Through her three companies (Creative Educational Concepts, ConvenePro and PromoGistics) she interacts regularly with health care professionals in a variety of medical specialties.

She earned her PharmD from the University of Tennessee and was previously employed in as a Clinical Pharmacist in the Continuing Education department at University of Kentucky’s Chandler Medical Center and as a Clinical Pharmacist in the areas of geriatrics and psychiatry with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Tell us about your companies.

PromoGistics is a full service professional marketing and communications company with a diverse clientele. ConvenePro, LLC is a full service healthcare communications company specializing in market research, resource development, and event management for the pharmaceutical industry. We work primarily with consumer healthcare and pharmaceutical companies whose target audiences include specialists, primary care, consumers, patients, pharmacists and allied healthcare workers. Finally, Creative Educational Concepts, Inc. (CEC) is a nationally accredited provider of continuing education for physicians and pharmacists. CEC is dedicated to lifelong learning.

What do you like best about your current position? What do you like least?

I have a lot of variety in my daily activities and the work is mentally challenging. My position is flexible and I enjoy the family-like atmosphere of my work team. Some of the stresses include the pressure of being a business owner, human resource challenges and the constantly changing legal and regulatory environment in which we work.

Besides your pharmacy degree, what type of training is required or helpful for a position such as yours?

Training in marketing, accounting, finance, management and supervision would be big assets to someone considering a position like mine. Additionally, competence in legal and regulatory affairs, training in strategic planning and excellent communications skills are essential.

Do you engage in any outside consulting or other professional activities?

I was a founding member of the CPNP (College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists) and I remain active on committees as well as with BCPP recertification. I’m also involved with the American Lung Association at the state, regional and national level and with anti-smoking advocacy efforts.

Do you participate in research, conferences or other professional activities?

Yes, in addition to conducting hundreds of meetings through our companies every year, I attend national meetings in all medical specialties (asthma/allergy, cardiology, psychiatry, epilepsy, etc.) in order to stay abreast of clinical issues. I also attend conferences targeted to medical education providers and conduct workshops on accreditation regulatory compliance.

In what direction do you think the field of pharmacy and your area of focus are headed?

There will always be a need for lifelong learning and demonstration of sustained competence for health professionals. My industry faces particular challenges with regard to the evolving regulatory environment.

What advice do you have for students interested in or currently pursuing a career in pharmacy?

It is an incredible profession that provides training far beyond the conventional practice sites that most Americans see. There are a number of challenging, innovative opportunities available for those willing to explore them.

Is there anything else you’d like students to know about your career or the profession of pharmacy?

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” (Walt Disney)

Dale Whitby, PharmD, BCPS works for Gold Standard Inc, an Elsevier Company. Gold Standard provides drug information products such as Clinical Pharmacology, eMPOWERx and Pharmacy Solutions to the health care community.

Dr. Whitby earned his PharmD from Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia and completed residencies in Pharmacy Practice and Pediatric Pharmacy at the University of Kentucky. Prior to joining Gold Standard, he was a Pediatric Critical Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida.

What do you like best about your current position? What do you like least?

I enjoy the constant challenge of keeping up with current literature and being able to summarize it in a useful manner for other practitioners. I also appreciate that my work

schedule is flexible. One drawback is the limited opportunity I have to serve as a mentor. I would like to have more contact with student pharmacists and residents.

Besides your pharmacy degree, what type of training is required or helpful for a position such as yours?

Residency training and several years of clinical practice are huge assets. Because of the time I spent with patients and other practitioners, I am better able to determine the relevance of information before adding it to our database. Additional training in medical writing or drug information would be helpful for a student considering a position like mine.

Do you participate in research, conferences or other professional activities?

I typically give one presentation per year at a regional or national meeting. I have co-authored three book chapters in the last three years (one pharmacy textbook and 2 medical textbook chapters). I also provide lectures for pharmacy students.

In what direction do you think the field of pharmacy and your area of focus are headed?

Because of the constantly increasing numbers of drug approvals and demands on health care professionals’ time, there is an increasing need for electronic medical information that is current and concise. I only see this field growing over the next decade.

What advice do you have for students interested in or currently pursuing a career in pharmacy?

Keep an open mind. The possibilities are endless, but keep in mind that sometimes the shortest route to a goal is not necessarily the best route in the long run. In many cases, the skills that you learn during a year or two of post-graduate training are key to opening up new possibilities for you in the future.

Is there anything else you’d like students to know about your career or the profession of pharmacy?

This is an exciting time for pharmacists. We have numerous possibilities in addition to the traditional pharmacist roles. Explore your options and choose the best fit for you.

By Juliet Farmer
Staff Writer

Nicholas Blanchard, PharmD, MEd, is Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Advocacy at Wegmans School of Pharmacy, St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York.

Dr. Blanchard has nearly 20 years of practice and academic experience in pharmacy. Prior to coming to Fisher in early 2006, he held the positions of Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Wingate University School of Pharmacy, Associate Dean of Experiential Education at Texas Tech University School of Pharmacy, and Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Washington State University College of Pharmacy.

He also held positions in the pharmaceutical industry and in practice.

Dr. Blanchard received his B.S. in Pharmacy from University of North Carolina, his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Washington, and his Master’s in Education from Campbell University.

Describe a typical day at work.
My days are quite variable. I teach both a Top 200 Medications course and a course in AIDS therapy. I also coordinate the Diversity for Pharmacy Students course. On any given day, I can be found talking with students or in attendance at a variety of meetings. As the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Advocacy, I take the job and title very seriously. I spend much time meeting with students to resolve any issues.

Why did you select academics over private practice?
Of the last 20 years since I graduated, I have been in academia for all but three of those. I worked for a while in industry with the company GlaxoSmithKline. It was a wonderful experience. But my true heart was in academia – so I returned to it.

What mix of clinical/research/teaching work do you do? How much power do you have to change that mix?
As an administrator, I am no longer in clinical practice. I worked for several years as a clinical pediatric pharmacist and staffed a pharmacist-run Asthma Clinic.

What are the advantages to academic pharmacy?
Being in academia, you have an opportunity to be on the front line and to observe new and cutting edge medicine.

If you had it to do all over again, would you still become a Pharmacist? (Why or why not? What would you have done instead?)
Yes I would. I would not have changed anything.

Why did you choose your specialty?
I always wanted to be in pharmacy and in pediatrics – hence my career path.

Did you plan to enter your current specialty prior to pharmacy school?
Yes – I always aimed for it.

Now that you’re in your specialty, do you find that it met your expectations?
Absolutely.

Are you satisfied with your income?
I am very blessed to have the income that I do. However, I do wish that education paid as well as community or hospital practice.

What do you like most and least about your specialty?
I wish that there were more hours in a day.

If you took out educational loans, is paying them back a financial strain?
I had all of my loans paid back within two years.

On average: How many hours a week do you work? How many hours do you sleep each night? How many weeks of vacation do you take?
I work a lot of hours – as do many in healthcare. I work a minimum of 60 hours per week – usually more. I sleep on average six to seven hours per night. I take four weeks of vacation per year. I try to live by the motto, “Work hard and play hard.”

Do you have a family and do you have enough time to spend with them?
I am single – but I do have a 12-year-old black English Cocker Spaniel named Jefferson. I am very fortunate to work in a setting where I can bring him to work daily. In fact, Jefferson has been adopted by my department.

In your position now, knowing what you do – what would you say to yourself 10 years ago?
To remember that perception is reality. Treat everyone as fairly as possible and you will go far.

What information/advice do you wish you had known when you were a pre-pharmacy student? (What mistakes or experiences have you encountered that you wished you had known about ahead of time so you could have avoided them?)
I wish that I would have taken the time to take a few more fun courses. It’s hard to go back now and to take a course – so I think I would have taken a couple of semesters of Italian for myself.

From your perspective, what is the biggest problem in health care today?
That’s a hard one to answer. At one time, I would have said that it was insurance. However, today I feel that it is illegal immigration and the health care system. There are too many people using the system and not enough tax dollars going into it.

From your perspective, what is the biggest problem within your own specialty?
There are too few people going into Pharmacy Education. Many are looking to practice because of the significant difference in salaries.

What types of outreach/volunteer work do you do, if any? Any international work?
I volunteer one to two days a month at AIDS Rochester delivering meals to patients who are homebound.

Favorite TV Show?
Dexter on Showtime

Dr. Hieu Tran is the dean of the new Sullivan University College of Pharmacy in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Tran has been involved in the organization of three new colleges of pharmacy, first as a faculty member, then a department chair and now as founding dean at Sullivan.

SDN administrators Sarah M. Lawrence and Anna Peck had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Tran to discuss his career, the process of opening a new college of pharmacy and pharmacy school admissions.

SDN: What attracted you to the field of pharmacy initially?

HT: I knew several people who were practicing pharmacists and that sparked my interest. I was attracted to both the scientific and personal aspects of the profession. When I was a young pharmacy student I dreamed of opening my own corner pharmacy and providing personal care and service to patients. My career has gone in a different direction, but I still enjoy the interpersonal interaction I get from my work in pharmacy.

SDN: In what areas of pharmacy have you practiced and for how long?

HT: I have worked in the profession for 18 years. My practice has always incorporated clinical practice, academia and research. I like combining all three areas of practice because it keeps things interesting and helps me maintain an active knowledge base. My area of specialization is ICU/CCU pharmacy with a practice in Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Nutrition.

SDN: How does your position at Sullivan fit into your career thus far?

HT: Being the founding dean of the Sullivan University College of Pharmacy is the culmination of my career thus far. It represents a professional maturation and gives me the opportunity to put to use the experiences that I have gathered over the years to help preparing the next generation of pharmacists and the profession.

SDN: Tell us about the other pharmacy schools you helped found and how those experiences are helping you at Sullivan.

HT: I have been involved in the founding of three pharmacy schools, in different roles each time. Therefore, I understand what my colleagues on the faculty and in administration are experiencing during this process. As a faculty member, helping to found a college of pharmacy at Wilkes University, I gained experience in the accreditation process from a faculty perspective. I learned that flexibility and teamwork are important. I also learned the importance of looking for mentors such as the department chair to help integrate oneself into the academic environment. At LECOM, I was founding department chair and I learned how to set up and implement my vision for my department, mentor junior faculty, shape the curriculum, and familiarize myself with the accreditation process. Now as Founding Dean, I am responsible for building a superior program of pharmacy for our students, meeting the requirements for a successful accreditation, representing the College in the community and the profession and balancing the demands of faculty, administration and students while staying true to the overall mission and purpose of the College.

SDN: What about the process of founding a new program appeals most to you?

HT: I like the idea of designing a program from scratch and the challenge that doing this presents. I look forward to the satisfaction of seeing it all come together.

SDN: What is the mission of the College of Pharmacy at Sullivan University?

HT: The Mission of the Sullivan University College of Pharmacy is to prepare General Practitioners and Clinical Scientists who will be able to:

• Provide outstanding, ethical, and empathetic pharmacy care
• Serve the health care needs of the community, a diverse population, and the individual patient
• Expand the scope of practice of pharmacy in community settings, hospitals, managed care facilities, and government agencies
• Be compassionate patient advocates and leaders in their communities, professional associations, and scholarly research

SDN: How will the PharmD program be organized?

HT: The program will be three calendar years, with each year divided into four quarters of 11 weeks each. We will follow a four days per week class schedule. Our experiential program will be 50 weeks long. During second year students will complete a 10-week clinical rotation in a practice site such as a hospital. Third year students will participate in 8 five-week rotations. Students will receive intensive preparation for the board exam through both classroom and clinical activities.

SDN: What will be unique about your program?

HT: Our four day class schedule is unique among pharmacy schools. Students will be in classes Monday – Thursday with Wednesday morning reserved for student activities. Although Friday will not be a formal class day, it will be available for additional instruction for students who need it or for professional activities such as speakers and shadowing. Our curriculum will prepare students for the next generation of practice, including biotechnology, genomics, medical informatics and medication therapy management. Our program will be very student-centered and will incorporate evidenced based teaching. We hope to move away from a traditional lecture format and use a more interactive approach to teaching.

SDN: How has the process of opening a new college of pharmacy changed under the ACPE’s revised guidelines?

HT: New colleges of pharmacy are required to obtain pre-candidate status from ACPE before matriculating the first class of PharmD students. Designing a good experiential program is a critical part of the accreditation process, as is assessment and outcomes management. This is a good development because it builds more accountability into the process.

SDN: How have these changes most affected the process of founding the new college at Sullivan?

HT: These changes are positive ones for the process. For new colleges, the amount of work is the same but the stress level is perhaps a little higher.

SDN: What are the implications for students attending a new college of pharmacy that is in the midst of the accreditation process?

HT: There is always some risk in choosing to attend a school that is in the process of becoming accredited. I hope that my record of success in gaining accreditation for two other pharmacy programs will reassure students. I will accept no short-cuts in this process. I am committed to ensuring a good learning experience for students. This includes developing an excellent curriculum, providing quality experiential education, and obtaining adequate funding to support our activities. We also have a great team in place, with 15/15 new faculty hired. I am confident in our ability to provide students with an outstanding educational experience.

SDN: When will the first students attend Sullivan’s College of Pharmacy?

HT: The plan is to enroll the first class starting in July of 2008.

SDN: Will Sullivan be participating in PharmCAS?

HT: Our participation in PharmCAS is pending. The logistics of founding a new school make it difficult to join PharmCAS at the beginning. We definitely intend to explore it at a later date.

SDN: Where will the College be located? What type of facilities do you have planned?

HT: We will be located across from the Main campus on Gardiner Lane, Louisville, on a 5.6 acres in an 80,000 sq. ft. building. Our facilities will have everything one would expect in terms of classrooms and offices plus space for research labs. We will have modern facilities for compounding, a model pharmacy, IV room, and a counseling lab with closed circuit television. There will be room for expansion as our needs grow.

SDN: What type of student are you seeking for the inaugural class?

HT: We are looking for dedicated, hardworking, professional people who meet our admission criteria and have good people skills. I want to enroll students who are driven, energetic and welcome the challenge of pharmacy practice in a new century. I do not expect students to have a perfect academic record, but I would like to see evidence of progression, growth and improvement.

SDN: What factors should a prospective student consider when choosing a pharmacy school?

HT: Students should consider the location of the programs they are considering. It may be better to attend a local school and save money than to attend a more prestigious “name” school that is located elsewhere. Besides location, students should consider the philosophy and vision of the dean, administration and faculty. The quality of the program, both didactic and experiential is a critical factor to consider as well.

SDN: What steps do you recommend that prospective students take to prepare for admissions interviews?

HT: I suggest that students contact their schools of interest and talk with professional or senior students as well as faculty and staff. Find out about the program and get to know the school. Look into the curriculum and the philosophy of the school, so you can evaluate whether it is a good fit for you. Talk to practicing pharmacists and develop a list of questions that you would like to ask. Most of all, start early!

SDN: What do you feel are the best predictors of how students will perform in pharmacy school?

HT: Students who are engaged and hardworking have a natural advantage in the demanding professional school environment. Many focus on GPA and PCAT scores as predictors of success but I think the linkage is less important than previously thought. I want to see students who are enthusiastic about group projects, and want to do professional activities such as conferences to help in developing themselves. Most of all, students should be willing to put in the study time that is needed to excel in the classroom, probably 2-3 hours of studying per hour of classroom instruction.

SDN: How can students get more information about the school?

HT: I encourage you to call or email us. We look forward to hearing from potential students. Please visit our webpage at: http://library.sullivan.edu/pharmacy/default.htm for even more information.
You may also contact us at (502) 456-0045. Students may email me at htran -at- sullivan.edu, my assistant Sara Wade (swade -at- sullivan.edu) or our new dean of student affairs Frank Facione (ffacione -at- sullivan.edu).

SDN: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself or about the new Sullivan University College of Pharmacy?

HT: I hope that students considering our program will evaluate the strengths of our planned program. We are committed to our community and the profession. We have assembled a good core team to get the program started and our core faculty has an impressive record of success. Our philosophy is that any student accepted to Sullivan University College of Pharmacy will be supported through to a successful graduation. We aim for no attrition. That is my commitment. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss our program and philosophy with you.