Teaching to teach: Dr. David Matthews’ endeavor to foster super instructors
This article was published in The Script Magazine – Autumn 2026.
On June 1, David Matthews, PharmD ’13, BCACP, assistant dean of PharmD studies and associate professor of practice, celebrated 10 years of service at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy.
Dr. Matthews shapes the PharmD program at the course and program levels. Alongside the Integrated Patient Care Laboratory (IPCaL) team, Dr. Matthews helps lead the hands-on curriculum that PharmD students complete, while continuously improving the material as assistant dean.
In honor of his outstanding dedication to students in the classroom and beyond, Dr. Matthews received the 2026 Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer. This award recognizes six community members across Ohio State who elevate student success through teaching excellence – something that comes naturally for Dr. Matthews, who has had his sights set on teaching for as long as he can remember.
“Since I was a child, I would watch my teachers and say, ‘I want to do that one day,’” he shared. “Pharmacy was something that actually came into my life secondary to that passion for teaching.”
Dreaming of the classroom
Rather than the typical pharmacist background of health science, Dr. Matthews completed his undergraduate degree in middle childhood education. Before exploring pharmacy, he faced a gauntlet far more intimidating than any organic chemistry course: middle school instruction.
Immediately after graduating from Xavier University, he took a role as a sixth-grade teacher in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
“It was challenging to work as a new teacher, away from home and freshly out of undergraduate,” Dr. Matthews said. “I felt myself connecting with the teaching itself, but a big part of me was still feeling a draw toward the healthcare field – an interest that had sparked late in my undergraduate career.”
His curiosity spurred him to make a life-changing decision. After a year of teaching, he committed to a career change and joined Ohio State’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Class of 2013.
“At the time, I viewed the switch to pharmacy as a major change,” Dr. Matthews said. “It was intimidating to step away from the career path that I’d been focused on since childhood, and I was scared to lose teaching in that way. But my eyes were quickly opened to how interwoven teaching was in this field.”
Upon completing his PharmD, Dr. Matthews took on residency to strengthen his expertise and impact in the clinical space. For one year, he worked as a General Internal Medicine (GIM) resident at Ohio State. As a resident, Dr. Matthews taught students in the classroom in addition to teaching patients and medical residents in clinic.
“The residency program at the college really prepared me for academia because of the amount of teaching that residents complete in both the clinic and classroom,” he reflected. “I had the opportunity to independently lead therapeutic workshops and work with amazing faculty, which grew my confidence and confirmed my desire to pursue academia.”
Building a teaching framework
Following residency, Dr. Matthews kicked off his instructional career as a faculty member at Shenandoah University Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy. As he led his first cohort of students through their PharmD curriculum, things began to fit together.
"It became clear to me very quickly that this was the teaching that I wanted to do,” he said. “When I began as a faculty member, watching students grow and achieve their goals was incredibly rewarding. Today, student interactions are truly the best part of my job.”
When the opportunity arose in 2016 to return to his Buckeye roots and continue to support students’ learning, Dr. Matthews jumped at the chance.
He joined the Ohio State College of Pharmacy to design, coordinate and implement a revamped curriculum for the PharmD program. Alongside Kristy Jackson, PharmD ’16, faculty director for student success and assistant professor of practice, and Anna Gehres, PharmD, BSPS, associate professor of practice, Dr. Matthews built out the IPCaL learning sequence and designed the Inquire, Innovate and Involve (I3) curriculum.
Integral to the implementation and continuous evolution of the active learning series is the IPCaL staff, led by Colleen Dula, PharmD, director of the IPCaL Lab. This team of instructors is at the heart of students’ practical learning experiences at the college.
“I really credit all of my lab faculty colleagues with helping us create such a dynamic and effective lab series,” Dr. Matthews emphasized.
“Dr. Matthews always makes sure that every student feels his support both inside and outside of class. He has always prioritized our health and happiness, knowing that is what leads to success within the classroom.〞
I3 offers students earlier hands-on experience in pharmacy, opening the door to advanced clinical experiences. The curriculum encourages students to adopt comprehensive problem-solving approaches using active learning strategies, simulation activities and integration of pharmaceutical and clinical sciences.
“We’ve found that our learners really benefit from active learning and simulation,” Dr. Matthews explained. “Our curriculum is designed to allow students to learn in the classroom, then practice and apply content in a simulated lab environment before interacting with real patients on rotations. It’s so satisfying to see the results of better learning and retention in the long run.”
The team pieced together an active lab curriculum that’s still in place today, though constantly evolving.
“Thinking back to our collaborations to build out the IPCaL sequence, I’m reminded of how far we have come,” Dr. Jackson said. “The development of those courses was only the start. We’ve continued to develop them over the years and work closely to adapt them to the needs of our students and the healthcare world.”
Since the redesign, Drs. Jackson, Gehres and Matthews have implemented the IPCaL sequence and I3 curriculum, leading lab sessions and serving as accessible supports for students throughout their time in the PharmD program.
“Dr. Matthews always makes sure that every student feels his support, both inside and outside of class,” said a student nominator. “He has always prioritized our health and happiness, knowing that that is what leads to success within the classroom. Being both a professor and our class advisor, there is nobody more deserving of this award, as he has been a cornerstone to our student-pharmacist careers.”
With a new student cohort cycling through the curriculum each year, it’s the perfect environment for Dr. Matthews and his co-instructors to continually advance the scholarship of teaching and learning. The group conducts regular surveys of student success and engages former students as classroom TAs to explore the student perspective.
“Even though we redesigned our program years ago, it’s never static,” Dr. Matthews emphasized. “We remind one another that we are constantly working to make each offering of the course better than the previous year.”
Dropping the ladder to future teachers
“I have worked closely with Dave for the past eight years, and I can confidently say that I don’t know anyone who does more for their students than he does,” Dr. Jackson emphasized. “He dedicates so much time to the students to help them learn and grow and even offers support and mentorship to his colleagues. I’ve only become the instructor I am today with his help.”
Dr. Matthews shines in the classroom as an instructor, but one of the greatest beauties of his work is his ability to pass the gift along.
“Pharmacists are a profession of teachers,” he said. “If they’re not teaching in the classroom, they’re teaching patients how to administer their medications, they’re teaching other healthcare providers. I think that’s why I gravitated so much towards it.”
Going above and beyond his office hours provided to students for curriculum help, Dr. Matthews shows clear dedication to boosting students’ professional careers through one-on-one mentorship. A lot of students engaged in these mentorship relationships hold their own aspirations for futures in academia.
“Teaching was something that I sort of stumbled into as I began my PharmD,” said Shayla Ta, PharmD ’26. “Once I started taking on more work as a TA and saw how much I loved organizing learning events with my peers, I knew I wanted to explore it more. I just can’t believe it took me so long to get connected with Dr. Matthews about academia as a career.”
During the 2024-2025 academic year, Dr. Matthews supported Dr. Ta, as she applied for and completed the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Aspiring Academics Program. The professional program connects students from diverse backgrounds to the world of academic pharmacy careers.
“I saw Shayla’s energy for teaching grow as she took on more responsibility as a TA and student leader,” Dr. Matthews said. “It was exciting to be her advisor her as she pursued a major opportunity for herself, and then rewarding to watch her grow.”
Over the course of the program, Drs. Matthews and Ta met regularly to discuss her new training in academia, and how she might leverage it for a career in the field.
“Dave's passion for ensuring the best experience shines through in the number of meaningful and lasting connections he makes with students,” Dr. Gehres said. “Many students stay in contact with Dave years after graduation, demonstrating his passion for teaching doesn't just end when students leave.”
Dr. Ta is just one of many advisees to benefit from Dr. Matthews individualized mentorship, and as assistant dean of PharmD studies, he’s making sure that students have easy access to mentorship, no matter their path.
“Whether it’s working as a class advisor, or mentoring a student through a program, I work my hardest to ensure that I am a mentor for our students,” Dr. Matthews said. “My own mentors have shaped my life and allowed me to be a part of academia, now it’s my turn to give back.”