taking up residents - st. louis college of pharmacy · april, and what willy wonka and a grand...

INSIDE > St. Louis medication disposal | Track and field All-American | Anatomy of Commencement garb | Top 3 employers

Taking Up ResidentsThe demand for residency training is on the rise.

But are there enough positions to go around?

ST. LOUIS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

SCRIPTV O L U M E 2 1 , N U M B E R 2

Editor Sheila Haar Siegel

Designer Colleen Krutewicz

Contributing Writers Bryan Daniels

Maureen Harmon Katie Kelly

Connie Mitchell

Proofreader Nancy Busch

Class Notes Kristine Bryant

President, Alumni Association Chad Graue ’00/’01

Chair, Board of Trustees Nancy Konieczny ’77

President John A. Pieper, Pharm.D.

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Marc Long

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

PHOTOGRAPHS BY COLLEEN KRUTEWICZ

Commencement 2010On May 14, 188 new doctors of pharmacy received their degrees from St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

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 com-munity pharmacies.

Dr. Kenneth Roberts, the Slone professor of community pharma-cy 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.

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Summer 2011F E A T U R E S

All or NothingTrack 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

Green Disposal and Drug AbuseSixth-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.

joel henneberry

Taking Up ResidentsAs 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

Raising a Business and Building a FamilyThe 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

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D E P A 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

2 S U M M E R 2 0 1 1 S C R I P T M AG A Z I N E 3

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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

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.

Top 3 EmployersWalgreens 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

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).

FACE-OFFWe 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

Concrete Faculty Abstract

Dr. Jasna Marjanovic, assistant professor 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 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 fundamental and applied 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.

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 the challenge was the mesh of people that participated,” said fourth-year student Karen Obermann. “Faculty, staff, and students suddenly 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!”

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.

STLCOP students were great sports despite the unseasonably hot and humid weather.

Staff member Levada Brown nearing the finish line.

WEB EXTRATo see more photos of STLCOP runners and walkers in action, go to www.stlcop.edu/photos.

Walgreens 17 %

CVS/pharmacy 9%

Schnucks Pharmacy 5 %

Here’s the short list of the top employers of this year’s STLCOP graduates

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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.

Elizabeth K. Erlain Froedtert Hospital Milwaukee, Wis.

Sarah M. Essenpreis St. Louis College of Pharmacy/Schnuck’s Pharmacy St. Louis, Mo.

Krista A. Frey St. Mary’s Health Center Clayton, Mo.

Steven C. Fuchs CarePro Pharmacy North Liberty, Iowa

George S. Gavrilos Advocate Christ Medical Center/Hope Children’s Hospital Oak Lawn, IllGerard W.

Gawrys VA Hudson Valley Health Care Castle Point, N.Y.

Allison E. High St. Luke’s Hospital Chesterfield, Mo.

Tracey A. Hysong Cox Health System Springfield, Mo.

Chad L. Kay John Cochran VA Medical Center St. Louis, Mo.

Kyle R. Mays St. Francis Hospital Peoria, Ill.

Eric McLain Cox Health System Springfield, Mo.

Lyndsi K. Meyenburg St. Louis College of Pharmacy/Mercy Family Medicine St. Louis, Mo.

Kristian A. Navickas St. Luke’s Hospital Chesterfield, Mo.

Chandni R. Patel Jewel-Osco/University of Illinois Chicago, Ill.

Davin S. Patel Jewel-Osco/Midwestern University Chicago, Ill.

Hiral G. Patel Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Chicago, Ill.

Angelina M. Pucci Deaconess Hospital Evansville, Ind.

Theresa M. Ringenberg St. Barnabas Medical Center Livingston, N.J.

Jamie L. Sanders John Cochran VA Medical Center St. Louis, Mo.

Stephanie M. Seaton University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael L. Spinner Johns Hopkins Hospital Baltimore, Md.

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.

Jennifer L. Wolff Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital Nashville, Tenn.

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 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

professional pharmacy settings; modeling of nucleotide-binding units in TDP-43, a brain protein that can unfold under certain conditions, causing Alzheimer’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and various motor neuron diseases; perceptions of older 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.

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.

WEB EXTRATo view more photos from the Research Symposium, visit www.stlcop.edu/photos.

Dr. Elizabeth Rattine-Flaherty, Emily Owen, and Brandon Luong

Kyle Amelung

Science Grant for STLCOP

St. Louis College of Pharmacy has received a $10,000 Pittsburgh Confer-ence 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

chromatograph with an autosampler.“The gas chromatograph will

allow students to explore complex mixtures of analytes,” says Bucholtz. “Increasing the College’s instrumenta-tion 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.

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DAVID BAKER: ALL OR NOTHINGThere 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 …

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.

Small Town, Big SuccessAlthough 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.”

No Room for SuperstitionBut 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.”

Words to live byAt 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.”

Future PlansHe’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.

Coach’s CornerThey 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.”

Please Pass The PastaThe 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.

Not an Individual SportBaker 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.

Story by KATIE KELLY Photography by JENNIFER SILVERBERG

Student ProfileStudent Profile


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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

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.

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.

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.

Draped in TraditionEVERY 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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

BY BRYAN DANIELS


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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.

Green Disposal and Drug Abuse

by Joel Henneberry

FOR STARTERSAPhA-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 TABLEA 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

Joel Henneberry answers health questions at Five Star Senior Center—one of several St. Louis city facilities that student phar-macists, alumni, faculty, and DEA agents visited during the St. Louis Medication Disposal Initiative.

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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,

people brought their medications to several designated drop-off sites for safe disposal.

POWERFUL LINENSVisiting 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. The gold standard is through incineration, which the DEA currently provides through 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

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 FLOORCity 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 BLUSHMedication 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.

Keeping Water Drug-FreeHow 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.

How to Dispose of MedicinesAlways 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.

2. Throw away unused medication in household trash. When discarding unused medications, prevent illegal diversion and protect children and pets from potentially negative effects:

a. Pour medication into a sealable plastic bag. If medication is a solid (pill, liquid capsule, etc.), add water to dissolve it.

b. Add 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. Seal the plastic bag and put it in the trash.

d. Remove and destroy ALL identifying personal

information (prescription labels) from all medication containers before recycling them or throwing them away.

3. Participate 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

WEB EXTRAHow often should you clean out your medicine cabinet? Find out at stlcop.edu/ medication disposal.

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.


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

Photographs by JENNIFER SILVERBERG


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

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

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.

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.


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—

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

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.

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.

“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.”


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Alumni ProfileAlumni Profile

Raising a BusinessAND

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

WIFE, MOTHER, STUDENTKellie (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.

Photography by Jennifer Silverberg


Alumni ProfileAlumni 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 deter-mined 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.

SMALL-TOWN PHARMACISTWhen 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 look-ing 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

welcomes competition in the form of major drugstore chains and, in fact, gets customer referrals from the bigger pharma-cies for some of the specialized service available at Health-care 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 value-added aspect of forming lasting customer relationships.

Relationships with local physicians also become long-term 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 daugh-ters. “But it’s up to them to make something of it,” she says.

BEING THE BOSSWhile 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 pharma-cies offer some real opportunity,” she notes. When she learned that Austin Plaza Phar-macy, 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 Per-ryville 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 appreci-ated,” she says.

In assessing the potential opportunity, the partners knew it was important to clearly

understand the business in terms of costs, profit margin, staff, customer base, and market position. In the case of Aus-tin 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 com-bination, 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 busi-ness opportunity. “You don’t go in blind or without resourc-es,” 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 WIFETwo careers, a business, and two children would keep any family busy. But the Tilleys have even more responsibili-ties—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 pharma-cy 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 objec-tion,” 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 stal-wart 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 of-fice, 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.

FINDING BALANCENo 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 Per-ryville 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 re-ally 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.”

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.

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.


Alumni NewsAlumni News

Kat

ie K

elly

Letter from the Alumni Association President

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 coun-try and from all facets of pharmacy. I am continually impressed by the commit-ment 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 Asso-ciation, 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 sugges-tions 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 stu-dent 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 at-tend 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 Associa-tion president.

Chad Graue ’00/’01President

New Board MembersThe 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/’00Current position: Medical science liaison, Covidien PharmaceuticalsAbout: As a medical science liaison, Chianta presents scientific and clinical data for Covidien’s pharmaceuti-cal products, focusing on the treatment of chronic pain and osteoarthritis to provide better patient care and outcomes.

Timothy R. Koch ’95Current position: Director of pharmacy regulatory affairs, Walmart Health & Wellness Division; adjunct instructor, STLCOPAbout: Koch has worked in a variety of positions during his 12-year tenure with Walmart, ranging from phar-macist 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

corporate office in Arkansas. Meike L. Newell ’97Current position: Clinical manager, Eastern Missouri Psychiatric Hospital System (EMPHS); adjunct clinical instructor, STLCOPAbout: 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, Harris- Stowe State University; Managing Broker, Realty Mart–St. LouisAbout: 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 practic-ing or teaching health care administration.

Chianta ’91/’00 Koch ’95 Newell ’97 Salter ’70

Scholarship Awards Luncheon 2011The 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 2011The 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.

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Alumni NewsAlumni News

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!

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.

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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.

Class NotesClass Notes

text 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.

1990sJoel Hennenfent ’96/’97 has been elected for a three-year term to the American

Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) House of Delegates. He has also been appointed to the ASHP Council on Thera-peutics 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.

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.

2000sAlexandria (Garavaglia) Wilson ’01/’02 and her husband, James, welcomed

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. Alexan-dria 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

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Ahead of Her TimePhyllis (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.

“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.

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 Outstand-ing 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.

GIELOW

HENNENFENT

Class Notes

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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

32 S U M M E R 2 0 1 1

Questions from Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Zachary Stacy’s

therapeutics exam given to STLCOP students this year.

1. Which of the following compelling indications

is correctly matched to the first line

antihypertensive regimen recommended by

JNC 7 guidelines?

a. Heart failure – amlodipine

b. Diabetes – metoprolol

c. History of ACS – lisinopril + amlodipine

d. History of stroke – lisinopril + HCTZ

2. Which of the following is the MOST

appropriate therapy for the management of

fluid overload associated with CKD?

a. Furosemide

b. Metolazone

c. Triamterene

d. Hydrochlorothiazide

3. Which of the following would be the MOST

appropriate first-line therapy in a patient with

triglycerides > 500 mg/dL?

a. Ezetimibe

b. Fenofibrate

c. Pravastatin

d. Cholestyramine

4. Which of the following is a contraindication

to metformin in a male patient with diabetes?

a. A1c > 7%

b. sCr > 1.5 mg/dL

c. ALT < 25 IU/L

d. BNP < 100 pg/mL

5. Which of the following agents can be

safely used in a patient with positive HIT

antibodies?

a. Dalteparin

b. Enoxaparin

c. Argatroban

d. Fondaparinux

6. Which of the following medications prevents

cardiac remodeling?

a. Digoxin

b. Bumetanide

c. Amiodarone

d. Spironolactone

7. Ranolazine may lead to reductions in which

of the following monitoring parameters?

a. A1C

b. AST

c. ANA

d. ABG

8. Which clinical scenario is MOST appropriate

to use tenecteplase in an ACS patient?

a. [-] troponin and no EKG changes

b. [-] troponin and ST-segment depression

c. [+] troponin and ST-segment elevation

d. [+] troponin and flipped t-waves

9. A patient is receiving warfarin for his

atrial fibrillation and will be initiated on

amiodarone for rhythm control. Which

of the following is the most appropriate

recommendation at this time?

a. Increase warfarin dose by 25%

b. Decrease warfarin dose by 50%

c. Increase amiodarone dose by 25%

d. Decrease amiodarone dose by 50%

10. Which of the following medications is most

likely to cause second-degree AV block?

a. Lisinopril

b. Warfarin

c. Flecainide

d. Metoprolol

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 MemoriamVernon Hartmann ’43 died May 1 in Ballwin, Mo.

Donald M. Hente ’44 died Jan. 14 in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Charles M. Rongey ’44 died May 5, 2010, in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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.

Frank (Gene) Van Breusegen ’57 died March 31 in St. Louis.

Daniel R. Wiegand ’57 died April 7 in Maryville, Ill.

Stephen J. Wolff Jr. ’58 died April 4 in Wayne, N.J.

Thomas E. Wand ’60 died Feb. 24 in Edina, Mo.

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.

Higher Learning Commission Invites Third Party CommentsSt. 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.

MONSON

DEBOSE

THERAPEUTICS EXAMTAKE THE FINAL

WEB EXTRAFind the answers at alumni.stlcop.edu/exam.

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDSt. Louis, MO

Permit No. 19314588 Parkview PlaceSt. Louis, MO 63110-1088314.367.8700 Fax 314.446.8304www.stlcop.edu

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