of Delegates. He has also
been appointed to the
ASHP Council on Therapeutics by the organization’s
president. Joel is director of
clinical pharmacy services
for Aspen Healthcare
Metrics. He and his wife,
Kristin, and their son, Sam,
live in Kansas City, Mo.
Donna (Lynn) Claes, M.D.
’99 and her husband, Jason,
welcomed their second
child, Nora Josephine,
on Oct. 29, 2010. She
weighed 7 pounds, 5
ounces, and measured
21 ½ inches long. She
joins her big sister, Katie.
Ahead of Her Time
Phyllis (Neu) Sarich ’46, professor emeritus, dedicated
alumna, and beloved member of the St. Louis College of
Pharmacy community, passed away on Saturday, June 25,
at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, Ill., at the age of 85.
Sarich’s long and distinguished pharmacy career made
her a role model for women in science. She made history
as the first full-time female faculty member at St. Louis
College of Pharmacy and first female president of the
Alumni Association. She served as a faculty member of
the College for 52 years, and she served on the Alumni
Association board of directors for 12 years. She was also
a member of the Mortar and Pestle Society, Gold Alumni
Club, and was the unofficial College historian. Her father,
Phillip Neu ’16/’20, was an alumnus. She also met her late
husband, Matt Sarich ’45, while attending STLCOP. As
students, Phyllis and Matt were charter members of the
Student National Pharmaceutical Association and, later,
she became a charter member of the College’s first sorority,
Lambda Kappa Sigma.
Sarich dissolved gender lines in many organizations
including the Veteran Druggist Association, of which she
served as its first female president. Her other memberships
included Rho Chi Honor Society, American Institute of
the History of Pharmacy, and the American Society of
Microbiology Missouri Branch. She received the Alumni
Association’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 1997 and
the association’s Loyalty Award in 2009.
30
SUMMER 2011
Donna is the chief resident
in emergency medicine
at Cincinnati Children’s
Hospital Medical Center.
Elizabeth (Gielow) Dale
’99/’00 and her husband,
Kyle, welcomed their second
child, Charlotte Suzanne, on
Oct. 5, 2010. She weighed
8 pounds, 6 ounces, and
measured 21 inches long.
She joins big brother,
Jack. Elizabeth works
part time for Walgreens.
The family resides in
Missoula, Mont.
2000s
Alexandria (Garavaglia)
Wilson ’01/’02 and her
husband, James, welcomed
HENNENFENT
GIELOW
Class Notes
“Phyllis successfully integrated her roles as wife, mother,
and faculty member during a time when few women held
faculty positions,” says Evelyn Becker ’88/’93, professor of
biology. “Her influence will live on, especially through the
hundreds of women in science and pharmacy for whom she
served as a role model.”
In the winter 2004 Script feature story, “In her Own Way,”
Sarich poignantly foreshadowed her lifelong commitment
to St. Louis College of Pharmacy—six years after her
retirement in 1998. In it, she said, “I just can’t get away from
this place. I’ll probably stay connected until I die!”
The family has requested that memorials be made to
St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
Class Notes
text
Senior Care Pharmacist
Amy DeWein ’89, founder of the Senior RxAccess
Program and adjunct professor of pharmacy practice
at STLCOP, has received the American Society of
Consultant Pharmacists’ (ASCP) 2011 Armon Neel
Senior Care Pharmacist Award. The award recognizes
DeWein’s contributions to geriatrics in pharmacy and
her dedication to improving the quality of life and care
for seniors.
The Senior RxAccess Program, founded by DeWein, is
a medication therapy management program in St. Louis
that serves older adults who are homebound or in
community and independent-living settings. This
care-based model has been recognized for contributing
to comprehensive geriatric chronic care management
and for improving medication use among seniors.
“I truly believe that once pharmacists establish a
consistent standard of care, by working with patients
one-on-one, we will be able to have the tipping point
necessary to be integrated as a required member of
the health care team,” DeWein said. “As pharmacists,
we need to commit to a philosophy of having a true
practice—as modeled by other health disciplines—
where we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a
week to modify medication therapy so patients have
improved medication use.”
DeWein received the Alumni Association Outstanding Achievement Award in 2005 and is a member of the
Mortar and Pestle Society. She was also the recipient of
the Missouri Pharmacy Association’s (MPA) Innovative
Pharmacy Practice Award in 2006. DeWein earned a
bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from STLCOP, master’s
degree in health care services from Washington
University, and Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the
Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah
University in Virginia. She is a board member of MPA
and holds leadership positions with the national and
state chapters of ASCP.
their fourth child, Rocco
Charles, on Dec. 20, 2010.
He weighed 8 pounds, 2
ounces, and measured 20 ½
inches. He joins big sister,
Adriana, and big brothers,
Nico, and Marco. Alexandria is an assistant professor
of pharmacy practice at
STLCOP. The family
resides in St. Louis.
Brenda M. (Crews)
Walsh, ’02/’03/’04 and her
husband, Tom, welcomed
their third child, William
Edward, on Feb. 8. He
weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces,
and measured 20 inches. He
joins big brothers, Tommy
and Anthony. Brenda is
employed by CVS/pharmacy
in Ellisville, Mo. The family
lives in Labadie, Mo.
Justin Lusk ’07, outpatient
pharmacy services chief
at Grand Forks Air Force
Base, N.D., was selected
from among 117 captains
to receive the USAF
Fred Coleman Company
Grade Pharmacy Officer
of the Year Award.
Mary (Miskovic) Mayfield
’07 and her husband, Mike,
welcomed their first child,
Caiden Michael, on Dec.
17, 2010. He weighed 7
pounds, 2 ounces, and
measured 19 ¾ inches.
Mary is a staff pharmacist
at Walgreens pharmacy
in St. Louis. The family
resides in St. Louis.
Kacie (Ballantini) Monson
’07 and her husband,
Ben, welcomed their first
child, Jordyn McKenzie,
on March 12. She weighed
6 pounds, 1 ounce, and
WILSON
WALSH
LUSK
MAYFIELD
Tell your STLCOP
friends and classmates
about the latest
news in your life.
Enjoy reading about
your classmates in
Class Notes? Share
some news about your
work projects, new
jobs or promotions,
marriages or children,
awards, vacations,
or hobbies. You also
may send an e-mail to
[email protected],
or submit news online
at alumni.stlcop.edu/
classnotes.
SCRIPT MAGAZINE
31
Class Notes
measured 20 inches. Kacie
is an assistant professor
of pharmacy practice at
STLCOP. Ben is a manager
at Walgreens in Alton, Ill.
They live in Belleville, Ill.
Trisha (Smith) DeBose
’08 and her husband, John,
welcomed their first child,
Lincoln Charles, on Sept.
9, 2010. He weighed 7
pounds, 14 ounces, and
measured 20 ½ inches.
Trisha is a pharmacist
at Harrisburg Medical
Center in Harrisburg,
Ill. The family resides
in Eldorado, Ill.
In Memoriam
Vernon Hartmann ’43 died
May 1 in Ballwin, Mo.
Donald M. Hente ’44 died
Jan. 14 in Cape Girardeau,
Mo.
Frank (Gene) Van
Breusegen ’57 died March
31 in St. Louis.
Charles M. Rongey ’44
died May 5, 2010, in
St. Petersburg, Fla.
Daniel R. Wiegand ’57
died April 7 in Maryville, Ill.
Kenneth G. Mehrle ’48
died March 1 in Cape
Girardeau, Mo.
Robert E. Mason ’53 died
May 6 in West Chester,
Ohio.
William A. Grootens ’55
died June 19 in Quincy, Ill.
Jack D. Devine ’56 died
March 5 in Peoria, Ill.
Tell your STLCOP friends and
classmates about the latest
news in your life.
Submit to:
Alumni Office • St. Louis College of Pharmacy
4588 Parkview Place • St. Louis, MO 63110
[email protected] • alumni.stlcop.edu/classnotes
address
home/cell phone
e-mail address
current employer(s)
my news
Thomas E. Wand ’60 died
Feb. 24 in Edina, Mo.
MONSON
David E. Johnston ’62
died Feb. 24 in Dardenne
Prairie, Mo.
Bernard A. Mann ’88 died
Feb. 20 in St. Louis.
Brian S. Voorhees ’89 died
June 15 in St. Louis.
DEBOSE
SPEAK UP
name
Stephen J. Wolff Jr. ’58
died April 4 in Wayne, N.J.
class year
Higher Learning Commission
Invites Third Party Comments
St. Louis College of Pharmacy is seeking comments
from the public about the College in preparation for
its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting
agency. The College will undergo a comprehensive
evaluation visit October 24-26, 2011 by a team
representing The Higher Learning Commission
of the North Central Association of Colleges and
Schools. St. Louis College of Pharmacy has been
accredited by the commission since 1967. The team
will review the institution’s ongoing ability to meet
the commission’s Criteria for Accreditation.
The public is invited to submit
comments regarding the College:
Public Comment on St. Louis College of Pharmacy
The Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602
Comments must address substantive matters related
to the quality of the institution or its academic
programs. Comments must be in writing and signed;
comments cannot be treated as confidential.
All comments must be received by September 24, 2011.
32
SUMMER 2011
A
N
I
F
E
E TH
L
M
A
X
E
S
C
I
T
U
E
P
THER A
TAK
s
sor of Pharmacy Zachar y Stacy’
Questions from Assistant Profes
OP students this year.
therapeutics exam given to STLC
ing indications
hich of the following compell
1. W
line
first
the
to
d
is correctly matche
ended by
mm
reco
men
regi
antihypertensive
JNC 7 guidelines?
eart failure – amlodipine
a. H
b. Diabetes – metoprolol
amlodipine
c. History of ACS – lisinopril +
+ HCTZ
d. History of stroke – lisinopril
MOST
2. Which of the following is the
agement of
man
the
for
apy
ther
e
riat
approp
CKD?
fluid overload associated with
a. Furosemide
b. Metolazone
c. Triamterene
d. Hydrochlorothiazide
be the MOST
3. Which of the following would
in a patient with
apy
appropriate first-line ther
dL?
triglycerides > 500 mg/
a. Ezetimibe
b. Fenofibrate
c. Pravastatin
d. Cholest yramine
traindication
hich of the following is a con
4. W
with diabetes?
to met formin in a male patient
a. A1c > 7%
b. sCr > 1.5 mg/dL
c. ALT < 25 IU/L
d. BNP < 100 pg/mL
be
hich of the following agents can
5. W
HIT
itive
pos
safely used in a patient with
antibodies?
ions prevents
6. Which of the following medicat
?
cardiac remodeling
a. Digoxin
b. Bumetanide
c. Amiodarone
d. Spironolactone
ns in which
anolazine may lead to reductio
7. R
ameters?
of the following monitoring par
a. A1C
b. AST
c. ANA
d. ABG
ST appropriate
8. Which clinical scenario is MO
patient?
ACS
to use tenecteplase in an
nges
a. [-] troponin and no EKG cha
depression
b. [-] troponin and ST-segment
elevation
c. [+] troponin and ST-segment
ves
d. [+] troponin and flipped t-wa
n for his
9. A patient is receiving war fari
ated on
initi
be
will
and
ion
atrial fibrillat
Which
.
trol
con
hm
rhyt
for
amiodarone
riate
rop
app
t
mos
the
is
g
of the followin
?
time
this
at
n
recommendatio
a. Increase war farin dose by 25%
b. Decrease war farin dose by 50%
25%
c. Increase amiodarone dose by
by 50%
d. Decrease amiodarone dose
ions is most
hich of the following medicat
10. W
block?
AV
likely to cause second-degree
a. Lisinopril
b. War farin
a. Dalteparin
c. Flecainide
b. Enoxaparin
d. Metoprolol
c. Argatroban
d. Fondaparinux
WEB EXTRA
Find the
answers at
alumni.stlcop.
edu/exam.
4588 Parkview Place
St. Louis, MO 63110-1088
314.367.8700 Fax 314.446.8304
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