Touro College of Pharmacy Dean's Update 2019

CELEBRATING 11 YEARS SINCE 2008

2019

DEAN’S U P DAT E

TOURO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY Where Knowledge and Values Meet

MESSAGE from the DEAN

TRAINING THE N E X T G E N E R AT I O N

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s the 2018-19 academic year ends, it’s time to look

cists who have made significant international contributions

back on the achievements of the past year and

to advance pharmacy. Sidhartha (Sid) D. Ray, Ph.D., FACN

ahead to what the future holds. Thanks to an ex-

(Fellow of the American College of Nutrition), professor

traordinary team effort by faculty, staff and stu-

in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sci-

dents, and with the unwavering support of Touro

ences, brings decades of experience in teaching, research,

College, the view in both directions is great.

service and administration. They join six other new faculty

This was a transformative year for Touro College of Phar-

members in the College.

macy (TCOP). New mission and vision statements sharp-

We also saw dramatically improved pass rates on licensing

ened our focus on developing the next generation of

exams, and enjoyed a favorable site visit and report from

pharmacists - leaders committed to promoting wellness,

the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. The

particularly in underserved communities around the corner

January 2019 New York State Compounding Part III Phar-

and across the globe.

macy Licensing Exam pass rate for first-time TCOP takers

Outstanding faculty, invigorated by a new senior management team and the addition of renowned educators and talented young scholar-practitioners, leads TCOP’s move into it’s second decade.

The new leadership team emphasizes TCOP’s intense focus on student-centered education and on our research mission. Abraham Jeger, Ph.D. joined TCOP after a distinguished 40-year career in medical education and administration at the New York Institute of Technology, to take over as chief operating officer/associate dean for student

was 86 percent, the second highest pass rate among all New York State pharmacy schools. Our second trimester first-time NAPLEX pass rate was 88.24 percent, a score virtually equal to the New York State first-time pass rate. Our total scaled mean score exceeded that of New York State and equaled the national mean.

As a fully accredited college of pharmacy, we continue to build on our successes and accomplish great things. I extend my gratitude to all of you for your contributions as we fulfill our promise.

affairs. Professor Zvi Loewy, M.S., Ph.D., the past interim dean and former chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, has been appointed to the

Thank you,

newly-created position of associate dean of research, in charge of coordinating all research and research funding.

Dr. Albert Wertheimer, Ph.D., MBA, visiting professor in the Department of Social, Behavioral and Administrative Sciences, is a veteran of 40 years of pharmacy research

Henry Cohen, PharmD, MSc, FCCM, BCPP, BCGP

and education. Recently, he received the prestigious 2019

Dean and Professor

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Board of Directors’ Donald E. Francke Medal, which honors pharma-

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TABLE

of CONTE NT S

NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

4 CODEPENDENT

4

TAKING AIM AT OPIOIDS

6 ORAL BIOFILMS ERADICATING A DANGEROUS TREND

8 FILLING A NEED POST-GRAD RESIDENCY IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE LAUNCHED

12 ON THE RIGHT TRACK DR. SHARABUN FINDS HER NICHE

14 RESEARCH HIGH & LOW

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RESEARCH AT A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

16 LET’S GET PHYSICAL STUDENTS LEARN PHYSICAL EXAMS

18 BEAT A NEW PATH TCOP CREATES A NEW PHARM PATH

20 Student Spotlight 27 Alumni Corner 33 Faculty Focus 35 Faculty Welcomes

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37 IN AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY 3 9 FAC U LT Y P U B L I C AT I O N S 41 A F F I L I AT E PA R T N E R S 4 2 R E S I D E N C I E S & F E L LOWS H I P S TOURO COLLEGE | DEAN’S UPDATE

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

CODEPENDENT

RESEARCH EFFORTS AT TCOP TAKE AIM AT OPIOID ADDICTION

T

OPIOID RECEPTOR A118G

he United States is facing a public health emergency.

More than 130 people died every day from opioid-related drug overdoses in 2016 and 2017 and those numbers continue to rise, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Despite the ever-increasing group of opioids available both legally as a short-term therapy to manage pain, or illegally, there are many unknowns about the underlying mechanism of addiction. Touro College of Pharmacy set out to learn why some patients are less sensitive to opioids and more prone to addiction than others are.

Through an extensive literature review of studies exploring how a genetic variation could influence drug metabolism and addiction, the pharmacogenomics research group of Associate Dean of Research and Professor Zvi Loewy, Ph.D. at TCOP found that patients with the A118G polymorphism (genetic variation) rather than the standard A118A genotype responded differently to morphine. Those patients with the genetic variation experienced less morphine-induced respiratory depression and were less sensitive

Touro College of Pharmacy is on the front lines with research and education initiatives to help further the scientific understanding of opioid addiction and prepare future pharmacists to respond to the crisis.

Professor Loewy leads research on opioids.

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to the standard dosages set for different opioid medications. These patients did not experience the same pain relief from standard doses.

The research, co-authored by students Iryna Pokotylyuk, Touro College of Pharmacy, and Srishti Kulshrestha, St. John’s University, and faculty Drs. Priyank Kumar and Loewy, was published in EC Pharmacology and Toxicology in early 2018. A second phase of the study is expected to begin later this year.

The researchers concluded that knowing which patients have this genetic variation could be useful for making more precise, effective treatment decisions and practicing caution with long-term opioid use. They suggest screening patients using pharmacogenomic tests before receiving opioid-based pharmacotherapy. Currently, for pain pharmacotherapy, such genetic testing is in the nascent stages; it is the hope that it will become more of an accepted practice in the very near term.

Stats in bubble: www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids

PHARMACISTS ON THE FRONT LINES

“For most people, their local pharmacist is the health care provider they see most regularly, often the one they feel the most comfortable with, and the one who is the most available,” said Andrew Smith, PharmD, assistant professor and program director of TCOP’s new Postgraduate Year Two (PGY-2) Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency.

“Patients will frequently ask a pharmacist questions that they are afraid to ask a physician. Part of the training of pharmacy students is preparing them for this role.”

fects, how to recognize addiction/abuse and antidotes to reverse the effects of these medications. The experiential curriculum also offers students the opportunity to teach patients and their family members suffering from opioid use disorder, including encouraging calls to 911 if they or their loved ones find themselves in trouble, offering information about drug rehabilitation and furnishing of naloxone hydrochloride injection kits - an emergency treatment for reversal of opioid overdose. Students also get involved in counseling patients and family members about proper use of the lifesaving medication.

“In many states including New York, anyone can purchase a naloxone kit, which will provide the approximately 30 minutes needed for an emergency medical team to arrive,” said Dr. Smith. “This can be lifesaving.”

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and many others.

By the time Touro pharmacy students graduate and enter the workforce, they have acquired a broad knowledge of opioid use disorder treatment options, their side ef-

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

ORAL BIOFILMS TCOP STUDENTS RESEARCH WAYS TO CONTROL AND ERADICATE A DANGEROUS TREND

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he significance of pathogenic biofilms in infectious diseases is becoming increasingly evident, spurring a group of Touro College of Pharmacy students in the school’s new “Research Track” to make significant progress in understanding their structure and growth, as well as the development of novel, viable approaches for their eradication.

Professor Loewy and students in the lab.

Two of the pharmacy students, third-years Daniela Berger and Aviva Rakamimova, with Touro alumnus Andrew Eli Pollack from the undergraduate Lander College for Men in Queens, research members in the laboratory of Associate Dean of Research and Professor Zvi Loewy, Ph.D., have found one very promising approach to controlling biofilms: the use of natural products. They published their research findings in August in the Journal of High Throughput, “Oral Biofilms: Development, Control and Analysis”.

cated in many infections and ailments, and are largely resistant to antibiotics, making treatment very difficult.

“The research was novel in that it provided a comprehensive review of biofilms and focused on ways to detect and contain them,” explained Dr. Loewy. “The work provided the foundation for further investigation of new approaches to controlling pathogens embedded in biofilms.”

There is a strong need to consider biofilms in the development of effective treatments for infections. Several chemical and biological methods are being developed to control their growth – for example, chemically modified materials with altered surface features are being explored to repel the cell-surface adhesion of biofilms and halt their growth. Bacteriophages, which are specific viruses that infect bacteria, are being developed to eradicate bacterial biofilms by penetrating them and killing the bacterial cells. Antimicrobial peptides, which are found naturally or can be made synthetically, are another strategy under investigation. They disrupt bacterial cell membranes by destabilizing them, resulting in cell penetration and death.

A CHALLENGE IN HEALTH CARE TODAY

A biofilm is a community of microbial cells that are complex and aggregate together, adhering to a variety of surfaces. Biofilm cells are encapsulated by a matrix that provides nutrition, protection and structural integrity; however, biofilms can also cause slow and progressive chronic disease. They are impli-

“Biofilms are a key challenge in health care today,” said Dr. Loewy. “Patients with medical devices and implants should especially monitor themselves closely for biofilms.”

Cystic fibrosis is among the conditions associated with biofilms. With cystic fibrosis, patients become chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa due to its biofilm growth in the airways. Dental plaque as well as decaying teeth and cavities are also problematic because of their high tolerance for acid, which causes robust biofilms to form in the mouth that are difficult to eradicate.

Biofilms are commonly found in chronic wounds, where they can become deeply imbedded and form on outer layers. They are also troublesome for upper respiratory infections. Up to 70 percent of infections acquired in hospitals or other health care facilities are associated with biofilms.

Meanwhile, the seven students in the TCOP Research Track are continuing their work in the lab.

“Hopefully with more research, we will be able to contribute further to the eventual elimination of the threat of biofilm infections altogether,” said Dr. Loewy.

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

FILLING A NEED TOURO LAUNCHES POSTGRADUATE YEARTWO RESIDENCY IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE

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ecently, Touro College of Pharmacy introduced a new Postgraduate Year-Two (PGY-2) Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency, at SBH Health System’s St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. The new program follows on the heels of two other PGY-2 programs opened by TCOP in 20162017, with The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, in Critical Care and Infectious Diseases. The new Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency is administered

by TCOP Assistant Professor Andrew Smith, PharmD, who himself completed a PGY-2 and developed a clinical specialty in emergency medicine (EM). Below Dr. Smith answers some questions about the new program and the need for more EM training.

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Q: How did the new Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency come about?

A: The residency is new as of 2018, and currently has “Candidate Status” according to our accreditors, the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists (ASHP). Once we graduate our first resident, Dr. Myroslava Sharabun in June, we expect to have full accreditation. This residency sprung from Touro’s mission to provide the greater New York City area with highly qualified graduates for pharmacy practice, and our hospitals with highly qualified residents to care for patients in the clinical arena. EM is a great fit, because there are no such residencies in Manhattan or the Bronx; the only other EM pharmacy programs in New York State are at Brooklyn Hospital and Maimonides Medical Center, both in Brooklyn, and at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Q: TCOP also recently opened two other PGY-2 residencies with The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, in Critical Care and Infectious Diseases. Why is Touro offering a third at this time and why in EM?

A: EM is a growing field in pharmacy, as more hospitals realize that errors occur at a much higher rate in the Emergency Department due to a lack of protective systems in the Emergency Room

that may exist in other parts of a hospital.

Some ERs do not require a pharmacist’s verification of orders prior to administration of medications, which opens the door to “look-alike/sound alike” errors, incorrect doses and potentially inappropriate therapy based on patient lab results. One such recent error at Vanderbilt University Medical Center resulted in death when a nurse mistakenly administered vecuronium (a medication that causes paralysis) instead of versed (a medication used for sedation and anxiety). A recent Johns Hopkins study claims more than 250,000 people in the United States die every year from medical errors. On-site pharmacists can provide recommendations on drug therapy and patient-specific dosing based on weight, kidney function, and age; safely and hygienically prepare drugs; and help prevent medication errors upon discharge. For these reasons, progressive hospitals have begun to station pharmacists in the Emergency Department who have advanced training.

Q: Are there enough residencies in EM to meet demand?

A: EM is definitely becoming more popular among students, who realize that it provides them more hands-on time with patients and the ability to participate in medical emergencies more often than in the inpatient setting.

However, presently there are only 64 EM residency programs in the U.S. Considering the sheer volume of ERs we have, and that all of them operate 24/7, we need at least four to five full-time pharmacists per ER and if we want all of our ERs to be staffed with PGY-2 EM-trained pharmacists, then we have a long way to go.

Q: Why partner with SBH System at St. Barnabas?

A: SBH Health System also has two PGY-1 pharmacy residents, who are completing general residencies. They will now have an opportunity to complete a second year in our PGY-2 program. We also chose SBH beTOURO COLLEGE | DEAN’S UPDATE

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION cause it does the most ER medical residency training in New York City, with one of the most underserved populations in the city.

The medical program is over 25 years old and very robust, serving over 90,000 patients as a designated 911-receiving hospital, with a Stroke Center, emergency heart care center, and is certified as a regional Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons.

Level II centers can initiate care for all injured patients and offer 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons, as well as orthopedic and neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, EM specialists, radiologists and critical care specialists. SBH also has a dedicated toxicology service that works closely with our residents, and a team of amazing physicians dedicated to providing high quality, hands-on education to learners at all levels.

“EMERGENCY MEDICINE IS A GREAT FIT BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SUCH RESIDENCIES IN MANHATTAN OR THE BRONX.” Q: What are some of the rotations in Touro’s PGY-2 EM pharmacy residency?

A: Core rotations include adult and pediatric EM, toxicology and public health, research and intensive care. Electives may include pediatrics, ambulatory care and infectious disease/antimicrobial programs that lower the spread of infections from multidrug-resistant organisms.

Q: How does one apply for a PGY-2 EM pharmacy residency?

A: Residents apply through the National

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Pharmacy students preparing to treat a patient.

Matching Services (NMS) system just like most pharmacy residents. They complete their initial applications in December, interview through January and February and submit their applications in March for a “Match Day”.

Q: What jobs are available for residents who complete this residency?

A: Generally, they accept EM pharmacy specialist positions. They will sign on with a hospital and either supervise less experienced pharmacists as a manager or team leader, or work as a one-man/one-woman show.

Q: What are some of the notable advantages to pursuing this specialty?

A: EM specialists are unique in their ability to feel comfortable in medical emergencies and work as part of teams that do not necessarily fall under their specialty. They are responsible for a range of duties, including adjusting medications to reduce symptoms, avoid side effects and achieve thera-

peutic goals; assessing vitals; performing physical exams; maneuvering patients in trauma to avoid further injury; and hooking up electrodes for ECGs. It really becomes an all-hands-ondeck experience, depending on how busy the ER is, and we cross roles to make sure patients get the best care during these emergencies.

Q: What are some of the qualities/characteristics that pharmacists specializing in EM should have?

A: EM pharmacists need to be open, conscientious and extroverted. They should love being in uncomfortable situations and finding unique ways to solve the problems

they are faced with given the relatively short timelines involved. Intellectual curiosity, efficiency and organization make for successful individuals who will not get overwhelmed when confronted with the possibility of a patient they just met who may not survive if they and their team fail to work together seamlessly to get everything done quickly. Highly neurotic individuals may not fit into the EM profession as easily, but with some effort they most likely can find a spot. If they get anxious easily or overwhelmed when not given time to think through processes, and need quiet time to sort through problems, the environment can detract from their ability to provide optimal care.

EM students check on patients.

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

ON THE RIGHT TRACK TOURO’S NEW PGY-2 EMERGENCY MEDICINE RESIDENT FINDS HER NICHE AND BUILDS SKILLS

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hen Myroslava Sharabun, PharmD, finished pharmacy school in 2017, she knew exactly what she wanted: a career in emergency medicine (EM).

She prepared herself well, first earning her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy studies, followed by her PharmD, both at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy.

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During her studies, she completed rotations in EM and ambulatory care. She then secured a postgraduate year-one residency (PGY1) at The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, where she worked again in EM, as well as intensive care, solid organ transplant and infectious diseases. All along the way, she has given numerous presentations on critical care and emergency medicine topics.

Today, Dr. Sharabun is thriving as Touro College of Pharmacy’s inaugural Postgraduate Year-Two (PGY-2) Emergency Medicine Pharmacy (EM) Resident, a position established this year

by TCOP at SBH Health System’s St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. The hospital has one of the most established EM training programs in the city, providing care to a large, underserved population. It serves over 90,000 patients as a designated 911-receiving hospital, stroke center and a regional certified Level II Trauma Center.

Dr. Myroslava Sharabun working with TCOP students.

intravenous pump for medication administration or putting a blood pressure cuff on a patient. “I always had an interest in emergency medicine and providing direct patient care. It is fantastic to be so hands-on in a plethora of resuscitation and patient management situations -- from cardiac arrests to management of an abdominal aortic aneurysm,” she said.

EM is also thriving, gaining popularity among students seeking more hands-on time with patients, and among hospitals, which are realizing errors occur at a higher rate in the ER than in other parts of the hospital. Dr. Sharabun is highly qualified for the position, with her unique training -- and fortunate, as there are only 64 PGY-2 EM pharmacy residency programs in the country, a number that lags behind the need.

In addition to her core EM rotations, she has worked in infectious diseases, pediatrics, surgical and medical intensive care, and at the New York City Poison Center at Bellevue Hospital. She also precepts students and residents, and lectures and leads academic recitations at TCOP. Dr. Sharabun definitely feels she has found her niche. “EM allows me the opportunity to provide recommendations for critically ill patients,

“IT’S FANTASTIC TO BE SO HANDS-ON IN A PLETHORA OF RESUSCITATION AND PATIENT MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS—FROM CARDIAC ARRESTS TO MANAGEMENT OF AN ADBOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM.” PART OF INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM

“The experience is very exciting and rewarding,” said Dr. Sharabun, who is an active member of an interdisciplinary team, working side-by-side with medical residents, physicians and nurses. She provides dosing and administration recommendations and is always lending a hand, whether it is preparing the

counsel patients, and educate students and medical residents about EM pharmacy practice,” she said. “It is wonderful that Touro has been able to establish this residency at a Level II Trauma Center and also provide opportunities in academia. It has reassured me that I have chosen the right career path that will enable me to build my clinical pharmacy and other skills including those needed in the world of academia.”

TOURO COLLEGE | DEAN’S UPDATE

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

RESEARCH HIGH & LOW S

hortly after beginning Touro College of Pharmacy, Michael Boadu visited with Associate Professor Paramita Basu, Ph.D. The two discussed the research the new student had done as an undergraduate in Ghana, studying agricultural science, and as a graduate student more recently at Lehman College in the Bronx. At Lehman, he worked on a bacteria species that enriches agricultural soils - and an antibiotic property his team discovered associated with the bacteria.

Dr. Basu told Boadu about her research projects, and said TCOP soon would be launching a new “Research Track” – a three-course elective sequence to engage students in scientific investigation and prepare them to enter a broad variety of careers in the pharmaceutical industry or biotechnology.

“I wanted to start with her right away in the first semester but I couldn’t because I was working a full-time job as a pharmacy technician at Montefiore Medical Center,” recalled Boadu. “In the second year when I had an opportunity I quickly jumped to the Research Track.’’

Today Boadu is one of seven students enrolled in the Research Track, learning the skills and gaining the experience needed, in step-by-step fashion, to become a competent researcher.

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TCOP STUDENTS TAKE RESEARCH TO A HIGHER LEVEL WITH A “RESEARCH TRACK” These skills include being able to search the literature, design and execute experiments, analyze data and present scientific research.

RESEARCH IS A “WELL-KEPT SECRET”

Career opportunities in pharmacy are projected to grow by six percent between 2016 and 2026, adding over 17,000 new jobs, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. But most of the jobs will not be in research, which is a “well-kept secret” when it comes to pharmacy opportunities, said TCOP’s Associate Dean of Research and Professor Zvi Loewy, Ph.D. “It happens but it’s not necessarily the norm.”

Researchers may work as industrial pharmacists, designing or managing clinical drug trials and helping to develop new drugs. Pharmacists may also work on safety, regulatory or quality control issues, or for health insurance companies creating benefits packages or in marketing and sales, lending their expertise on drugs. But working on clinical trials is among the most

Professors Loewy, Papetti and Basu with students in the lab.

popular career paths undertaken by research pharmacists and many PharmDs are as welltrained as Ph.D.s by the time they enter the field, according to Dr. Loewy, who established the sequence and has many inventions and patents to his name.

“We wanted to drive research at TCOP, get the students and faculty jointly engaged and create awareness about career opportunities in research for pharmacists,” explained Dr. Loewy. “The qualities required for success?

Creativity, originality and a desire to ask questions and think about novel solutions,” he said.

Boadu is a stand-out student who said eventually he plans to work as a clinical pharmacist.

“I would like to collaborate with an academic institution where I can conduct research to help solve health issues,” he said. “For me, these courses are helping me develop myself for the future. Also, as an adjunct lecturer at Lehman College, I have been applying the laboratory skills I’m gaining [at Touro] in teaching my students.” He said he especially values the presentation skills he is learning.

TESTING ANTIBIOTICS ON NOTORIOUS BACTERIA

Currently in the lab, the students are divided into three groups. Boadu is working with two other students and Dr. Basu on testing

the effect of different antibiotics on the biofilm state of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, “one of the most notorious bacterial strains currently troubling the health care system,” he said. “It is the main bacteria that causes pneumonia and cystic fibrosis. It is increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics, mostly due to its ability to form biofilms within 24 hours.” [See related story, page 6].

He added, “One of the trusted antibiotics currently in use is actually becoming ineffective against this bug. Physicians may have to use other, stronger antibiotics or combine the current ones for effectiveness. This may, however, come with a price in the form of higher medical costs and toxicities.”

The other students’ projects involve studying novel, natural sources of antimicrobials on P. aeruginosa biofilm growth with Dr. Loewy, and the change in gene expression patterns in P. aeruginosa before and after various antimicrobial treatments with Research Assistant Professor Michael Papetti, Ph.D. What’s next for members of the Research Track?

“We continue to work on our manuscripts. We hope to publish our findings at the end of the semester,” said Boadu. After that, it will all be about “understanding yesterday’s problems, solving today’s issues and preventing tomorrow’s occurrences.”

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

LET’S GET PHYSICAL AS PHARMACY PRACTICE EVOLVES, STUDENTS LEARN TO DO PHYSICAL EXAMS

“

In the beginning I had the same reaction everyone had. Why do I have to take the course?” recalled Touro College of Pharmacy student Marilyn Flores. Flores was referring to a new class, “Physical Assessment”, which is mandatory for second-year students.

Even though she is in pharmacy school, the image portrayed of pharmacists working furiously behind the counter sorting pills and putting them in bottles had stuck with her. Yet at many pharmacies today, it is not uncommon to find clients getting their blood pressure, heart rates and lungs checked, as well as flu shots and having one-on-ones about their symptoms with a pharmacist. Are they urinating excessively? They can have their glucose level checked with a glucometer on the spot. Do they suspect diabetes? A foot examination might be done and they can walk out with a referral to a physician for follow up.

“The image I had, it’s not like that anymore,” said Flores. “Now we have pharmacists who are an essential part of the medical team and if they can perform these tasks it adds more value and recognition to our profession. If a patient is not feeling well they can talk to their pharmacist because they are the most accessible health care providers in the community.

You can walk into a corner pharmacy and be seen; however if I walk into a physician’s office it may be one or two hours until I even [know] if they have space to see me…”

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SHIFT FROM ‘DISPENSING’ TO ‘PATIENTCENTRIC’ MODEL

The physical assessment course is a hands-on class that teaches, through lectures and labs, basic exam techniques used in outpatient clinics as well as in retail and acute care settings. Faculty from both TCOP and the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine lecture on a wide range of topics including how to take patient histories; administer infusions; examine hair, nails and skin for the possibility of cancer; master GI and self-exam techniques; as well as how to perform neurological, psychiatric, pulmonary, cardiovascular, pediatric and geriatric assessments. The lectures are accompanied by labs, where the students practice the procedures.

Not all students will end up using all of the skills they learn, since they will be working in a range of settings.

“Pharmacy practice is shifting from a dispensing model to a more ‘patient-centric’ model,” explained Assistant Professor and Course Director Andrew Smith, PharmD, adding that with this shift, pharmacists are integral members of the health care team, determining whether medications are needed, the right doses and monitoring for side effects. “Many times, talking to a

patient isn’t enough to get the information needed, so we have to rely on physical exams. We are preparing our students with a baseline knowledge of skills so they can optimize medication for the best and safest outcomes.”

Pharmacists in critical care and emergency medicine, Dr. Smith’s specialty, are called upon to do even more exams, and more complicated ones, than are taught in his basic course.

Meanwhile, Flores, who intends to

“AT MANY PHARMACIES TODAY, IT’S NOT UNCOMMON TO FIND CLIENTS...HAVING ONEON-ONES ABOUT THEIR SYMPTOMS WITH A PHARMACIST.” pursue a postgraduate residency in emergency medicine, has come full circle in appreciating the value and impact that pharmacists learning physical assessments has in health care today.

“I know I will definitely need them,” Flores said of the techniques. “If I have a patient in respiratory distress I will need to listen to their lungs, and know if they have any crackles or wheezing. I am learning things hopefully I can put into practice one day.”

A TCOP student practices a physical exam on a patient.

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NEW FRONTIERS in PHARMACY & EDUCATION

BEAT A NEW PATH TOURO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY CREATES A NEW PHARM PATH

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n articulation agreement, signed this year by key staff, set off a new pipeline program for qualified students to earn undergraduate and professional degrees on a fast track, saving students time and money.

Touro College of Pharmacy (TCOP) has embarked on articulation agreements with undergraduate colleges to create a new pre-pharmacy program that will allow qualified students to earn both bachelor’s and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degrees in seven years, rather than the eight years usually needed to complete both.

In July 2018 the first agreement was signed, with Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah. Since then, CUNY’s Hunter College, Lehman College and Medgar Evers College have signed on as well as our own undergraduate program, New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS).

“These extraordinary new partnerships offer a unique opportunity to enter the challenging and rewarding pharmacy profession. Outstanding students will get a head start on their professional careers, enabling them to obtain bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in less time and for less money than if each degree was taken separately,” said TCOP Dean Henry Cohen, PharmD. “We are delighted and honored to join with these premier colleges in carrying out TCOP’s vital mission to develop the next generation of pharmacists dedicated to promoting wellness, especially among underserved populations in Harlem and beyond.”

“Ramapo College is thrilled to enter into a partnership

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with Touro College of Pharmacy,” said Edward Saiff, dean at Ramapo’s School of Theoretical and Applied Science. “Students interested in a career in pharmacy will be able to begin their studies here at Ramapo and then move on to the Touro campus in New York City for their professional studies. Pharmacists are integral to any health care team and this partnership will offer Ramapo College students interested in the many dimensions of pharmacy a path to a wonderful career.”

HOW IT WORKS

Students will apply to TCOP during their junior year, at the end of which they will be required to have completed 67 credits of prerequisite coursework in science, math, economics, English, humanities and social/ behavioral science with above average cumulative and science GPAs. Favorable recommendations, a personal interview at TCOP, completion of the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) and submission of a formal application through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) are also required.

Under the articulation agreements, the colleges agree to provide counseling, advising and resources to students in the Program. Students admitted to TCOP must satisfactorily complete their first year of pharmacy school to obtain their bachelor’s degrees.

Front row, from left: Ramapo Provost Stefan Becker and TCOP Dean Henry Cohen. Back row, from left: TCOP Assistant Dean for Admissions and Enrollment Management Heidi Fuchs with Ramapo Professor of Biology Rena Bacon and Dean, School of Theoretical and Applied Science Edward Saiff.

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Student Spotlight FROM GHANA TO THE UNITED STATES: THIRD-YEAR PHARMACY STUDENT ALEXANDER AGYEI MARFO FINDS “THE AMERICAN DREAM IS ALIVE”

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TTAINING HIS PharmD IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP for Touro College of Pharmacy P3 Alexander Agyei Marfo. Once he earns his pharmacy degree, Marfo plans to work in the pharmaceutical world

for several years while earning an MBA. After that, he hopes to start a hedge fund with a focus on the pharmaceutical industry. His goal for the profits raised from the hedge fund? Combatting health inequality around the world.

“The biggest problem in health care is the simplest one to explain,” said Marfo. “Most people can’t afford basic health care. The same problem cuts across the whole world—from America’s Midwest to sub-Saharan Africa. I want to use a large portion of the profits from my hedge fund to support charity work to provide better health care globally,” he said.

As for sizing up the problems of health care, the multinational Marfo would know. A native of Ghana, he has travelled the world as a medical science liaison for the medical conglomerate Merck Serono. His interest in the pharmacy world began when, as a child, he realized that medications could be taken in pill form rather than by injection.

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“It amazed me that I could take a tablet and I wouldn’t need a shot. That was what started my interest in pharmacy,” he recalled.

COMING TO AMERICA WITH “A BIG DREAM” Marfo received his B. Pharm from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, located in the large city of Kumasi, in Southern Ghana. After graduation he began with Merck Serono, eventually settling in England and earning a post-graduate diploma in marketing from the London-based Chartered Institute of Marketing. In London, he quickly realized that if he had a PharmD from the U.S. and an MBA, he would be more successful moving up the corporate ladder.

“No one comes to America without a big dream,” he laughed.

While visiting New York on a business trip, Marfo looked into pharmacy schools and decided TCOP would be a good fit. “TCOP’s smaller classes allow you to have direct interaction with professors. You are able to form connections with them and improve

your own abilities and discernment,” he said.

Marfo moved to the U.S. in 2015 and finished his pharmacy school prerequisites at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. He jumped into his studies at TCOP the following year and became a member of the e-board for IPhO (Industry Pharmacists Association).

Currently Marfo is serving as president of Touro’s student chapter of the Drug Information Association, an international nonprofit, multidisciplinary association that promotes health worldwide.

At the tail end of his first year, Marfo made an unusual move by applying for a pharmacy industry internship, a step usually taken only after two years of pharmacy school. With the help of his research project supervisor at the time, Associate Professor Paramita Basu, Ph.D., he landed an internship at the pharmaceutical company Tris Pharma, in South Brunswick, N.J. There, he helped track U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the company’s products and did research with medical teams. He was so successful that he was asked to stay on as an intern, working remotely, during his second year of school. He still works for the company from his home in Manhattan.

PASSION FOR RESEARCH In December, the didactic part of TCOP’s curriculum ended for third-year students. Marfo moved on to start the first of nine rotations (externships), beginning in medical/clinical science at Bayer HealthCare in Whippany, N.J. Bayer was followed by an institutional rotation at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Manhattan and then an internal medicine rotation at

SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn with TCOP Associate Professor Dr. Roopali Sharma. While at Downstate, outside of his rotation and under the direction of Dr. Sharma, Marfo did human clinical trial research on procalcitonin, a blood marker for bacterial infections. Other rotations planned for fall 2019 include a regulatory affairs rotation with the FDA in Maryland and a clinical science rotation with the multinational biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. He also plans an internship at Pfizer in New York.

With his passion for research, last summer Marfo worked in the lab of TCOP’s Associate Dean for Research and Professor Zvi Loewy, Ph.D., where he honed his skills in drug development and entrepreneurship, and took time off to work on publications and abstracts – some of which were accepted for publication.

He was also one of seven students at TCOP taking a special sequence of research courses under Dr. Loewy’s guidance, exploring the use of novel antimicrobials for treating biofilms.

“The ‘Research Track’ fit in perfectly for me, with my goal of helping the world become a better place and providing cost-saving medications to the general population,” said Marfo.

“It is very prudent to understand the process of drug development. Investors would be willing to invest in a cause they believe in, and understanding the science and innovation of the pharma world will help me drive the investments needed to go to the next level.”

“The American dream is alive,” said Marfo.

“There is so much you can do here that you can’t do elsewhere.”

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Student Spotlight

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JENNIFER TSAN: GO-GETTER AND “CHALLENGE JUNKIE”

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OURTH-YEAR (P4) PHARMACY STUDENT JENNIFER TSAN, Class of 2019, is a New York native who grew up in Toronto, Canada and earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from York University in Toronto. She is a standout student at TCOP, a go-getter who has sought out a wide range of experiences during pharmacy school.

She knew pharmacy was the field for her after volunteering in the pharmacy department of a hospital, followed by another year working as a pharmacy technician at an independent pharmacy.

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Student Spotlight At TCOP, her numerous achievements include winning the Patient Counseling Competition of the school’s student chapter of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP); taking second place with two classmates at the New York Business Plan Competition for creating a smoking cessation program; presenting her research on monitoring patient adherence to medications; and being selected by faculty to join academic leaders in a strategic planning summit on the future of pharmacy practice in New York State. Jennifer spent the summer after her second year at TCOP working as a Junior Commissioned Officer in a training program of the United States Public Health Service. She was one of only 22 pharmacy students in the nation selected for the program.

What was it about pharmacy that led you to pursue a career in the field?

I love science and I’m a challenge junkie.

Whether you go into clinical, industry, retail or academia, the role of a pharmacist is very challenging. We are constantly learning, and most roles require some sort of problem-solving or troubleshooting on a daily basis. For example, we are challenged to identify and resolve drug therapy problems like drug interactions, and determine the best medications for patients based on patient-specific factors and evidence-based medicine.

What have been some of the highlights of pharmacy school?

There have been many! They include the personal and professional growth that has come from interacting with other students, taking on leadership positions, juggling many responsibilities, tutoring and learning from professors who have a wealth of clinical experience. The clinical faculty are top-notch and I have also been fortunate to have very supportive academic advisors who dedicated time to answer questions and meet with me —even faculty not assigned to me in a formal advisory role have been very encouraging and gone out of their way to help.

I have also enjoyed presenting to journal clubs, preparing monographs, participating in patient case presentations and counseling patients. Our multitude of rotations, which

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change every six weeks, taught me a great deal because of the variety of exposure and the many opportunities to apply the clinical knowledge we learned at school, like how to monitor laboratory parameters, review a variety of disease states and collaborate with other health professionals to improve patient outcomes. I worked at small community hospitals and large academic institutions. All of my preceptors were dedicated to teaching, and I was able to become friendly with many pharmacists, pharmacy/medical residents and pharmacy students from other schools.

Among my most meaningful rotations was internal medicine at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, which was very challenging because I needed to spend a lot of time researching drug therapy problems and the best medications for the patients, and my preceptor had high expectations. Still, Kingsbrook was rewarding because I gained clinical experience, learned from knowledgeable preceptors and had opportunities to have a positive impact. Taken together, all of the rotations provided great learning environments and exposed me to the pharmacist’s role from the operational, clinical, regulatory, industry and academic perspectives.

No mention of highlights would be complete without including meeting Joseph, our class dog, who was such a good boy. I cannot imagine getting through my courses without him; he never skipped a class and loved attention!

What are your plans, goals and hopes for the future?

There are many possibilities. I am interested in doing a postgraduate residency. I enjoy providing drug information, researching, teaching, giving presentations and am attracted to rigorous work environments. If I do not take up a residency, I plan to work as a pharmacist in a fast-paced, team-oriented and challenging setting. Among the various specialties, I am interested in infectious diseases, but I also find other specialties, like internal medicine and oncology, appealing. I would like to work in the clinical setting, interacting with the medical team and optimizing patients’ medications. At the same time, I also would like to be a part of academia and join the clinical faculty of a pharmacy school.

Student Spotlight EAGER TO HELP COMMUNITIES: WHERE PHARMACISTS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PATIENT HEALTH CARE

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ORN AND RAISED IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK to Haitian parents, fourth-year (P4) student Prezzie Charles began her pharmacy career almost 20 years ago as a technician at a neighborhood retail pharma-

cy. Eager to learn, she enrolled at Touro’s undergraduate program at the New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS), earning her Bachelor of Science in 2013 with a major in biology and a minor in psychology. Two years later, with more than a dozen years of retail pharmacy experience under her belt, she began the rigorous program at Touro College of Pharmacy, balancing her academic workload with raising her vibrant four-year-old son.

What led you to pursue a career in pharmacy?

I began looking for a job as soon as I started high school. I walked into Remsen Pharmacy in Brooklyn, a neighborhood pharmacy,

asked if they were hiring, and soon began work as a pharmacy technician. I was taught how to type and bill prescriptions to third-party payors, took phone calls about refill requests and learned how to check in, label and stock orders from wholesalers.

I was able to grasp the work quickly and before long it became second nature. Also, many of my family members are working in the medical field, mostly nurses and doctors, but I gravitated towards pharmacy, where I felt I would get a good balance of patient care and clinical knowledge. I saw first-hand how pharmacists are embedded within the community, and because of this it is easy to build strong relationships with patients. This is important to me because simple actions like making a call to an insurance compa-

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Student Spotlight

ny or a doctor can significantly change the course of a patient’s health and I want to provide that for patients.

What have been some of the highlights of pharmacy school?

Having supportive professors there for me when facing many challenges has been a big highlight. I chose TCOP because of its small environment, which is similar to my undergraduate alma mater NYSCAS. I have attended larger institutions in the past where my professors were not accessible, or I felt like I was treated like a number. It’s very encouraging to know that your professors genuinely support your success.

Another highlight for me has been our rotations, where we work up patients, and then round from room to room with the medical teams and prepare the medications. This has given me a holistic, first-hand perspective on all of the moving parts that work together for the sake of the patients’ health. Rotations have also shown me the importance of health professionals working together as teams, and how this can result in synergistic effects that benefit patients, versus working as separate entities where sometimes one professional is viewed as more significant than another.

Recently I delivered a poster presentation with a classmate on the role of pharmacists

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at a medication management clinic during the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting. The research was important to me because we were able to show that patients referred to the medication management clinic had dramatically lower 30-day hospital readmittance rates than their counterparts who were released from general acute care without a referral to medication management.

What are your plans, goals and hopes for the future?

I am currently pursuing a postgraduate residency. One day I hope to become a clinical pharmacist in either ambulatory care or geriatrics. I feel like simple interventions with these patient populations could significantly impact their health. These are the types of patients I would most often come across in the retail setting, facing issues like polypharmacy, multiple prescribers and prescribing cascades (where the side effects of drugs are misdiagnosed as symptoms of another problem, resulting in more prescriptions, more side effects and unanticipated drug interactions that can lead to even more misdiagnoses and further symptoms). I feel these issues can lead to harm and can be avoided with full medication reviews. In a retail setting, these reviews oftentimes are difficult to perform due to time constraints.

A L U M N I C O R N E R : Phil Armendi CLASS OF 2016

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hilip Armendi, PharmD, did his undergraduate work at University of California, San Diego, where he earned a B.S. in Neuroscience & Physiology. Family illnesses triggered an early interest in pharmacy, and his work after college for a small biotech company set him on his path to a career in industry. The job opened a window into how the industry helps develop new solutions for treating disease. He enrolled at Touro College of Pharmacy, where he was a commencement speaker and student body president, among other leadership positions, and received awards and industry recognition for educating fellow students about the role of pharmacists in his chosen field. During his senior year, he secured a fellowship in Global Regulatory Affairs in the University of Southern California-Allergan Fellowship Program, one of the industry’s most prestigious postgraduate fellowships. Today he is a senior analyst in Regulatory Affairs Strategy at Allergan Plc, a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and teaches regulatory affairs at USC. Why did you choose pharmacy?

Growing up, both of my parents suffered from chronic - and as I would learn in my studies - treatable diseases (type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart failure, to name a few). I felt a strong need to pursue a career that enabled me to understand what they were going through and not feel helpless.

I wanted to have an informed perspective when it came to health care and medicine, and pharmacy gave me the means to do that.

How did your education at TCOP prepare you?

TCOP prepared me to become a capable and knowledgeable pharmacist and an empathic one as well. I always looked up to our faculty for their wisdom and their passion to give back to the communities they served. That, to me, has always been a true symbol of what the pharmacy profession stands for: helping those with unmet needs.

You received one of the most prestigious pharmaceutical industry postdoctoral fellowships available in the country at Allergan. Why an industry fellowship?

Early in my career, prior to pharmacy school, I had the opportunity to work at a small biotech company in San Diego, specifically in preclinical/early phase research and development. This gave me the initial perspective about what the industry had to offer in terms of innovation and cutting-edge science. While physicians and pharmacists practice medicine through existing drugs, it is only through the combined efforts of academic research and industry that new solutions to treating various diseases emerge. I sought out a pharmaceutical industry fellowship in my final year of pharmacy school after understanding through my industry/government rotations at TCOP what pharmacists could contribute in the field. Pharmacists are not limited to practicing community or clinical pharmacy (albeit still the most notable roles in the profession).

Often, the number of different opportunities that PharmDs can pursue in industry, be they in medical affairs, clinical development, clinical pharmacology, or as in my case, in regulatory affairs, are heavily underestimated.

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Can you describe your work during the fellowship? What experiences were the most challenging and meaningful to you and why?

Though industry has its reputation as being “comfortable” and committed to work-life balance, completing a fellowship is no walkin-the-park. My fellowship at USC-Allergan launched me straight into the regulatory submission process. Within the first month, I was learning how to be a competent technical medical writer. I drafted chemistry manufacturing and controls (“CMC”) submissions for both marketed drugs and drugs that were in development. This was very challenging in the beginning because I had to learn the intricacies of pharmaceutical development from early to late phase, not just the therapeutic utilization of drugs once they are approved for commercialization. One particularly challenging and meaningful experience was authoring a successful investigational new drug (“IND”) application near the end of my fellowship, as it ultimately proved that I could thrive as a regulatory professional.

While an effective drug may be many years in the making, it is exciting to have had a part in the development of a molecule that is being explored in clinical trials and may become a meaningful drug to treat a disease that is now untreatable: NASH, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a type of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

What are you doing as a senior analyst?

What do you like about the job?

As a senior regulatory affairs analyst, I am still very much in the beginning of my career as a regulatory affairs professional. Regulatory affairs, while comprised of different specialized roles, ultimately boils down to this: we are the final gatekeepers of scientific and clinical information between the sponsor company and global health authorities. With that comes the responsibility of reporting all necessary information that deems medical products safe and effective for use in the general population.

What I enjoy about this career is that becoming an expert is a lifelong process. The profession cannot be taught in the classroom - it is best learned through time and experience, and facing new challenges every day.

You are also an adjunct professor. Why did you decide to enter academia? What are you teaching?

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Ironically enough, as I just made this point about regulatory affairs being something you cannot learn in the classroom, I teach regulatory affairs! That is to say, my fellowship gave me the opportunity to teach courses about drug development and CMC, which I continue to do as an adjunct faculty member at USC. There is a lot of history in pharmacy and drug development in the United States over the past 100 years, and we can learn a lot from prior mistakes and successes that brought modern medicine to where it is today. What I aim to do in the classroom is to convey foundational concepts of drug development - whether through history or case studies - and also give the next generation of health professionals reasons to be excited to join the industry by using what they’ve learned as a starting point.

You have always been very focused in pursuing your professional goals. Has your career worked out the way you hoped?

Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

I certainly went against the grain in choosing the pharmaceutical industry path, which remains a narrow one for most medical professionals. I am very fortunate in that my career has exceeded the hopes I had when I entered pharmacy school. My fiancée likes to remind me how far I have come by telling me when I get home from a hard day, “Remember when you used to say how cool it would be to work in the industry and develop new and innovative drugs? YOU DO THAT NOW.” What advice do you have for other students setting out in pharmacy today, especially as the profession expands?

Do your homework! And I mean that in the broadest sense: do your research and understand whether your career choice is the right fit. It is important to pursue a career where, even when things get tough, you are still excited and have the motivation to go to work each day and make a difference in people’s lives, whether that’s in community or clinical pharmacy, or in industry. I would never say that one path is better than another; it is simply important to understand what path brings out the best in you as a pharmacist and a member of your community.

A L U M N I C O R N E R : Sybil Goday Peña CLASS OF 2017

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entucky native Sybil Goday Peña, B.S., PharmD, AE-C, had always thought about a career in pharmacy but it took a while for her to pursue that interest to the end. After earning an associate’s degree at Lexington Community College, she moved to New York with one month’s rent and a lot of determination. She landed an executive sales job at a luxury men’s Italian clothing company, where she was enjoying a successful career until she lost her job in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis. It was then that she realized it was time to make an investment in herself and take the next step towards her dream of becoming a pharmacist.

What led you to pharmacy and to Touro?

I was fascinated by medications early on. If you had a headache, you could take something to feel better. You could also assist someone with a life-threatening illness and possibly help save a life. This always intrigued me. When I lost my job, I decided to go back to school where my journey began. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Long Island University and applied to Touro College of Pharmacy. TCOP appealed to me because it was a close commute from home, allowing me to be near my kids, but also because the school is a small, tight-knit community.

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Why did you pursue two years of postgraduate training? What did you learn as a resident?

I knew I wanted to do postgraduate training in some capacity during my third year of pharmacy school, when I began my first outpatient rotation at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx. During the rotation I discovered how much I loved ambulatory care. I enjoy creating one-on-one relationships with patients, gaining their trust and helping improve the quality of their lives through counseling and education. To work in this setting long-term, I knew I had to strive for a PGY-2 in ambulatory care. My PGY-1 at the Brooklyn VA Hospital helped me gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for our veterans, and how excellent patient care comes first. Now, as

“Invest in yourself and never look back!” a second-year resident at BronxCare Health System (formally known as Bronx Lebanon), I feel blessed because I have learned so much about patient interaction, interview techniques and the skills needed to run a clinic independently. The program offers many management and leadership opportunities. I have been able to become a certified asthma educator (AE-C), which I put to use regularly in clinic. Four days a week, I am responsible for running the clinic, where I counsel patients on their use of inhalers and instill in them the importance of adhering to their medication regimens. I also work very closely with the attending physicians and pulmonary fellows, and am able to help make clinical interventions and be an intricate part of a multidisciplinary team. The PGY-2 is exactly the training I was seeking. Every day brings new experiences that provide me with important lessons and inspiration.

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Has there been a high point in your education thus far, and what is your long-term plan?

High points include becoming licensed in two states (New York and New Jersey), becoming an AE-C, and obtaining my teaching certificate while at the VA from Long Island University. Being involved with residency has helped make it all possible. My long-term plan is to work in an outpatient clinic so I can continue to help educate patients about their health one-on-one.

How did Touro help prepare you?

Touro gave me the platform to flourish and network with great people. Our third- and fourth-year rotations helped deepen my understanding of pharmacy-related concepts introduced in the classroom because they provided hands-on experience. I was also able to network, which is one of the most valuable things I learned.

In school you were juggling a lot: classes, extracurricular activities and raising three kids.

Do you have any tips for students striving to balance school with family time?

Completing pharmacy school was not easy, especially with three children. I arrived at school early to study before class. After the school day and a few hours with my family, I studied until I went to sleep. I also wanted to be involved in extracurricular activities associated with TCOP and the community, such as working at health fairs and with faculty on academic policies, and helping new students feel motivated and inspired to join TCOP’s unique and culturally diverse student body.

The support of my husband and family were crucial to my success. Pharmacy school is rigorous and finding a balance is key. I found mine early on; otherwise, it would have been difficult to manage. My advice for others would be to prioritize and plan ahead. Sacrifice now to secure your and your family’s future. Stay focused and determined to achieve your goals and it’s possible to accomplish anything you put your mind to. Invest in yourself and never look back!

ALUMNI C O R N E R : Tova Berman CLASS OF 2 T0 K1 7

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ova Berman, PharmD, received her Doctor of Pharmacy in May 2017, four years after graduating from Yeshiva University’s Stern College with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Her goal: to become a clinical pharmacist and work in a setting where she could help patients make a difference in their lives.

After graduation, she matched to a postgraduate residency at a community hospital in Medford, Massachusetts that serves the local population. After completing her PGY-1 she became a clinical pharmacist at a notfor-profit health care organization in Boston, where today she is thriving in her job, serving a population dependent on Medicaid and Medicare for their needs. She is continuing to learn and says she feels fulfilled because every day she is able to make a tangible difference helping people in need.

How did you become interested in pharmacy? Why did you choose Touro?

I always had an academic interest in the sciences and in health care. After many months of considering various fields, someone suggested to me, “What about pharmacy?” I did some research, shadowed pharmacists, and after much deliberation decided it was the right path for me. I am a “people person” and pharmacy combined my academic interest in science with my ability to work with people. I was already living in New York, so Touro was geographically appealing and I appreciated that it was a Jewish-sponsored institution that followed the Jewish calendar. I also appreciated the number and variety of rotations offered as well as the mission to work with an underserved patient population in New York City.

How did Touro influence your career path?

The school had a variety of activities on campus including guest speakers that provided opportunities to learn about different career paths. I was pretty sure I wanted a residency and to become a clinical pharmacist interacting with people on a daily basis. TCOP exposed us to the variety of career options, and I benefitted from that.

Tell us about your residency experience as a PGY-1.

I completed my residency at MelroseWakefield Healthcare (MWH) in Medford, MA. By then I had moved to Boston, where my husband was doing his medical residency. The hospital has a maximum occupancy of about 200 patients and offers personalized services for the local community. Working in a community hospital, I was able to develop relationships with many of the doctors and nurses – as well as many of the patients. In addition to working on the floors reviewing patients’ medications, I also participated in community health fairs, screening and counseling patients. Going out into the community was one of the unique aspects of working at this type of hospital, which I really enjoyed, and it definitely laid the groundwork for my subsequent career choice.

The community hospital setting also provided a better work-life balance than I would have expected to find at a large academic hospital.

At the time, I had an 18-month-old baby and I wanted to be able to put him to bed at night.

I had to work late some evenings and many Sundays, but it was manageable. My residency also allowed me to teach, mentor and precept

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pharmacy students on rotation as an adjunct professor of pharmacy practice at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, which I enjoyed very much.

What are you doing in your current job and what do you like about it?

I am a clinical pharmacist at Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) in Boston. I was hired to create a pharmacy home visiting program and provide education for other clinicians there.

CCA is a not-for-profit health care organization serving people who are dually eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare services. The

“Part of my job is also serving as an educational resource for doctors, physician assistants, social workers, nurses and other clinicians.” members have complex medical, behavioral health and social needs. Currently, my role is to make home visits to members at high risk for admission and readmission to the hospital. I review their meds with them, help with adherence, and problem-solve to see if there is anything else I can help with. Part of my job is also serving as an educational resource for doctors, physician assistants, social workers, nurses and other clinicians about medications, their side effects, and help troubleshoot. The clinical pharmacy program is awesome, and the opportunity to develop a new program has been a wonderful experience. I like helping people and at the end of day, I feel like I am

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really doing something that matters. When I walk out of a person’s home, I feel like I have made a difference in a very concrete way.

How did TCOP and your PGY-1 prepare you for what you are doing now?

In pharmacy school, I counseled people from the community who brought their medications to “Brown Bag Sessions” and to health fairs in Harlem, which furthered my interest in the field and helped me practice skills that I use every day. During residency, I was always interested in transitions of care. When patients are moving in and out of the hospital, it is a time of need for many of them, and there are not always a lot of resources to help – so we are definitely vital in filling those gaps. During residency, I did rotations in transitions of care and always enjoyed those experiences because it is very hands-on work. I also did research on the impact of pharmacist visits on readmission rates, which will be published this summer. I am very excited to be able to continue this type of work at CCA and my experiences at MWH and Touro helped prepare me. Transitions of care is a growing field especially since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, under which hospitals are penalized when patients are readmitted within 30 days of discharge.

Pharmacists in this field work to figure out the best way to handle meds and provide good continuity of care so patients stay healthy and out of the hospital. This work typically involves a multidisciplinary team including doctors, pharmacists, nurses and social workers.

Long–term, what are your plans? What advice do you have for future pharmacists?

I am very happy in my current role and hope to carry on with this work while also continuing to strike a work-life balance. It’s quite busy but extremely rewarding at the same time.

My advice is to always keep moving forward, though there will be many bumps in the road.

For me, staying organized and ahead with my schoolwork helped me manage my time. If you are a step ahead of the game, you won’t fall behind when you hit those bumps. Also, having support from family and friends is tremendously helpful. Throughout my time at Touro and beyond, I’ve had the full support of my husband and parents, in particular, who always helped push me forward and served as a springboard for my next steps.

FACULTY FO CUS Developing Confident Pharmacists Through Unique Practice Opportunities KEITH VELTRI, PharmD, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY PRACTICE

STUDENTS IN DR. KEITH VELTRI’S CLASS on infectious diseases know

they’re listening to an expert whose first-hand knowledge of the pharmacy world colors all his lectures. Dr. Veltri, one of the founding faculty members of Touro College of Pharmacy and recipient of the “Preceptor of the Year” award, has spent the last 22 years as a practicing pharmacist at Montefiore Hospital in New York City.

During the early ‘90s, he served a critical role on a multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses working to combat HIV-related fatalities.

STUDENTS KNOW THEY’RE LISTENING TO AN EXPERT W H O S E F I R S T- H A N D KNOWLEDGE OF THE PHARMACY WORLD COLORS ALL HIS LECTURES. “While HIV wasn’t a death sentence at that point, there were very few drug regimens available and there were fatal complications,” Dr. Veltri recalled. “Infections were on the rise. Controlling the viral infections took a good amount of work. At the department meetings we talked about the patients who were at risk of not taking their medication and developed strategies for them. We used different tools—pharmacy calendars, incentives—to entice them to come for the drug regimens.

We gave them MetroCards, for example. It was really fulfilling to see our patients recover from what was once a certain fatality.”

During his tenure, Dr. Veltri also witnessed the evolving role of a pharmacist from a medication provider to an active member of a hospital staff. “Pharmacists became responsible for identifying

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high-risk patients and vaccinating them for a variety of diseases on discharge,” said Dr. Veltri. Under his watch, the hospital moved from the 20th percentile in vaccination rates to the 100th.

MOST FULFILLING JOB IS TEACHING

Dr. Veltri joined the faculty of TCOP when the school opened its doors in 2008. “We were a brand new school and there was a lot of work to be done,” said Dr. Veltri, who has had many different careers in pharmacy. Teaching, preparing the next generation of pharmacists, has been the best. “Seeing all we’ve accomplished since then inspires me and makes me want to continue.

This is the most fulfilling job that I’ve had in my professional career.”

Dr. Veltri believes that part of his success as a teacher stems from his interweaving genuine illustrations into his lectures. His classes are never dry because Dr. Veltri is never short of a story that occurred on his daily rounds.

“If you bring real life examples into the lecture, students understand the rationale,” he explained. “The goal isn’t to memorize the material, but understanding the rationale of why and what you’re learning and how you apply it.”

The other thing that sets Dr. Veltri apart is his

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dedication to his students, who describe their close relationship with him. Several students noted his habit of checking in on the study hall to see how students were doing throughout the day. Dr. Veltri says his close relationships with his students stems from his own experience as a pharmacy student.

“I was afraid to ask my professors questions,” recalled Dr. Veltri. “I was concerned about the responses. For my students, opening that level of communication is critical. Students should be comfortable asking faculty or preceptors questions without being belittled. I think treating students with respect is key.”

That perhaps is an understatement for the reserved professor. A moment later, he added, “Sometimes I feel like I’m a father figure and that my students are like my children.”

“He was nothing short of a mentor for the entire four years of pharmacy school,” said Amanda Harricharran, Class of 2017, who currently is working as a clinical pharmacy manager at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. “He has the ability to keep your attention and make sure you’re following what he’s talking about. If one student didn’t understand, he would reiterate to make sure that person understood. He reached out to everyone.”

Faculty Welcomes ABRAHAM M. JEGER, Ph.D. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

DR. ABRAHAM JEGER was appointed chief operating officer and associate dean for Student Affairs at Touro College of Pharmacy in the summer of 2018. A distinguished scholar and veteran administrator, he previously served at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) for more than 40 years, most recently as assistant dean for academic outreach and site development at its College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), where he formed critical partnerships for academic affiliations and developed a vital schoolwide mentoring program. He was also a professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine.

Dr. Jeger brings to Touro a rare combination of decades of higher education leadership, extensive student counseling experience as well as teaching and scholarship in a health care setting. Dr. Jeger has published more than 80 research contributions including journal articles, book chapters and conference presentations. He is coauthor of “Community Mental Health

and Behavioral Ecology: A Handbook of Theory, Research and Practice,” a book highlighting current topics in community mental health. Dr. Jeger earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Brooklyn College, where he graduated summa cum laude. His distinguished awards include a Citation for Rural Medical Education, NYITCOM’s Standard of Excellence Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Osteopathic Directors and Medical Educators. On a personal level, Dr. Jeger enjoys spending time with friends and family, especially his grandchildren, as well as walks along the boardwalk for relaxation. In addition to daily Talmudic study, Dr. Jeger has been leading a weekly study group on classical and contemporary Jewish thought at his synagogue in Lawrence, New York for over 16 consecutive years.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE PHARMACY FACULTY IS UP TO VISIT

TOURO COLLEGE | DEAN’S UPDATE

tcop.touro.edu

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Faculty Welcomes

BUPENDRA SHAH, M.S., Ph.D. ASSISTANT DEAN OF ASSESSMENT AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE PHARMACY FACULTY IS UP TO VISIT tcop.touro.edu

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DR. BUPENDRA SHAH joined Touro College of Pharmacy last year with the goals of assuming responsibilities for the assessment of the Doctor of Pharmacy program and leading the development of a culture of assessment. As assistant dean of assessment, Dr. Shah works with multiple stakeholders, including deans, faculty and students, to design, conduct and analyze assessments and resulting data; develop capabilities for conducting and analyzing assessments; and help make decisions based on that data. He also helps TCOP implement its assessment plan and develop reports to meet the school’s quality improvement philosophy, the needs of stakeholders, university requirements and accreditation standards. As associate professor in the Department of Social, Behavioral, and Administrative Sciences,

TOURO COLLEGE | DEAN’S UPDATE

Dr. Shah teaches techniques involved in patient-pharmacist communication and patient education, theories and techniques related to helping patients change their behavior to improve health outcomes and resolving ethical dilemmas encountered during patient communication; and leadership concepts. Since Dr. Shah joined TCOP, the school has made numerous strides in implementing its assessment plan, including enhancing its culture of assessment and assessment capabilities created through faculty development and training initiatives. He received his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Pune in India, his M.S. at the University of Toledo in Ohio and his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

IN AND AROUND

THE COMMUNITY CO M M U N I T Y S E RV I C E

TCOP student organizations at the "Health First Harlem Expo".

TCOP Rho Chi students clean up their strip of highway near the George Washington Bridge, as part their biannual Adopt-aHighway cleanup.

Twenty-two TCOP students travelled to Judge Charles J. Vallone Public School in Queens, N.Y. to teach over 200 kindergartners and first graders about financial literacy.

Student National Pharmaceutical Association’s “Remember the Ribbon” Initiative teamed up with Walgreens in Harlem to celebrate World AIDS Day by teaching HIV risk and prevention.

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SPOTLIGHT AROUND TCOP AWA R D S & C E L E B R AT I O N S

TCOP student Brigitte Azzi was selected to participate in the Pharmacy Quality Alliance-CVS Health Foundation Scholars program. Brigitte is studying antipsychotic medication used for children and adolescents with schizophrenia.

The excited Touro College of Pharmacy Class of 2018 line up for the academic procession to enter Roone Arledge auditorium at Columbia University, where commencement ceremonies for the seventh graduating class took place.

Dean Henry Cohen, PharmD, congratulates Emily Kim, PharmD, on completing her Academic Fellowship at TCOP and wishing her best of luck as she pursues her PGY-2 in ambulatory care at the University of Kansas Health System.

AROUND CAMPUS

Second-year students and their mentors prepare for their first IV sterile compounding experience.

CUNY Lehman students compounded a solution on a visit to our campus.

TCOP students and staff put on their brave faces and got their flu shots at our annual flu clinic.

M E E T I N G S , E X H I B I T I O N S & CO M P E T I T I O N S

Fifty TCOP students and faculty attended the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ mid-year meeting in Anaheim, CA, the largest gathering of pharmacy professionals in the world.

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Third- and fourth-year students at ISPOR Europe 2018 Conference in Barcelona, Spain. ISPOR Europe is the leading conference for health economics and outcomes research in the world.

TCOP students were out in full force at the Academy for Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus in Orlando, FL to present on the effectiveness of various drugs to treat patients with a range of illnesses.

S E L E C T E D FAC U LT Y P U B L I C AT I O N S TO U R O CO L L E G E O F P H A R M ACY

ADMINISTRATION Pokotylyuk, I., Kulshrestha, S., Loewy, Z., Kumar, P. (2018) Clinical relevance of µ-opioid receptor A118G polymorphism in demographically variant populations. Pharmacology and Toxicology 6: 228-236.

Cohen K.R., Loewy Z.G., Rumore M.M., Cohen, K.R. (2018) Endof-Life Care: Law, Ethical Principles and Jewish Medical Ethics.

Annals of Long-Term Care 39-45. doi: 10.25270/altc.2018.0400025.

Loewy, Z.G., Galbut, S., Loewy, E., Felton, D. (2018) Influence of the oral microbiome on general health. Dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76213.

Berger, D., Rakhamimiova, A., Pollack, A., Loewy, Z. (2018) Oral Biofilms: Development, Control and Analysis. High-Throughput 7, 24. doi: 10.3390/ht7030024.

Rabizadeh, B., Wong, S., Loewy, Z.G. (2018) Traditional and nontraditional careers in pharmacy.

STEM Magazine August 2018.

Loewy, Z.G. (2018) Nature: A Rich Source of Potent Therapeutics. Drug Design Development and Delivery Journal. doi: 10.3102/ddddj.20181102.

Offenbacher, S., Barros, S.P., Bencharit, S., Yu, N., Preisser, J., Moss, K., Loewy, Z.G. (2018) Differential mucosal gene expression patterns in Candidiasis-associated, chronic oral denture stomatitis. J. Prosthodontics. doi: 10.1111/JOPR 13007.

PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES Halas, R., Schemehil, C., Ten Eyck, G., Loker, J. (2018) Congenital aneurysm of both left ventricle and left atrium. Annuals of Pediatric Cardiology 11: 97-99.

Alexander, S., Flores, J., Ofuluozor, H., Babayeva, M. (2018) Significant Inhibition of Protein Binding of Phenytoin. Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research Vol.: 25(11) 1-7.

Fudin, H.R., Babin, J.L., Hong, L.T., Ku, J., May, A.L., Wisner, A., Hall, S., Ray, S.D. (2018) Drugs of Abuse. Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 29-89.

Keshishyan, S., Nguyen, H., Alofabi, O., Black, A., Ray S.D. (2018) Cytostatic Agents. Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 569-577.

Pittman, J., Schalliol, L.A., Ray, S.D. (2018) Insulin and other hypoglycemic drugs. Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 537-546.

Flores, J., Alexander, S., Babayeva, M. (2018) A Novel HPLC Method for Determination of Phenytoin in Human Plasma.

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International Vol.: 22(6).

Ali, A., Kim, J.J., Hudgins, D.K., Wireku, M., Pisano, M.E., Ray, S.D. (2018) Beta Adrenergic Antagonists and Antianginal Drugs.

Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 243-252.

Spandana, V., Jihong, L., Nedelman, M., Babayeva, M., Coller, B.S. (2018) Pharmacokinetic (PK) and Pharmacodynamic (PD) Studies of RUC-4 Succinate, a Novel αIIbβ3 Pure Antagonist for First Point of Contact Treatment of ST Segment Elevated Myocardial Infarction. Blood. http:// www.bloodjournal.org/content/132/Suppl_1/1243.

Rust, C., Ford, H., Ray, S.D. (2018) Lithium. Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 21-28.

Stohs, S.J., Ray, S.D., Miller, H. (2018) Recent Studies Regarding the Safety and Efficacy of Bitter Orange Extract (P-Synephrine).

Nutri. Food Sci. Int. J 7(2): NFSIJ. MS.ID.555708.

Ray, S.D., Black, A., Shah, S., Stohs, S.J. (2018) ADRs, ADEs and SEDs: A Bird’s Eye View.

Paper presented at the Drugs Annual. Xxvii – xliv. 40: 27-44.

Black, A., McManus, D., Alofabi, O., Ray, S.D. (2018) Antiprotozoal Agents. Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 337-343.

Keaton, S., Noel, Z., Ray, S.D. (2018) Drugs Acting on the Cerebral and Peripheral Circulations.

Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 252-262.

Gray, J.P., Amacher, C., Ford, C., Ray, S.D. (2018) Metal Antagonists and Metals. Side Effects of Drugs Annual. 40: 279-288.

Papetti, M., Kozlowski, P. (2018) Novel aspects of live intestinal epithelial cell function revealed using a custom time-lapse video microscopy apparatus. Cytometry A. Apr. 2018, 93(4): 464-471. doi: 10.1002/ cyto.a.23334. Epub 2018 Feb. 6.

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PHARMACY PRACTICE Le, C., Gennaro, D., Marshall, D., Alaev, O., Bryan, A., Gelfman, A., Wang, Z. (2018) Lemierre’s syndrome: One rare disease—Two case studies. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpt.12774.

Olsufka, W., Cabral, D., McArdle, M., Kavanagh, R. (2018) Nortriptyline-induced oral ulceration: A case report. Mental Health Clinician November 2018, Vol. 8, No. 6; 309-312.

Nguyen, T., Kavanagh, R. (2018) New Drug Update: Edaravone: a free radical scavenger for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) shown to slow the decline in loss of physical function. ACCP StuNews. Issue 35, March 2018.

Veltri, K. T., & Touro College of Pharmacy (2018) A Unique Case Presentation of Methadone Toxicity without QTc Interval Prolongation despite Patient Risk Factors. J Clin. Stud. Med. Case Rep. 2018, 5: 057.

Goriacko, P., Veltri, K. (2018) Safety of direct oral anticoagulants vs warfarin in patients with chronic liver disease and atrial fibrillation. Eur J. Haematol. May 2018, 100(5): 488-493. doi: 10.1111/ejh.13045. Epub 2018 March 13.

Veltri, K. (2018) Yosprala: A Fixed Dose Combination of Aspirin and Omeprazole. Cardiology in Review 2018, 26.

Kim, J. (2018) Choosing Home Hemodialysis: A Critical Review of Patient Outcomes. Blood Purifications 45: 224-229.

Peyko, V., Friedman-Jakubovics, M.L. (2018) Novel approach to vancomycin level monitoring: Impact of a multidisciplinary monitoring system on timing of vancomycin levels. American

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Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 75: 121–126.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES

Friedman-Jakubovics, M.L., Fazylov, R. (2018) Diuretics (peer reviewed chapter in textbook).

Side Effects of Drugs Annual (textbook) Vol. 40: 269-278.

Loh, E. (2018) Diabetes Diagnosis and Management among Insured Adults across Metropolitan Areas in the U.S. Preventive Medicine Reports 10: 227-233.

Hammond, D.A., Russell, N., Davis, N.C., Caballero, J., Garner, S.S., Sorensen, T.D. (2018) Financial costs of pursuing postgraduate residency. AJHP 75: 1266-1267.

Haack, S.L., Mazar, I., Carter, E. M., Addo-Atuah, J., Ryan, M., Salazar Preciado, L.L., Barrera Ralda, A.L. (2018) Cultural Sensitivity and Global Pharmacy Engagement in Latin America: A Focus on Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico. https://www.ajpe.org/doi/ abs/10.5688/ajpe7218.

Arafat, S., Campbell, T., Yusuff, J., Sharma, R. (2018) Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Prediabetes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infected Patients.

Diabetes Spectrum 31: 139-143.

Cani, E., Moussavi, F., Sharma, R., Eilerston, B. (2018) Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae vertebral osteomyelitis in a renal transplant recipient treated with ceftazidime-avibactam.

Transplant Infectious Diseases April. 20(2): e12837. doi: 10.1111/ tid.12837.

Kim, E., K.C., S., Sharma, R. (2018) Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Pharmacy Times January 23, 2018.

A F F I L I AT E PA R T N E R S RETAIL COMMUNITY SITES Acme: Pharmacy Division CVS Health: Pharmacy Division CVS Regional Office: Corporate Management CVS: Omnicare: Longterm Care Division CVS: Target Division Rite Aid: Pharmacy Division Rite Aid: Corporate Management Walgreens: Pharmacy Division Duane Reade Division Walgreens: Corporate Division INSTITUTIONAL SITES Bronx Lebanon: Fulton Bronx Lebanon: Grand Concourse Brookdale Hospital & Medical Center Glen Cove Hospital Hackensack University Medical Center Harlem Hospital Center Huntington Hospital Kaiser Permanente Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center Lincoln Medical Center Metropolitan Hospital Center Montefiore Medical Center The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Mount Sinai Beth Israel Mount Sinai St. Luke’s NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation New York University Hospitals Nyack Hospital Parker Jewish Institute Queens Hospital Center Richmond University Medical Center SBH Health System SUNY Downstate Medical Center The Mount Sinai Hospital

INDEPENDENT PHARMACY SITES Acme Pharmacy Arcely Pharmacy B&T Marlboro Pharmacy Inc. B&T West Brighton Pharmacy Inc. Bay Care Pharmacy Bliss Drug Inc. Boom! Pharmacy Bright Pharmacy & Medical Supply Inc. Cedra Pharmacy Coka Pharmacy Dale Drug Pharmacy Dichter Pharmacy Drug Shoppe Pharmacy Ecogreen Pharmacy Ekwunife Pharmacy Elm Pharmacy Esco Drug Company Island Care Pharmacy J&J State Street Pharmacy Kings Pharmacy Lindenwood Rx Center Inc. Malcolm Pharmacy Maxor Pharmacy Medical Arts Chemist and Supplies Mega Aid Compounding Pharmacy Nate’s Pharmacy Pilgrim Pharmacy Prime Essentials Pharmacy Russo’s Pharmacy S&M Pharmacy Stonebridge Pharmacy Stop & Shop Pharmacy Sunrise Pharmacy SVA Pharmacy Corp. dba Triangle Pharmacy The Pharmacy LLC Thompson Chemist Inc. Top Choice Pharmacy Town Total Health: Manhattan Melville New Jersey Tremont Chemist Xpress Lane Pharmacy Zive Pharmacy

INSTITUTIONAL SITES 24 out of 223: 10.8%

PHARMACY INDUSTRY SITES

10 out of 223:

4.5%

INDEPENDENT PHARMACY SITES

ELECTIVE SITES 16 out of 223:

43 out of 223:

7.2%

19.3%

RETAIL COMMUNITY SITES

130 out of 223: 58.2%

AFFILIATE PARTNERS – 223 sites

PHARMACY INDUSTRY SITES Bayer Corporation Bristol-Meyers Squibb Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Genewiz LLC Genzyme Pharmaceuticals Inc. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc Novo Nordisk Pfizer Corporation Vertice Pharma

ELECTIVE SITES African Services Committee Amida Care American Heart Association ASC Pharmacy Solutions Inc. Avanti Health Care Solutions Inc. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ChemRx EmpiRx Health Iris House, Inc. MedPack LLC Morris Heights Health Center Mosaic Group Ralph Lauren Center Renaissance Health Care RxVIP Enterprises, LTD Visiting Nurse Service of NY

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R E S I D E N C I E S & F E L LOWS H I P S PGY-1 RESIDENCIES Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Newport Beach, CA SBH Health System | Bronx, NY Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center (2) | Bronx, NY The Brooklyn Hospital Center | Brooklyn, NY Moses Taylor Hospital | Scranton, PA NYU Winthrop Hospital | Mineola, NY New York Harbor Healthcare System | Brooklyn, NY Plainview Hospital | Plainview, NY FirstHealth of the Carolinas/Moore Regional Hospital | Pinehurst, NC Long Island Jewish Medical Center | New Hyde Park, NY Miami VA Healthcare System | Miami, FL PGY-2 RESIDENCIES Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center | Bronx, NY Ambulatory Care

FELLOWSHIPS MCPHS/Sanofi Genzyme Postdoctoral Biopharmaceutical Industry Fellow | Cambridge, MA U.S. Medical Affairs, Multiple Sclerosis Merck/Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program | Whitehouse Station, NJ Clinical Science and Study Management: Oncology RevHealth/Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) | Morristown, NJ Marketing St. John’s University/Allergan | Queens, NY Global Regulatory Strategy Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Program with Acorda Therapeutics | Ardsley, NY Regulatory Affairs University of Indiana | Indianapolis, IN T-32 Postdoctoral Fellowship

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY Medication Use Safety

LICENSING SUCCESS RATES

2019-2022 DEMOGRAPHICS HISPANIC 7%

• NAPLEX pass rates 2018: 81.13% • NYS Board Licensure Exam June 2018: 83%*

OTHER 26%

ASIAN 20%

• NYS Board Licensure Exam January 2019: 86%* *(2nd highest pass rate, Colleges of Pharmacy in NYS)

100% EMPLOYMENT 2017 GRADUATE BREAKDOWN

WHITE 31%

BLACK 16%

• Community Pharmacy 56.79% • Private Health Systems or Hospital Pharmacy 14.08% • Pharmaceutical Industry 16.9% • Other: Government, Consulting, Academia 12.23%

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AGE Avg. Age 25 Youngest 21 | Oldest 51

GENDER Female 64.30% Male 35.70%

Please support the Touro College of Pharmacy To make your gift online, please go to www.touro.edu/giving and choose to direct your gift to Touro College of Pharmacy.

Your gift to Touro College of Pharmacy is tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Touro College of Pharmacy New York’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60603, Phone: 312.664.3575, Fax: 866.228.2631, www.acpe-accredit.org.

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TOURO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY Where Knowledge and Values Meet @WeAreTouro tcop.touro.edu • Henry Cohen, PharmD, MSc, FCCM, BCPP, BCGP | Dean and Professor | henry.cohen@touro.edu Heidi Fuchs | Assistant Dean for Admissions and Enrollment Management 230 W 125th St., New York, N.Y. 10027 | 929.333.8360 | heidi.fuchs@touro.edu Barbara Franklin | Director of Communications, Editor Touro is an equal opportunity institution. For Touro’s complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please visit www.touro.edu.