SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 150 Years of Pharmacy Excellence

Current Position:  Assistant Professor, Director of the Office of Opioid Safety, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

"An accomplishment I am the most proud of since I graduated from UKCOP was when I received the ASHP Best Practice Award. I'm very proud of that. I'm also proud to have started the statewide Opioid Stewardship Program. My group partnered with UKHC and the Kentucky Hospital Association and we worked with all the state hospitals to put together protocols and start sharing data."

Current Position: Professor, Vice Chair for Residency Programs, Regional Dean, Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Pharmacy, Dallas Campus

"I feel like I got the best possible education at UKCOP. I owe so much to the faculty who were so encouraging and really helped me figure out my path in pharmacy. I always felt like they were looking out for me and helping me. My first preceptor, Janice Sunahar, was an especially strong influence. She was a great mentor and encouraged me to pursue a residency. She helped me be at ease and feel confident and I will always be grateful for that."

Previous Position: Faculty, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

Dr. Paul F. Parker was the force behind establishing and developing one of the finest pharmacy residency programs in the country. Parker was recruited to the University of Kentucky in 1960 and was instrumental in the establishment of UK Hospital, serving as its first Director of Pharmacy and Central Supply, a position he held until his retirement in 1984. During his tenure with the University and the College of Pharmacy, Parker received international recognition for helping establish the nation’s first hospital‐wide unit dose system and drug information center. He was also instrumental in the development of clinical pharmacy practice and teaching programs at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy.

“Pharmacy is in a rather remarkable position to blaze a new trail...” Paul F. Parker, 1967

Current Position: Product Development Scientist, GlaxoSmithKline-Pfizer Pharmaceuticals

"The College of Pharmacy when I graduated had and still does have a really good reputation. Having that carried a lot of weight in the pharmaceutics area. I think also the training and education I got from the College of Pharmacy really made my experience different from students at other pharmacy schools.It’s a combination of the experience and the name on top of your skills you learned that make you stand out."

Previous Position: Professor Emeritus, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

Award: Hall of Distinguished Alumni - Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient (2016)

John Piecoro was a pioneer in pediatric pharmacy and worked for the University of Kentucky pharmacy program for over 35 years. He started clinical pharmacy services in pediatrics at UK, and the success of the program was advanced by his early efforts. He served as Associate Director of Pharmacy for over 10 years and also held a faculty appointment in the UK College of Pharmacy. Piecoro also served the University well in other areas, including UK Central Administration and UK Athletics. In 2016, he was named a UK College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni. Furthermore, as Professor Emeritus of the College of Pharmacy, he was recognized for his dedication to pediatric clinical pharmacy and his contributions to research in the areas of antibiotics for pediatric infections, intravenous nutrition formulae for infants and medical-surgical supplies and devices. Piecoro passed away in 2019 after battling cancer.

Current Position: Director, Membership and Affiliate Relations, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Anne Policastri currently works for the Maryland-based American Society of Health-System Pharmacists as the Director of Membership and Affiliate Relations. Dr. Policastri previously served the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy as the of Director of Experiential Education and a Clinical Associate Professor. She also greatly impacted pharmacy throughout the state of Kentucky through her service as Executive Vice President of the Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists. 

Current Position: Dean, University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Before being appointed to Dean of UT Austin's College of Pharmacy, Dr. Samuel Poloyac taught pharmaceutical sciences as a professor at the University of Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy. He was also the associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral programs at the College of Pharmacy. Poloyac's research focuses on critical care pharmacy and he specializes in training his research students on how to take preclinical discoveries and apply them to the care of critically ill patients. Poloyac completed both his PharmD and PhD at the University of Kentucky in 1995 and 1999.

Current Position: Computer Support Specialist, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

"I joined UKCOP staff because I liked the environment. I really liked everybody I was working with. I got to know and become friends with these people. There was no reason for me to think of going anywhere else when they asked me to come on full-time. I get along with everyone I work with. I can’t think of anyone I don't like. I always try to smile and say hi to everybody in the hallway. Just working with the people here has been the biggest thing."

Previous Position: Regional Dean, Texas Tech University Health Sciences School of Pharmacy, Abilene Campus (currently retired)

Award: Paul F. Parker Award Recipient (2004)

Dr. Cynthia Raehl is the founding chair for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center's Department of Pharmacy Practice. Throughout her time at Texas Tech, she helped develop and implement the a strong pharmacy curriculum to be taught regionally at all of Texas Techs campuses. Dr. Raehl was also the president of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy from 2007-2008 and the president of the American Association of Health-System Pharmacists from 1994-1995. Dr. Raehl cared greatly about the education of pharmacy students and bettered overall patient healthcare in the United States throughout her career.

Previous Position: Professor, Associate Director for Clinical Services, University of Kentucky Medical Center (currently retired)

Award: Hall of Distinguished Alumni - Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient (2015); Paul F. Parker Award Recipient (2002)

"If I had to do it all over again, I would still choose UKCOP because it led students in clinical practice, teaching instruction and the residency program. The residency program was and still is the best in the United States and attracted quality students early for the combination PharmD/Residency in three years. It had a big impact on the way the world trained clinical pharmacists."

Current Position: Clinical Practitioner, Professor, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

Award: Paul F. Parker Award Recipient (2015)

"The residency program and PharmD degree really opened doors for me. I was way ahead of the curve because I had that degree and experience from UKCOP. Paul Parker told me that I could write my own ticket with that experience and it was true. It allowed me to be in the classroom and still do patient care. It really taught me so much about health care and opened so many possibilities for me to he could follow my passion."

Current Position: Global Medical Education Consultant, Eli Lilly and Company

"UK afforded me the opportunity to have a top notch degree as a Doctorate in a very competitive field. I learned how to be an independent thinker, how to think outside the box, how to be a leader and how to be self-motivated. At Eli Lilly, you have to be the same thing to be successful. At UK, I gained the ability to think to strategically when making decisions and taking multiple factors into account when focusing on patient care. I was in school with some of brightest people and that experience prepared me to integrate into that kind of culture here at Eli Lilly."

Current Position: Associate Professor, Director of Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Practice, Earl Platt Slone Endowed Professorship, Pharmacy Practice and Science Department, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

Award: Hall of Distinguished Alumni - Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient (2020)

"In my pharmacy career, I have worked to advance pharmacy practice in Kentucky by establishing the Advancing Pharmacy Practice in Kentucky Coalition, which includes stakeholders from all major pharmacy organizations in the state working together to advance practice goals. For my role in advancing practice through policy change, I have also been recognized by the National Academies of Practice as a distinguished public policy fellow."

Current Position: Founding Dean, University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy

"Thanks to my experience in pharmacy school, I have made a number of notable scientific contributions in the areas of cultural competency, alternative herbal treatments, antibiotic resistance, and the pharmacotherapy of infectious diseases. I have also been awarded numerous grants for research on effective medication management and health literacy. My contributions to research have been recognized by the UTEP Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship and I have received the UTEP Faculty Research Award as well."

Previous Position: Dean, Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Science Department, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (currently retired)

"I really enjoyed my time at UKCOP, especially after being dean when I was a professor. I had more time to spend with students and I got very involved with helping Kappa Psi. It was a special time and I loved having students visit me in my office or come to events in my home. I'm still very close to some of these students and I feel lucky to have gotten to know them so well."