News & Events
May 2004
From The Dean's Desk
May 2004 - Issue 22
School of Pharmacy Shines at TSHP
Texas Tech School of Pharmacy students, faculty, alumni and friends were recognized at the Texas Society of Health System Pharmacists (TSHP) 56th Annual Seminar and Awards Luncheon. The event was held Saturday, April 17 at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Houston. Honorees included:
Brandy McGinnis and Stefani Gastian (Amarillo P4s) - 2nd place in the Clinical Skills Competition.
Theresa Gerst and Leigh Wilson (Amarillo P1s) - honorable mention in the Clinical Skills Competition.
Dr. Michelle Condren, Amarillo faculty - Lewis S. Smith Pharmacy Practitioner Award for demonstrating a commitment to the profession of pharmacy through exemplary patient care and exceptional relationships with other health care professionals.
Tim Mazzolini, Lubbock Resident - TSHP Resident/Fellow Award for demonstrating a commitment to the profession of pharmacy through service, practice, education, research, and/or other activities.
TTUSOP alumni Brent Fox and Troy Stillings and preceptor Randy Ball, who were part of the Harris Methodist Fort Worth Pharmacy Parenteral Nutrition Service team that won the Innovative Collaborative Practice Award. This award recognizes those who provide patient care in a creative, interdisciplinary fashion and whose team leader or director of pharmacy services is a TSHP member.
Also, former Texas Tech SOP Dallas Regional Dean Kevin Purcell won the Pharmacy Mentor Award for demonstrating active involvement in the professional growth and development of other pharmacy practitioners, residents, fellows, or students as it relates to the provision of patient care.
P3 Student Wins ASHP Award
Congratulations go out to Jason Evans (P3-Amarillo) for receiving the American Society of Health System Professionals 2004 Student Leadership Award and Scholarship. Jason was recognized for his professional development, interest in health-system pharmacy practice and high standards of scholarship. He will receive a $250 scholarship, a copy of the AHFS (American Hospital Formulary Service) Drug Handbook and ASHP's PharmPrep, a comprehensive therapeutics review and board examination preparation tool.
SOP-Lubbock Students Select Teacher of the Year
Hearty congratulations to Dr. Craig Cox for being voted "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" by SOP students in Lubbock. It recognizes faculty members who demonstrate a knowledge of material, are enthusiastic about the subject matter, show an interest in learning, use flexible teaching methods to accommodate the different learning styles of students, exhibit patience and empathy with students, and demonstrate a belief that teaching is an active process. The award is sponsored by the Health Sciences Center Student Senate.
Snella Selected to Represent ACCP
The American College of Clinical Pharmacy recently called on Dr. Kathleen Snella to serve as one of its three representatives to a six-organization collaboration presently known as the X-12 Advisory Panel. The panel's mission is to act as a unifying group to advance pharmacy's goal of payment for professional services in the context of the HIPAA-mandated conversion to national standards for electronic data interchange, including billing and payment claims. Dr. Snella and her fellow ACCP panelists will serve on the panel for a minimum of two years with folks representing ASCP, ASHP, APhA, NACDS, and NCPA. We know she will do a great job and we certainly wish her all the best!
Allen to be Honored by ASHP
The American Society of Health System Professionals recently notified Dr. David Allen that he will be named a Fellow within the organization. He will receive official recognition at the ASHP Annual Meeting in June. Congratulations Dr. Allen!
A "Thank You" for Welcoming Our Visitors From Japan
Dr. Eric MacLaughlin and I want to personally thank all students, staff, and faculty who helped the SOP put its best foot forward for the Japanese students and professors who visited us in March. Dr. MacLaughlin said the event was an overwhelming success and that the Japanese students and faculty were very impressed with the school. The delegation told him several times that this was by far the best part of their visit to the United States. Considering the reputation and prestige of the other schools they visited (the University of California at San Francisco and the University of Pacific), this is certainly quite a compliment for Texas Tech, the Health Sciences Center, and the School of Pharmacy.
Some of the folks who were essential in the success of the visit include:
Summer Balcer, who was extremely helpful in organizing the visit and assisting with many of the logistics. We could not have done it without her.
Mike Schwettmann, Sharon Harrison and Rebecca Perry who helped set up the opening day breakfast and made sure all the rooms were prepared.
Dr. Patrick King and Garry Rogers. They gave a fantastic presentation regarding the use of technology at the SOP which our visitors really enjoyed.
Dr. Kelly Rudd and Dr. Venita Bowie. They put together a hands-on presentation to demonstrate the physical assessment skills our students receive. Our student visitors really enjoyed this because they are not allowed to touch patients in Japan.
Dr. Paul Katz, who provided excellent tours of the pharmacy museum, and David Simmons, who gave tours of the pharmacy.
Joe Silivongxay (P4-Amarillo) for setting up the lunch (sponsored by student senate) and putting together gift bags; and Ben Brister (P4-Amarillo), Kimberly Mitchell (P4-Amarillo), and Shawna King (P3-Amarillo) for serving as "co-hosts."
The Japanese students and faculty truly enjoyed their interactions with our students, so a big "Thank you" goes to everyone for supporting this visit. It was an extremely productive visit that should lead to additional international collaborations.
GETTING TO KNOW
Kathleen "Kaci" Henson, R.Ph.
Instructor - Pharmaceutical Sciences
Kaci's great-grandparents came to the Texas Panhandle from Germany in the late 1800's, and her family has been here ever since. She is a third-generation "Panhandler" and the youngest of seven children. Kaci received her B.S. in Pharmacy from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, then went to the DFW Metroplex for four years before returning to Canyon.
"I could live anywhere in the world, but I choose to live here where my parents and several siblings reside," Kaci said. "Our family is very close and I love this area (sans the wind). "
Kaci has been married for thirteen years to Darrell Henson (also a third-generation Amarilloan). She and Darrell have two children: Nicole (10 years old) and Beau (8 years old). Darrell and Kaci stay busy running all over Texas and neighboring states for tournaments: Nicole plays club soccer and Beau competes in wrestling (he was the 2003 state champion in Greco-Roman and Freestyle!) Kaci is very proud of her children: they both manage to keep straight As at St. Joseph School. Kaci and her family attend St. Mary's Church and they enjoy fishing, hunting, skiing, and riding horses. They are also in the process of building their dream house. The motto in their family is "live like every day is your last!"
Kaci practiced in retail pharmacy for eleven years, the last four at The Village Pharmacy. While she loved working retail, she says, "I am still questioning my sanity in leaving it for teaching! I never had intentions of a life in academia, but I believe that when life presents you with a new challenge you should take it." And as the old saying goes, "the biggest regrets in life are not what you have done, but what you haven't."
Mark Haase, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor - Pharmacy Practice
Mark, the third of six children, is originally from a small town in Wisconsin about an hour SW of Green Bay. He received his Pharm.D. from the University of Minnesota and then moved on to Charleston, SC to complete a pediatric residency. Mark joined the Texas Tech's Pharmacy Practice Department in 1998. He practices in pediatric intensive care and general pediatrics.
More importantly, he has a wonderful family of his own now, with wife Krystal, and children (pictured above) Aaron (3) and Rachel (3 months). Free-time hobbies outside of family include sports, exercise, and golf. He also enjoys watching sports (NFL Sunday Ticket and NCAA basketball, to name a few), reading, and the occasional small-time home improvement project in which he said that he "could afford to screw up."
Janie Holt
Clerical Specialist IV
Staff - Pharmaceutical Sciences
Janie is the youngest of seven children and is said to be quite "spoiled" by her siblings. She was born in Groom, TX where her father farmed and her mother was a housewife. Although her parents have unfortunately passed on, her brothers and sisters still remain a close-knit family. As a child Janie spent the majority of her time playing the piano for school functions, clarinet in the band. and organ at church. "Although I don't play the piano much, music is one of my greatest joys," she said.
Janie enjoys attending Christian concerts, singing by herself, and traveling when she gets the chance. Today she is a single mom to four-year old Myka Marie who's named after her parents Mike and Mary Lou. According to Janie, "Myka keeps me on my toes and many days she is in control more than I am! But she is still the greatest blessing in my life."
After a life-altering experience, Janie said "I have learned to enjoy everyone because they could be taken away in a second and enjoy each day because it could be your last."