Class of 2014 White Coat Ceremony

A White Coat Ceremony, sponsored by Rite Aid Corporation, was held on Tuesday September 21, 2010 to welcome the entering Class of 2014 to the profession of pharmacy. First professional year students were joined by family, friends, faculty, and staff to celebrate the milestone.

The speaker, Dr. Nimita Thekkepat Varga, a 2004 graduate of the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy talked about her evolving career and the role of professionalism in her career choices. Special guests included representatives from Rite Aid and Mr. and Mrs. Jay Russell.

Sarah McDonald, former Resident, is featured in the ACCP Ambulatory Care PRN Newsletter for her article on The Patient Centered Medical Home. (6/9/10)

Zara Risoldi Cochrane, Class of 2008, served as a volunteer pharmacist in Haiti to aid in the earthquake relief efforts. Learn more about her journey in the ACCP Ambulatory Care PRN Newsletter. (6/9/10)

Congratulations Residents on presenting at Eastern States.
Posters:

• Andrew Forest: Leukotriene Inhibitors Causing Mood or Behavioral Problems: A Retrospective Review.
• Jason Liao: Evaluating Lipid Profiles of Veterans Referred To The Lipid Clinic In Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center
• Sarah McDonald: Retrospective Review of Patients Using Once Daily vs. Twice Daily Insulin Glargine

Congratulations Rho Chi for winning a Rho Chi Chapter Proposal Award at the APhA National Meeting in March. They have received $500 to apply to their service platform. (4/5/10)

Congratulations SU Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy students annd residents who matched and/or accepted postgraduate positions:

Fellowship:

• Sara Snow--2 Year Pharm.D. Regulatory Affairs/Drug Safety & Risk Management Fellowship with Biogen Idec / Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Cambridge, MA

• Stephen Creasy--Pharmacy Residency, University of Louisville Healthcare, Louisville, KY
• Lindsey Demers--Pharmacy Residency, Saint Joseph Hospital, Lexington, KY
• Nicole Graham--Pharmacy Residency, Valley Health, Winchester, VA
• John Hammill: San Antonio Combined Military PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas and Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft Sam Houston, Texas
• Keli Ishman--Pharmacy Residency (Ambulatory Care Focus), North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL
• Kathryn Kropp--Pharmacy Residency, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
• Patrick Ratliff--Pharmacy Residency, Saint Joseph Hospital, Lexington, KY
• Wiliam Rodgers--Pharmacy Residency, Mission Hospitals, Asheville, NC
• Peter Tran--Managed Care Pharmacy, Health Net Pharmaceutical Services, Sacramento, CA
• Amber Wesner--Pharmacy Residency, Valley Health, Winchester, VA
• Linda Yoo--PManaged Care Pharmacy, CVS Caremark, Dallas, TX

• Jeffrey Lalama (current PGY1 Pharmacy Resident at Valley Health)--Cardiology Pharmacy, University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA

Congratulations Emily Kirchner, recipient for the 2010 AACP Wal-Mart Scholars Program and faculty mentor, Karen Schultz. The goal of this scholarship program is to strengthen the recipient's skills and commitment to a career in academic pharmacy through participation in programming and activities at the 2010 AACP Annual Meeting and Seminars. (3/24/10)

Congratulations Kristina Angelone, Brian Cox, Julie Horak, and Renee Summerson for being chosen to participate in Project Hope rotations. (1/4/10)

Congratulations Kofi Kyei-Mensah [P1], Sorapy San [P3], Renee Summerson [P3], & Siri Tanpatanachareon [P2] for being selected to participate in the Global Citizenship Project (GCP) occurring in spring 2010. (11/6/09)

Dr. Craig Richard was selected to be one of eight fellows in the inaugural 2009-2010 class of Pharmacy Forward: Pharmacy Leadership for Reproductive Health – a new continuing education training program launched by Pharmacy Access Partnership, a Center of the Pacific Institute for Women’s Health, in collaboration w/the UCSF Pharmacist Leadership Institute. (11/6/09)

Congratulations Alexis Hargbol, 2009 SU Homecoming Queen. (11/6/09)

Alison Smith, class of 2012, won second place in the university-wide essay contest sponsored by Shenandoah University’s Institute for Government and Public Policy. She was recognized at Shenandoah University’s Public Service Awards Banquet held on October 4th. (10/5/09)

New Life at BJD blog allows pharmacy students and faculty share their experiences about the School of Pharmacy. (10/2/09)

Drs. Amanda Munson and Nancy Skacel developed “GO GIRL” (Genomics Opportunities for Girls in Research Labs) program to mentor and encourage high school girls in science. The 15 Loudoun County high school girl participants in this summer program were exposed to cutting-edge genomics and biotechnology. Sessions were held on the George Washington University Campus in Ashburn, VA. (9/18/09)

The Institute for Government and Public Service is sponsoring an essay contest for all students at Shenandoah University. The purpose of the contest is two-fold: 1) Create an awareness of civic responsibility and 2) Promote Constitution Day 2009. Essays must be submitted by September 17, 2009 to ssnyder@su.edu (9/1/09)

Pharmacy Faculty and Students Participate in Two Project HOPE Medical Missions on Opposite Sides of the Globe

The Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University and Project HOPE (www.projecthope.org) are engaged in a unique humanitarian effort to address the pressing health care needs of citizens of Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands and other countries in the Caribbean and around the Pacific Rim.

Students and faculty from the pharmacy school have joined other health care providers as part of two separate but equally important humanitarian programs in partnership with staff from Project HOPE.

Elizabeth Johnson, a fourth professional year pharmacy student, departed on June 21st to join the USNS Comfort in the Caribbean for six weeks as part of Continuing Promise 2009 (http://www.southcom.mil/AppsSC/factFiles.php?id=103).

Beth is being precepted by pharmacist Benedict Baidoo, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy. You can follow Beth’s experiences at (http://rxprojecthope.blogspot.com/), as Continuing Promise and the Project HOPE team visit Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Dawn Havrda, Chairperson of Pharmacy Practice at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy admonished the first participants for this mission, Everyone, not just at the pharmacy school, is very interested in this unique health care experience. Take good notes and blog often!”

John Hammill, also a fourth professional year pharmacy student, arrived at his Project HOPE destination, the Western Samoa Islands, and joined other volunteers and the crew of the USNS Richard Byrd, on June 31st as part of Pacific Partnership 2009 (http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=46405).

Virginia pharmacist, John Nett, is serving as John Hammill’s preceptor and recently remarked via satellite phone to Matt Peterson, Program Manager at Project HOPE, “things are going very, very well!” He went on to emphasize “how impressed he is with John and how thrilled he is to have him for a student.” He indicated that he and John, supported by one pharmacy technician from the U.S. Navy, had written over 700 prescriptions and had delivered care to over 300 patients in just the past few days. The Byrd is currently in Samoa where it will engage in medical and engineering projects for two weeks. It will then sail to Tonga for a 13 day mission.

John Hammill’s first report (7/2/09) from the mission included the following summary:

The facilities at Sataua are primitive, but the nursing staff has been very accommodating to our needs and the needs of our equipment. The response to our presence has been overwhelming. The patients are very eager to be seen and it is clear we are fulfilling a dire need for this community. The mission is going very well and everything is going according to plan.

The Byrd reaches Noumea, New Caledonia at the end of July, were Dr. Alla Marks, Associate Professor of Pharmacy from the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, will replace John Nett as the pharmacist and fourth professional year pharmacy student Stephen Creasy will replace John Hammill for the remainder of the mission. Marks and Creasy will provide care to the citizens of New Caledonia for several days before sailing for the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and end the deployment in the Marshall Islands, conducting two weeks of outreach per country, before flying back to Winchester, Virginia in the middle of September.

This unique partnership between the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Project Hope and the U.S. Navy was made possible through the tireless work of Matthew Peterson, Program Manager, Special Projects; Dana Fitzsimmons, Pfizer Fellow; Earl Rodgers, MS, PD an active Project HOPE volunteer; Dawn Havrda, Chairperson of Pharmacy Practice and Ms. Wanda Coffey, Experiential Coordinator from the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons, President of Shenandoah University has been a strong supporter of international partnerships such as the Project HOPE missions and has taken time from her busy schedule to blog with the students on the Comfort and the Byrd. View Photos (7/9/09)

The Shenandoah Valley Compassionate Pharmacy, a collaborative program between the School of Pharmacy, Rite Aid and physicians at Winchester Medical Center, has been awarded the 2009 Commonwealth Council on Aging Best Practices award in the Community Partnership category. The pharmacy provides free chronic medications to persons who qualify for pharmaceutical manufacturers assistance programs and serves as a learning and research site for pharmacy students.

Jeff Delafuente (center right) from the Commonwealth Council on Aging in Richmond, Va., presents a Best Practice Award to the Shenandoah Valley Compassionate Pharmacy program represented by (left to right) Dr. John Armstrong, Pharmacist William Dillon and Patient Advocate Donna Daddeau.
View Photo (6/10/09)

Fourth year pharmacy students will be participating in the inaugural experiential rotations with Project HOPE.

• Elizabeth Johnson will be going to Latin America on board the USNS Comfort. Benedict Baidoo will serve as her pharmacy preceptor. Her experience will include the following nations: Columbia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama.
• John Hammill will be going to the Pacific on board the USNS Richard Byrd. John Nett will serve as his pharmacy preceptor.
• Stephen Creasy will also be going to the Pacific on board the USNS Richard Byrd. Alla Marks will serve as his pharmacy preceptor.

Questionmark Case Study: Shenandoah University’s School of Pharmacy Speeds Test Authoring and Content Harvesting with Questionmark Live

Experience with Online Assessments
The School of Pharmacy has long used the Questionmark™ Perception™ assessment management system for many course assessments within the traditional program and exclusively for the online non-traditional program. Faculty members are encouraged to incorporate online assessments in their courses and to write their own questions. Until now, faculty have used Perception Authoring Manager and Questionmark Word Authoring Templates, to author assessment questions. The Authoring Templates are convenient to use off campus, on machines without Questionmark Authoring Manager. They utilize familiar tools within Microsoft Word to create questions that are then imported, delivered, and managed using Questionmark Perception.

Moving to Browser-Based Authoring with Questionmark Live
The school’s Webmaster, Terra Walker jumped on the opportunity to try out an early release of Questionmark Live, a browser-based tool that makes it easy for subject matter experts (SMEs) to write Perception questions. Questionmark Live gives Questionmark Perception users an intuitive, click-and-drag interface and workflow utilizing familiar tools for formatting and embedding images, links, feedback and more. Authors establish question sets focusing on a similar theme, subject or purpose, then create multiple choice, multiple response, text match, or Likert scale questions by following simple prompts. Walker, who manages test authoring and administers assessments, was eager to show faculty members this new tool and have them try it out. . . .

Congratulations to James Randall, this year's recipient of the James R. & Mary B. Wilkins Award. (5/11/09)

Congratulations P4 Practicum Winners!

Each year, we recognize the top 5 practicum projects presented in the Fall and Spring, and the 10 individuals are recognized at graduation. It was evident from the final products that the P4 students worked hard and choosing only 5 projects was very difficult.

The top 5 practicum projects for the May practicums, including the P4 student and faculty advisor, in no specific order, are:

• Stephanie Chiu: "The Quantification of Monacolins in Over-the-Counter Red Yeast Rice Dietary Supplements and Food Products." Faculty Advisor: Wendell Combest, Ph.D.
• Jeff Fu: "Assessment of Brand Name OTC Product Information in Prescription PDA Drug Databases.” Faculty Advisor: Thomas Ellington, Pharm.D.
• Heather Houseknecht: "Prescriber’s Awareness of Drug Cost and the Evaluation of a Medication-Cost Pocket Guide in Prescribing Measures.” Faculty Advisor: Thomas Ellington, Pharm.D.
• Tammy Jearanai: "Aristolochic Acid and Caffeine in Herbal Weight Loss Products." Faculty Advisor: David Newton, Ph.D.
• Katie King: "Assessment and Evaluation of Treatment of Aromatase Inhibitor- Associated Arthralgias and Myalgias." Faculty Advisor: Doug Smith, Pharm.D.

Congratulations Muzammil Razvi and Derek Parvizi in their excellent debate performance in the final exam for Service Learning, PHAR 536.

Their debate and rebuttal convinced the 4 judges of their first place win for $1,000 for the math program at Daniel Morgan Middle School, Winchester, VA. The judges stated that the first year pharmacy students from all sites presented solid statements and research. (5/5/09)

Pharmacy had more people in attendance and WINNERS at the SGA Leadership Ceremony than any other discipline! The following pharmacy people were recognized:

• Michelle Chandler, Outstanding Leader Award
• Dr. Dawn Havrda, Advisor of the Year
• PLS, Student Organization of the Year
• Joe Leiman, Secretary of the SU SGA

OTC Competition Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the self-care competition, held on April 24th. They will compete at the state competition this summer. Jamie Larson, Michelle Chandler, Julie Horak, & Zahra Hasemipour (4/30/09)

Congratulations SU Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy students who matched and/or accepted postgraduate positions:

Fellowship:

• Austin Combest: 2 Year Drug Development Fellowship at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

• Sarah M. Anthony: Inova Fairfax, Fairfax, VA
• Renee Bogdan: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• Eva Christian: Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, MI.
• Kimberly Flynn: Norton Healthcare, Louisville, KY
• Anne-Marie Harper: Huntington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Huntington, WV
• Heather Houseknecht: Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA
• Sriuma "Tammy" Jearanai: Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Fayetteville, NC
• Jeanette Kao: Managed care residency at Hill Physicians Medical Group/PriMed Management Consulting Services, Inc., San Ramon, CA
• Brandon "Jason" Liao: Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV
• Sarah McDonald: Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV
• Angie McGraw: St. Thomas Hospital, Nashville, TN
• Thien "Paul" Nguyen: American Health Care, Rocklin, CA
• Heather N. Papageorgeon: MultiCare Health System (Tacoma General & M.B. Children's Hospital), Tacoma, WA
• Joshua Perry: Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, VA
• Melissa Ruble: Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Michael Ruble: Morton Plant Mease Hospital, in Clearwater, FL
• Joyce Yung: Kaiser Permanente, Marin/Sonoma, CA

• Tony M. Abramczyk: PGY2 in primary care/family medicine at James A. Haley VA in Tampa, FL
• Ananth Anthes: PGY2 in critical care at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA

All fourth-year students in Shenandoah University’s Dunn School of Pharmacy take part in seven internship rotations in the community. Each rotation lasts for five weeks and allows students — about 90 in this year’s class — to collaborate with pharmacists, physicians, and nurses to treat and evaluate patients.

“We learned a lot. We look at the patients with the physicians,” said Heather Papageorgeon, who completed her last rotation Feb. 11. “We’re looking for drug interactions and doing direct patient care.” . . .

Mark S. Johnson, associate professor of pharmacy practice and director of postgraduate education for the pharmacy school, worked with Papageorgeon at WMC and Winchester Internal Medicine…[He] finds the medical center a great learning environment for pharmacy students.

“The physicians have embraced [rotations], and they actually do a lot of teaching of the students,” he said. “They take the teaching component of this very seriously.” . . . “As the profession becomes more patient care-focused, there needs to be more training,” he said. “Medicine and therapies are so complex that now we think of [treatment] as more of a collaborative approach.” . . .

“The physicians would periodically ask me about topics, so I would review them in advance,” Papageorgeon said, explaining the benefit of this form of teaching. “It’s good to put the didactic with the practical.”

The experience at WMC and her other six rotation locations has paid off, as Papageorgeon has already arranged eight job interviews in Washington state and Oregon before her May graduation. She wants to obtain a postgraduate residency in acute care in a hospital setting in the Pacific Northwest.

by Jessica Burchard, excerpt from The Winchester Star, 2/21/09 (3/2/09)

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Board of Directors has decided that the Shenandoah University Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy be continued as an ACPE-accredited provider of continuing pharmacy education. The accreditation term is sustained until January 31, 2012. Congrats and thanks to Drs. Marsh and Marks for their hard work in obtaining this important endorsement. (2/6/09)

Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 APhA-ASP Local Patient Counseling Competition:

• 1st Place: Beth Johnson
• 2nd Place: Stephen Creasy
• 3rd Place: Mikhail Arthur

Congratulations P4 Practicum Winners!

Each year, we recognize the top 5 practicum projects presented in the fall and spring, and the 10 individuals are recognized at graduation. It was evident from the final products that the P4 students worked hard and choosing only 5 projects was very difficult. The top 5 practicum projects for the December practicums, including the P4 student and faculty advisor, in no specific order:

• Renee Bogdan: "Comparison of the frequency of methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T in depressed patients treated by a primary care physician versus those treated by a psychiatrist." Faculty Advisor: Robbie Kidd, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
• Austin Combest: "Identification of methylxanthines and flavanols in dark chocolate products: are there potential health benefits of chocolate?” Faculty Advisor: David Newton, Ph.D.
• Jay Joshi: "The incorporation of Herbal Products at Anti-Inflammatory Therapeutic Levels into Meal Form.” Faculty Advisor: Wendell Combest, Ph.D.
• Heather Papageorgeon: "Assessing the Appropriateness of Recommended Nutritional Supplements and Drug Formulations in Bariatric Surgery Patients at Winchester Medical Center." Faculty Advisor: Mitsi Lizer, Pharm.D.
• Jarred Patrick: "Adults’ Knowledge of and Habits in Treating Constipation." Faculty Advisor: Sarah Parnapy, Pharm.D.

Congratulations Andrew Ventura and Aids Response Effort

If asked the question, “What final exam did you really enjoy taking that made a difference for your community” most of us would be in a quandary. Ask Andrew Ventura, first year pharmacy student at Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, he may answer, “My Service Learning course exam.”

First year pharmacy students held a formal debate judged by 4 experienced debaters leading to a verdict of “good work.” The students who worked in one of 12 non-profits participated in a formal debate and rebuttal as to whichnon-profit should receive a real $1,000 donated by an anonymous citizen. It was very close but Aids Response Effort received the $1,000 due to the fine debate skills and service of Mr. Ventura. View Photo (12/15/08)

The P1 class officers (Bassam Atallah, Sarah Nordberg, Preston Estep, and Andrew Ventura) volunteered Sunday to man the WINC Chain of Checks campaign booth in the Apple Blossom Mall.

This year’s donations will go to NW Works (formerly Northwestern Workshop). NW Works is an organization that provides career opportunities for people with disabilities, serving about 160 people a year who would normally be considered unemployable. The students collected donations and distributed information to passersby. “We’re trying to help bring a change to the community,” said Bassam Atallah, president of the first-year pharmacy class. “The [Chain of Checks] campaign is kind of different. It’s definitely a good idea.” (11/25/08)

For more information visit the Winchester Star

Congratulations to the following School of Pharmacy representatives who have been selected to participate in the spring 2009 Global Citizenship Project: Jeff Spray (faculty), Christine Mason (staff), and students: Andrew Ventura, Jenean Watkins, Alisabeth Yang, Solomon Adams (pre-pharmacy). (11/4/08)

All of the graduating class of 2008 from the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy who took the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) in the May 1 – August 31, 2008 test window passed. The NAPLEX is a standard examination of competency and knowledge that allows a pharmacy graduate to receive a license to practice in the United States. This 100% pass rate compares with a state passing rate of 96.58% and a national passing rate of 97.44%. In addition, the average score for the candidates from the School was 116.59, compared to 113.06 for the state average and 114.11 for the national average. Both our NAPLEX average score and pass rate has increased every year since 2005. Our increases occurred despite a decrease in the state and national average NAPLEX scores and in the state NAPLEX passing rate. (10/7/08)

Student and faculty articles featured in the Richmond Times Dispatch in recognition of American Pharmacists Month. Click here to view the articles online. (10/6/08)

Congratulations to three of our residency programs for achieving ASHP accreditation status! The following programs were just informed of their accreditation status by the votes of the ASHP Commission on Credentialing and ASHP Board of Directors:

• Amherst Family Practice--both Postgraduate Year One and Postgraduate Year Two Residencies--Dr. Dawn Havrda, Residency Program Director
• Leesburg Pharmacy--Postgraduate Year One (Community) Residency--Dr. Scott Stolte, Residency Program Director; Dr. Ashley Ellis, Former Resident and Residency Preceptor
• Rite Aid (Amherst St, Winchester)--Postgraduate Year One (Community) Residency--Dr. Sarah Parnapy, Residency Program Director

The Class of 2012 received their white coats during the White Coat Ceremony held on September 12th. (9/12/08)

The Beta Pi Chapter of Phi Delta Chi received an award for 100% achievement in the Dale W. Doerr Achievement Awards program for 2007-2008. Please congratulate the Brothers from the Beta Pi Chapter when you see them. (9/5/08)

Seventeen teams participated in our Annual Golf Classic to raise money for scholarships for first year pharmacy students. It was a beautiful day at Rock Harbor Golf Course. Special thanks to the golf committee members, sponsors and participants for their commitment to a wonderful event. (8/8/08)

• Winning Team – Sponsored by Rite Aid: Ross Wright, Mark Owens, Greg Horbon and Jason Nichole
• 2nd Place Team - Tracey Walker, Darren Lambert, Chad Thompson and Jim Singhas
• 3rd Place Team - David Everhart, Larry Everheart, John Brown and Buck Willingham

Dr. Sarah Parnapy received the Outstanding Young Pharmacist of the Year award from VPhA. (8/6/08)

Arthur Harralson, PharmD, associate dean for research, and Robert Kidd, PharmD, PhD, professor of biopharmaceutical sciences, from Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy will participate in a research study led by The George Washington University (GWU) Pharmacologist Travis O’Brien, PhD, and a multidisciplinary team of physicians and health economists to investigate how the drug warfarin, an oral anticoagulant used to treat individuals with cardiovascular diseases, can be personalized based on a patient’s individual genomic biomarkers.

The multidisciplinary research team also includes GWU’s April Barbour, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Linda Lesky, MD, associate professor of medicine and health policy, and Perry Payne Jr., MD, JD, MPP, assistant research professor of health policy. The study may have significant implications for future research in personalized medicine as well as the cost of drug therapy.

To view this article in its entirety, go to http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/116561.php.

For information about pharmacogenomics, go to http://studentorgs.gwu.edu/pharmacogenomics or http://www.su.edu/university_info/SU%20Today%20Fall%2005.pdf. (7/30/08)

Shenandoah University is pleased to announce the following organizational changes within the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Arthur Harralson has been promoted to associate dean for research. He will work full-time in Ashburn, Va., at The George Washington University (GWU) campus, where Shenandoah University co-delivers a pharmacogenomics program (Pharmacogenomics is the emerging field of how a person’s genetics affect the body’s response to drugs). Harralson will work in tandem with Dr. Alan McKay, dean of the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, to develop new collaborative research opportunities with GWU faculty, the Center of Innovative Technology, the Loudoun County Technology Council and individual biotechnology companies that reside in Northern Virginia. He will also work with the faculty of the Ashburn campus to broaden their impact in the dynamic Northern Virginia region and with all faculty of the school of pharmacy to further their individual research efforts. Harralson has served as associate dean for academic affairs and professor of pharmacy practice since 2002. He holds a B.A from California State University and a Pharm.D. from the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Scott Stolte, associate professor of pharmacy, will assume the duties of associate dean for academic affairs. Dr. Stolte has served in various leadership roles since June of 1998, when he joined the pharmacy school faculty. He was the first faculty member to complete the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Leadership Fellowship Program and recently served as acting dean. Stolte will assume responsibilities for the day-to-day activities of the school of pharmacy and, as chair of the Strategic Planning Task Force, will lead the development of a new vision for the future of the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy. Stolte holds a Pharm.D. from Purdue University.

Assistant Professor Elizabeth Sheaffer will become director of curriculum and assessment. In her new capacity, she will work to develop a curricular matrix, a school-wide assessment strategy, and will assist the associate dean for academic affairs with preparation of reports for specialty and regional accrediting bodies. Dr. Sheaffer will also serve on the Academic Affairs Committee in an ex officio capacity. She will be located full-time at the Ashburn campus. Sheaffer holds a Ph.D. from George Mason University, an M.B.A. from Shenandoah University, and a B.A. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. (7/8/08)

Joyce Yung (Class of 2009) was selected as the Virginia Pharmacists Association (VPhA) Research & Foundation Student Award recipient for Shenandoah University School of Pharmacy. The award presentation will be held at VPhA’s 127th Annual Convention on Sunday, August 3, 2008. The award consists of an engraved plaque, a check for $300, and complimentary registration to the convention. (6/27/08)

BJD SOP holds 6th Annual Residency Graduation on June 22, 2008. Congratulations to the following graduates:

• Rebecca Adams, PharmD
• Melinda Albritton, PharmD, MBA
• Shrimayi Desai, PharmD
• Ashley Ellis, PharmD
• Jessica Raines, PharmD
• Jennifer Tan, PharmD
• Nancy Youssef, PharmD

Michael D. Ruff, R.Ph., vice president of pharmaceutical development at Metrics Inc., has become the ninth person in the world to earn the new Certified Pharmaceutical Industry Professional (CPIP™) credential. He is a non-traditional PharmD student at Shenandoah University. Article (5/21/08)

Congratulations to the students and residents pursuing postgraduate education!

• Tony Abramczyk: PGY1 @ University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo Ohio
• Ananth Anthes: PGY1 @ St. Joseph Hospital, Bellingham, WA
• Lori Blank: PGY1 @ Clarian Health Partners, Indianapolis, IN
• Cornelius (Neil) Brown: PGY1 @ Dekalb Medical Center, Decatur, GA
• Sarah Fleszar: PGY1 @ St. Joseph's/Candler Health System, Savannah, GA
• Emma Hews: PGY1 @ Aurora Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI
• Wendy Richow: PGY1 @ Cabell Huntington Hospital, Huntington, WV
• Zara Risoldi: Drug Information Residency @ Creighton University, Omaha, NE
• Stewart Wetmore: Fellowship @ Eli Lilly as a Health Outcomes Liaison, Indianapolis, IN
• Nancy Youssef: PharmAd Residency @ North FL/South GA Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL (5/9/08)

The top 10 practicum projects presented in the fall and spring are listed below (in no specific order). The ten individuals responsible for the projects are also recognized during the graduation ceremony.

December 2007 practicums:

• Ananth Anthes: "Severity of adverse effects resulting from the administration of intravenous Ioversol (Optiray®) in comparison to patient-specific variables” Faculty Advisor: Dave Newton, Ph.D.
• Beth Carr: "Pharmacist and Physician Knowledge on Potential Drug Interactions between Combined Oral Contraceptives and Broad-spectrum Antibiotics” Faculty Advisor: Kelly Masters, Pharm.D.
• Van Le: "Pharmacist Negligence and Unprofessional Conduct and Their Corresponding Penalties under Four State Laws.” Faculty Advisor: Wallace Marsh, Ph.D.
• Tait Switzer: "Acupressure Wrist Band as an Adjunct to Standard Anti-emetics for the Prevention of Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting" Faculty Advisor: Doug Smith, Pharm.D.
• Jennifer Weber-Roe: "Evaluating Dual Atypical Antipsychotic use at Winchester Medical Center." Faculty Advisor: Mitsi Lizer, Pharm.D.

• Joe Essary: "Saw Palmetto." Faculty Advisor: Wendell Combest, Ph.D.
• Jennifer Haddock: "Evaluating Need for Diabetes Education in the Inpatient Psychiatric Setting." Faculty Advisor: Mitsi Lizer, Pharm.D.
• Jason Hunsaker: "Assisting Communication in Pharmacy Practice." Faculty Advisor: Karen Schultz, Ph.D.
• Zara Risoldi: "Frequency of CYP2C9*2 and *3 Variant Alleles in a Mexican Population." Faculty Advisor: Robbie Kidd, Pharm.D.
• Amy Zimmerman: "Interaction between Ginseng and Warfarin: Appropriateness of Advice by Community Pharmacists and Nutrition Store Clerks." Faculty Advisor: Sarah Parnapy, Pharm.D. (5/8/08)

Ngoc-Han Ha (GW/SU PGx student in Ashburn) will receive the GW Outstanding Health Sciences Undergraduate Student Award during the Health Sciences Programs Celebration on Saturday, May 17th. Dr. Travis O'Brien nominated her for her exemplary academic performance, promoting teamwork and collaboration among peers, and participating in community service. (4/24/08)

The Alpha Chi Chapter of Kappa Epsilon at Shenandoah University received an Honorable Mention for National Project Excellence for their efforts to promote the profession of pharmacy through participation in the Pharm-CORP program. The award was presented July 28, 2007 by the Kappa Epsilon Grand Council. They were also recognized for having the most contacts with chapter alumni’s than any other KE chapter in the nation! Congratulations KE’s! (08/28/07)

First year Service Learning students, Jennifer Miller & Capri Testerman, promote Blue Ridge Hospice on WINC FM radio. This was part of their final project for their Service Learning class. (11/29/06)

• Blue Ridge Hospice will be holding their first Butterfly Ball to celebrate their 25th anniversary. The ball will be held on April 21, 2006 at the Shenandoah Valley Country Club. Listen now
• Blue Ridge Hospice is committed to helping the community learn more about advanced directives by providing copies of Five Wishes, a step by step guide to creating an advanced directive. Listen now

AMCP Southeastern Leadership Retreat Presentation ~ November 5, 2006: The topic of Dean McKay's presentation was "Pharmacogenomics: The Future of Pharmacy." (11/09/06)

Congratulations to Zara Risoldi and Safae Chouraichi! They were selected to attend the Young Global Leaders Summit on Global Health: Innovative Solutions to Healthcare in Low Resource Settings in New York in October. (10/18/2006)

Frontiers of Pharmacogenomics ~ October 21, 2006: The Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy hosted a symposium to introduce pharmacists to the rapidly evolving field of pharmacogenomics. (10/11/2006)

Building Community, Taking Action ~ October 1-7, 2006: Established in 1990 by Congress, the first week of October is designated as "Mental Illness Awareness Week" (MIAW) in recognition of the NAMI’s (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) efforts to raise mental illness awareness. "Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day" (BDAD) is held each year on the Thursday of MIAW to encourage further understanding and promote early intervention and treatment for this mental illness. This year that will be Thursday, October 5.

Stop by the Mental Health table outside the library on Thursday, October 5 to pick up more information. (9/28/2006)

Congratulations to Bonnie East, Sally Hanna and Melinda Albritton! All three students have been selected to receive a scholarship from the NCPA Foundation. (8/7/2006)

Congratulations to Melinda Albritton. She was selected to participate in the 5th annual Paul Ambrose Health Promotion Student Leadership Symposium in June. Melinda joined 41 other medical, physician assistant, pharmacy and nursing student leaders in this national, inter-professional leadership symposium. In addition to financial support for travel expenses, Melinda is eligible for a grant to help implement a project for our community. (7/20/2006)

Congratulations to Art Harralson, this year's recipient of the James R. & Mary B. Wilkins Award. (5/16/2006)

Congratulations to Sarah Parnapy, this year's recipient of the Golden Apple Award. This award is given to an outstanding teacher on the faculty of the School of Pharmacy and voted on by the entire student body. (5/12/2006)

Congratulations Mitsi Lizer, winner of the Best Practices Category at the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists Annual Meeting. She earned the award for her presentation/poster titled, “Value of the Pharmacist Obtained Medication History on a Behavioral Health Unit”. (4/26/2006)

SU Leadership Recognition Celebration honors ASP and Karen Schultz. ASP received the SU Outstanding Organization Award. Schultz received one of the SGA Awards of Recognition and Achievement for her community service. (4/21/2006)

Congratulations Amanda Reynolds. She received the USPHS Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Practice Award for her work in providing weight management education to people in a rural area of southwest Virginia. (4/18/2006)

Congratulations Zara Risoldi. Risoldi won an award from the Virginia Press Association for her column “Channel Surfing” in The Sun. She placed third in the critical writing category. (4/13/2006)

Congratulations Amanda Ropp, 2006 - 2007 Student Government Association Treasurer. (4/13/2006)

Congratulations to Steve Caplan, Bonnie East, Stephanie Ferrell, Patrick Horne, Russell Lederhouse, Chao-Ping Lei, Zara Risoldi, Laura Shobe, Anneke Tavenner, and William Ugege. These Pharmacy students were recently named to the 2006 edition of "Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges." (3/30/2006)

Congratulations Lindsey Clevinger, recipient of the Zada M. Cooper Scholarship awarded by the Kappa Epsilon Foundation. She was one of 6 students selected nationally for the scholarship. (2/8/2006)

Alla Marks, Division of Technology in Education, hoods Marietta Evangelista Hall, a nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy student from Cohort 13 at graduation on Saturday, December 17, 2005. 16 students from the cohort walked at graduation. View Photo (12/19/2005)

Congratulations to Lindsey Rowe Clevinger, Emilie Gillis, Colleen Riley, and Zara Risoldi who were recently selected to participate in the SU Global Citizenship Project this spring. Over 300 SU faculty, staff, and students applied for the 50 slots. The students will be traveling to Mexico, China and United Arab Emirates. Other groups will be going to South Africa and Turkey. (11/30/2005)

Congratulations Bonnie East and Clint Pentz, 2005 recipients of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation Pharmacy Student Scholarship. Out of the more than 450 scholarship applicants, the Scholarship Committee found their achievements exemplary. (11/28/2005)

Pharmacy students and faculty are responding to senior's concerns and questions regarding the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program scheduled for implementation in January 2006. Approximately 50 students and 10 faculty have been trained to help seniors select a Medicare Prescription Drug plan. Students were particularly busy helping seniors navigate the tricky and often confusing information about competing prescription drug programs on November 15, the first day of the open registration. Five two-hour sessions have been held for the public in the computer lab of the Health Professions Building. Pharmacy students, under faculty supervision, assisted local area seniors with an analysis of the best competing drug plan for each individuals' medication regimen. Pharmacy faculty have provided talks to local physicians, pharmacists and citizens on the potential impact of the new legislation Drs. Dawn Havrda and Mary Ann Kirkpatrick of the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy and physicians at Amherst Family Practice, Drs. Beth Omundsen and William Bender, recently published an article entitled, “Impact of the Medicare Modernization Act in Low-Income Persons” in the October 18th, 2005 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The study explored the potential financial impact of the new Medicare drug benefit on low-income seniors. (11/21/2005)

Seven doctoral level pharmacy students tutored at Daniel Morgan Middle School, impacting not only the middle school students but also themselves. Explore the concept of Service Learning in this collaboratively shot and scripted film that the students created themselves. Catch the magic and power of service learning and serving your community. Windows Media Player Video or QuickTime Video | Student Reflections (11/11/2005)

The American College of Clinical Pharmacy notified Travis L. Gatesman, PharmD, a 2005 Dunn School graduate, that his poster was accepted for ACCP's Student and Resident Best Poster competition. Dr. Gatesman's poster, "Theoretical considerations for predicting the effect of gastric bypass surgery on the absorption of commonly used medications," was based on his P4 practicum project of the same title that was among the top 10 best practicums for 2005 at SU. Dr. Richard Parrish was his practicum advisor and poster co-author. (8/1/2005)

Dean Alan Mckay received a $20,000 scholarship award at the NACDS Annual Meeting. A team from Bristol-Myers Squibb along with Kurt Proctor, from the NACDS Foundation, presented Dr. Mckay with this honor. View Photo (6/13/2005)

Congratulations to Dr. Karen Schultz, this year's recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. (5/18/2005)

Congratulations to Dr. Wendell Combest, this year's recipient of the James R. & Mary B. Wilkins Award. (5/18/2005)

Russ Lederhouse, a fourth-year pharmacy student, has been selected to be one of eight students to serve on the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) National Student Leadership Council for the 2005-2006 school year. Russell was chosen because of his strong interest in independent community pharmacy, leadership within his school, academic achievement, and community involvement. (5/13/2005)

Congratulations to Dr. Karen Schultz, this year's recipient of the Golden Apple Award. This award is given to an outstanding teacher on the faculty of the School of Pharmacy and voted on by the entire student body. View Photo (5/3/2005)

Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy and The George Washington University Launch Innovative Pharmacogenomics Program

Taking the pulse of the rapidly evolving field of genetics, The Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy and The George Washington University are collaborating on a unique undergraduate program in Pharmacogenomics that will debut in the fall of 2005. This will be the only undergraduate program of its kind in the country.

Pharmacogenomics is the rapidly developing field that studies how a person’s genetics affect the body’s response to drugs. Genetic testing to predict drug response and then tailoring drug therapies to individual patients is the cornerstone of this field. It is expected that by the year 2006 the market for drugs evolving out of pharmacogenomics will account for 2 billion dollars in revenue. It will also create significant employment opportunities for biomedical scientists and health care providers that can utilize knowledge gained from the field to better develop drug regimens. It is truly the beginning of the era of Personalized Medicine. (3/30/2005)

Bonnie East, a second-year pharmacy student, has been selected for the Rite Aid Regional Internship program. She will be participating in the Tidewater area of Virginia. (3/18/2005)

Tina Bowers, a third-year pharmacy student, has been selected as a recipient of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation Pharmacy Student Scholarship. The goal of this scholarship is to support the development of future leaders in the chain community pharmacy industry and to recognize students who have a strong interest in pursuing a career in chain community pharmacy. A total of 29 pharmacy students nationwide were selected from nearly 500 applicants. Please congratulate Tina on this exceptional achievement. (1/17/2005)

Dr. Mitsi Lizer, a faculty member in the Department of Pharmacy practice, recently earned the distinction of being recognized as a Geriatric Certified Pharmacist. To earn this recognition, Dr. Lizer engaged in intensive, specialized training and study and passed a rigorous examination. Geriatric Certified Pharmacists demonstrate knowledge and skills in geriatric pharmaceutical care and are better prepared to advise older patients on their drug therapy needs. (12/22/2004)

Congratulations to Josephine Iheagwara. She was awarded First Prize for her essay submitted for National Pharmacy Week. Her essay was titled "My Contribution to Community Pharmacy Today and Tomorrow." (12/14/2004)

Dr. Kelly Masters has been certified by the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS) in the area of Pharmacotherapy. Board certification in a pharmacy specialty recognizes an individual who has gained additional knowledge, experience, and skills in a defined area of pharmacy practice. (11/23/2004)

Paper accepted by National School Board Association: The Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy completes successful model of collaboration for service learning within the public school system. This community outreach creates a network of resources that link higher education, public and private agencies while allowing the pharmacy student to gain insight and experiences with medications and the needs of school populations. (11/23/2004)

Dr. Dawn Havrda’s poster named best by ACCP. The American College of Clinical Pharmacy named the poster, “Impact of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 in low-income patients receiving pharmaceutical company assistance for medications,” best poster at the organization’s annual meeting held in Dallas, TX in October 2004. The poster was authored by Dr. Dawn Havrda of Shenandoah University. Dr. Havrda was presented with a plaque and a monetary honorarium. Estee Graves, a current student in the School of Pharmacy, was a co-author of the poster.

Dr. Mark Johnson, was named "Pharmacist of the Year". It is an award "to recognize an outstanding health-system pharmacist in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Criteria for selection include service to the profession of pharmacy and specifically health-system pharmacy, contributions to pharmacy programs, cooperation with the entire health team, and service to the community." The award is given yearly and nominations are from members of VSHP. Nominations are then voted on by past recipients of the "Pharmacist of the Year". The award is sponsored by the U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group of Pfizer.

Message from Dr. Alan McKay: The American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Board of Directors, at their regularly scheduled meeting on June 24 – 27, 2004 affirmed the accreditation of the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy. The next regularly scheduled accreditation review for purposes of continued accreditation of the Doctor of Pharmacy program will occur in 2005-2006, at the end of the normal six year accreditation cycle. The accreditation term granted for the Doctor of Pharmacy program extends to June 30, 2006. Prior to that date, the school will conduct a self-study and host a site team from ACPE as part of the overall review process required of all schools and colleges of pharmacy seeking accreditation by ACPE. www.acpe-accredit.org