Faculty & Staff
Faculty and Staff Handbook » School of Pharmacy
History
The School of Pharmacy accepted its founding class of 63 full time students into the professional program on August 5, 1996. Continuing Education courses for pharmacists practicing in the Panhandle are planned for January, 1996 and a post-Pharm.D. residency program in July, 1996.
When fully operational after the turn of the 21st Century, the School of Pharmacy is expected to have more than 350 students enrolled in professional and post-graduate programs. Eventually, the School of Pharmacy will employ approximately 45 full-time equivalent faculty, 14 post-doctoral pharmacy residents, and 15 graduate teaching and research assistants. Approximately 35 to 50 staff will be employed.
The School of Pharmacy is located in a 102,000 sq. ft. building on the Amarillo campus of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Street. The building, provided through funds donated by the people of Amarillo, began construction in March, 1995, with an occupancy date of May, 1996.
Philosophy, Vision, Mission, and Culture
Philosophy
Traditionally, the pharmacist's role has been that of a dispenser of medications. However, this traditional method of practice is no longer adequate to ensure safety and effectiveness in the use of medications and health devices. The focus of practice must change from one of product distribution to a more expansive duty; assuming the responsibility for our patients' outcomes from the medications we dispense.
Health care reform has put an emphasis on primary health care. This emphasis coupled with a lack of access, increasingly rising costs, and a concern for quality is placing the pharmacist in an important role as a member of the primary health care delivery team.
Pharmacies are located in most rural communities and throughout inner cities and urban sprawl across the country. This physical placement of the pharmacist, who is trained in delivering comprehensive care to the public, allows access to primary health care where it is critically lacking. The role of the pharmacist as a member of the primary health care team does not replace the physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, but enhances their effectiveness. The pharmaceutical services provided in this changing arena will include participating in the drug therapy decision process through recommending therapeutic objectives, selecting the most appropriate drug product to achieve the desired therapeutic outcomes given the patient's unique characteristics, determining dose and dosage schedule, selecting the drug product source of supply and drug preparation, and monitoring the patient's response to the therapy so that the patient receives the optimal benefits with minimal adverse drug effects.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy offers the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) with this expanded role of the pharmacist in mind. The effective delivery of essential primary health care services requires a greater responsibility of the pharmacist and a greater depth and breadth of education to support it.
It is a goal of all educators to foster within students the desire to learn and the ability to discover. Our curriculum has been designed to encourage intellectual development and help the student become a competent and skilled professional pharmacist. This is accomplished through conceptual competence, technical competence, integrated competence and career marketability.
Pharmaceutical education must provide students a fundamentally strong science base enabling them to evaluate clinical studies and use data to reach conclusions regarding a variety of issues. Students must be mathematically competent in the resolution of problems related to drug therapy. Analytical thinking must be cultivated, allowing today's pharmacy student to be effective in decision making. Communication skills are essential in preparing the student to be an effective pharmacist. Graduates must have an understanding of the social context in which their profession is practiced. They must learn to first listen in order to effectively convey information regarding drug therapies. There must also be a sensitivity to patients of all socioeconomic levels and whose native language is not English.
TTUHSC School of Pharmacy program is student centered, focusing on problem-based educational strategies. The curriculum provides an integrated course context of pathophysiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and therapeutics. It offers expanded practice management instruction and clinical experiences early and throughout the four-year professional program. Each of the curricular and instructional strategies have been precisely balanced to give the academic and clinical preparation to optimally succeed in any pharmaceutical profession.
Vision Statement
The vision of the TTUHSC School of Pharmacy is to become internationally recognized for expanding the pharmacist's role as a leader in health care by developing models of excellence in patient-centered care and collaborative drug therapy management through an innovative educational curriculum, while advancing healthcare through cutting-edge research.
Mission Statement
The mission of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy is to enhance the lives of the citizens of Texas, the nation and the world through the education and training of entry-level and advanced practitioners, researchers and educators, the continued development of practicing professionals, and the advancement of pharmacy scholarship and scientific research.
Culture Statement
Our culture - the way we live and act - is created by a strong commitment to a set of core values based on mutual respect, professionalism and integrity. As a community of learners, we are committed to
The creation of a student-centered, positive learning community in which each person is dedicated to the pharmacy profession and values excellence in education, practice and research.
- Collaborative interpersonal relationships - defined as mutual learning, open communication and shared responsibility among faculty, administration and students.
- Compassionate care for each patient and an unwavering dedication to meet each patient's pharmaceutical care needs.
- Community involvement and serving the health care needs of the citizens of West Texas. This perspective will be reflected in our doctoral candidates who have a community perspective supported by a sound biologic and behavioral understanding of health care.
- Work characterized by its excellence and our willingness to change, be progressive, make timely and vigilant decisions, and evaluate our performances against stated goals.
- Academic and healthcare environments that encourage open debate and dialogue, the introduction of new ideas and practices, innovation through collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to self-improvement, self-renewal and life-long learning.
Outcomes
The results of embracing and living the Texas Tech School of Pharmacy values are excellence, innovative pharmaceutical education; preparation of professionals with an unwavering ethical foundation; a positive, rewarding and stimulating work environment; and a noticeable and positive impact on the communities in which we work, study, and live.
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