Olivia Redmann (right), of New Orleans and a resident from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, checks a patient’s blood sugar at Brick City Drugs in Madison. Photo by Sage McNamara/School of Pharmacy
AACP designation highlights school’s dedication to community patient care
By Natalie Ehrhardt
The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy has named the University of Mississippi as a member of its inaugural class of ACT Community Pharmacy Centers of Excellence.
The Academia-Community Transformation, or ACT, Center of Excellence designation recognizes the School of Pharmacy’s commitment to advancing community pharmacy through teaching, service, scholarship, leadership and partnerships.
“The recognition of our school as an ACT Center of Excellence underscores our commitment to advancing community pharmacy practice through research, education and community engagement,” said Donna Strum, the school’s dean. “It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students.
“We are proud to lead the way in educating the next generation of pharmacists about community pharmacy.”
The pharmacy school was recognized as a Center of Excellence at AACP’s annual meeting in July. The designation runs for five years.
The Centers of Excellence will serve as ambassadors for pharmacy academia at gatherings with leaders in pharmacy and health care, uniting to mobilize and amplify efforts to improve the practice of community pharmacy.
Contributing to this recognition are faculty and students dedicated to advancing patient care in the community setting.
Faculty members Lindsey Miller and Joe Dikun, instructional assistant professor of pharmacy administration, are recipients of the ACT Community Pharmacy Practice Transformation Educators’ Badge. The designation recognizes their commitment to and proficiency in improving community pharmacy practice through knowledge, training, engagement/implementation and dissemination activities.
“It’s vital for our students to grasp the pivotal role of community pharmacy in patient care – a cornerstone of compassionate health care in diverse communities,” said Miller, clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice.
“My aim is to share the knowledge I have about new patient care strategies in community pharmacy and the business aspects of owning and managing a successful pharmacy.”
Four Ole Miss pharmacy students have been selected to participate in the ACT Community Pharmacy Student Scholar Leaders Program. They are Delancy Anderson, a third professional-year student from Yazoo City; Elizabeth Jenkins, a fourth-year student from Grenada; Erin Pearson, a third-year student from Potts Camp; and spring 2024 graduate John White, of Brandon.
“Learning that the School of Pharmacy has been named a Community Pharmacy Center of Excellence reaffirms that I made the right choice in pursuing my Doctor of Pharmacy degree here,” Anderson said. “Ole Miss stands out for its dedication to impacting community pharmacy through community outreach programs, pharmacy practice experiences and innovative research.
“This recognition inspires me to ensure that my future work as a pharmacist is driven by a commitment to advancing community pharmacy.”
For more information about the School of Pharmacy’s community pharmacy efforts, visit https://olemiss.edu/pharmacy-practice/act-excellence/.
