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Kimberly Sanders promoted to associate professor 

October 23, 2024

Kimberly Sanders, PharmD, has been promoted to associate professor in the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education (PACE) at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. She also has a shared appointment at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry.  “My promotion to associate professor means a lot to me in feeling truly established as I further elevate my career in academia,” she said. “I’m excited about my next steps in furthering interprofessional partnerships in the community, exploring more collaboration opportunities between pharmacy and oral health, and continuing to teach and engage our students in meaningful work.”  Sanders earned her PharmD … Read more


One student’s path to pharmacy 

October 16, 2024

Kassidy Johnson, PharmD candidate Class of 2028 at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, is a former health coach, volunteer doula, and self-proclaimed “Swiftie”.   Johnson is a North Carolinian and earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and international studies from East Carolina University (ECU).   “My initial plan was to go to medical school and study neonatology,” she said. “However, I started interviewing neonatologists and learned that they don’t have as much patient interaction as I wanted.”  While at ECU, Johnson worked as a health coach for uninsured diabetes patients. She enjoyed her weekly check-ins with each patient where she would … Read more


Children’s experience of psychotropic polypharmacy and disparities in care

October 14, 2024

A new paper in Psychiatric Services by Kathleen C. Thomas, PhD, in the Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy (DPOP), raises concerns about disparities in care in children with high needs. The paper describes psychotropic polypharmacy, the use of multiple psychotropic drugs to treat a patient, and its association with neighborhood context in a cohort of children with psychiatric conditions, intellectual and developmental disability, and complex medical conditions living in North Carolina. “This paper highlights our concern that, even after accounting for clinical conditions, neighborhood context is associated with children’s experience of psychotropic polypharmacy,” Thomas said. “The findings underscore concerns … Read more


School works with community pharmacies to support new Blue Cross NC program

October 14, 2024

In an effort to support a statewide network, and help pharmacies advance diabetes and hypertension care, the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is working with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) to create a program called More Than a Script. The idea came about, from Blue Cross NC, after one of the School’s Catalyst events in 2023. “It was music to our ears,” said Jon Easter, BSPharm, professor of the practice and Vice Chair of the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education (PACE). “Plus, we had a project that we’d already been working on … Read more


Carolyn Thorpe promoted to full professor 

October 9, 2024

For Carolyn Thorpe, PhD, her career path has always been about understanding how people adjust to health challenges, especially chronic illness. With a background in psychology and a master’s in public health, she was first drawn to how individuals manage life-altering diagnoses. “Research was a good fit for my skills and interest,” Thorpe said, recalling her early days working on health behavior research.  She earned her PhD in health behavior from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health where her focus shifted to treatment adherence—understanding how patients carry out prescribed medical plans. “It’s one thing to adjust to illness, … Read more


Molecules to Market: School launches new certificate program 

October 8, 2024

The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, the nation’s top-ranked pharmacy school, has partnered with Deerfield Management to introduce a new educational opportunity, the Molecules to Market certificate program, aimed at bridging the gap between academia and industry in biotherapeutics.   Since the majority of molecules fail to make it to the clinic, this certificate program aims to help participants learn strategies for overcoming the many hurdles along the way. It’s designed to equip students, postdocs, faculty, and professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complex journey from scientific discovery to market-ready biotherapeutics. The first cohort will begin … Read more


School receives 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award 

October 3, 2024

The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy received the 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.   This award highlights the School’s outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, and nationally recognizes its mentoring, teaching, research, hiring and promotion, recruitment, and retention.  “The HEED award reflects the School’s commitment in its values and principles to create an environment that leverages community, connection, and collaboration to bring value to pharmacy and the world,” said Carla White, BSPharm, Associate Dean of Culture and Well-Being. “I am incredibly proud of … Read more


Help support our students in Western NC

October 1, 2024

Our thoughts and prayers are with Western North Carolina this week after the impact of Hurricane Helene. While our students, faculty, and staff in the region continue to deal with the aftermath of the storm, we are thankful to share that all of our Asheville campus community members are safe.   Still, there’s much work to be done as many are experiencing food and housing insecurity and continue to be without power, water, and cell service. Many people have reached out wanting to help. Those who would like to support our pharmacy students impacted by the hurricane can give to … Read more


Preventing vaping and substance use in teens across Western North Carolina 

September 25, 2024

The most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students in the U.S. in 2024 was e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, according to the CDC. In order to prevent substance abuse and vaping among teens, creating educational resources is crucial. Through a project funded by The Dogwood Health Trust, the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy partnered with several organizations across Western North Carolina to create a toolkit along with 11 educational videos to reach parents and teens. The content created is housed on the website, Information for the Evolving Teenager (iuveo.org).  “Because teens prefer to obtain their health … Read more


Student selected for AACP Aspiring Academics Program 

September 18, 2024

UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy’s Magdalene Mallory, PharmD candidate class of 2026, was selected as one of 28 students across the country for The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s (AACP) Aspiring Academics Program.   The AACP Aspiring Academics Program was designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of career paths in academic pharmacy. Over the next year, the cohort will participate in monthly modules, mentorship, networking, a group project, involvement with AACP, and attend AACP’s Annual Meeting in Chicago.  Mallory comes from a family of pharmacists and educators. Growing up, her parents emphasized the importance of learning both inside and outside … Read more