MS HSPAL student-residents get once-in-a-career opportunity opening new University Hospital
Hello? This is your future pharmacist speaking: Kroger Health collaboration introduces innovative experiential rotation for P2 class
Springtime is upon us, and another academic year is in the books. Each year at this time, we at the College of Pharmacy take a moment to acknowledge the many achievements of our faculty, staff and students. These include not only awards, grants and publications—or our recent No. 4 ranking from U.S. News & World Report—but the people who make every day extraordinary.
Few embodied that spirit more than Associate Dean for Student Success Dr. James McAuley, who for more than 33 years poured his passion and dedication into our academic programs, student body and college culture. Dr. McAuley begins a well-deserved retirement at the close of this academic year, yet his legacy will carry on through the kindness, ingenuity and excellence that define our community.
That same excellence is central to our MS in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (MS HSPAL) program. This year, three PGY2 student-residents had a once-in-a-career opportunity to help establish pharmacy services in the new 820-room University Hospital tower that opened across the street in February. The one-time elective they completed provided hands-on, résumé-building experience developing inpatient and outpatient services and drug delivery models. Their work demonstrates how the College of Pharmacy is uniquely positioned at Ohio State and in Columbus to give our students experiences that will shape their careers.
This issue of The Script features other stories of alumni and students whose time at the college transformed their paths. Take alumnus Dr. Andy Vick ’98, who started off as a zoology major, took a job as a research assistant at the College of Pharmacy and went on to build a far-reaching career in pharmaceutical science. You’ll also meet Dr. Brittany Mize ’23, whose time as a teaching assistant helped her discover her passion for teaching. Dr. Mize is now completing her academic fellowship at the college, a role that has allowed her to study and strengthen instruction across our programs.
As dean, professor and an alumna, I know well how deeply our college transforms the lives of our students. That is why, as part of the education pillar of our strategic plan, we are expanding and promoting clear matriculation pathways into our programs and preparing students for tomorrow’s job market. Our new Biotech CState Preferred Pathway offers Columbus State Community College students a guided transition into our four-year BSPS degree while supporting the rapidly growing biotech sector in central Ohio and beyond.
As we continue shaping our academic programs and broadening access to our top-ranked programs, we are also investing in facilities that match the quality of our work. This semester marked the first full use of the new Vrable Center for Pharmacy Excellence, a 22,000-square-foot renovation that adds two active-learning classrooms, group study and meeting rooms, a student lounge and kitchenette, and stunning views of Ohio Stadium. It is a remarkable space that supports academic innovation and strengthens the interconnectedness of our community.
I hope you’ll visit to see the future of the College of Pharmacy and feel as inspired as I do each time I walk through these halls.
Deanna L. Kroetz, PhD, BS Pharm '85
Dean and professor, College of Pharmacy
The Ohio State University
