PharmDawgs Soar at 2023 ACCP, ASHP Midyear Annual Meetings
The College of Pharmacy was well represented with posters, presentations, leadership activities, and award recognitions at two national conferences this fall – the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s (ACCP) Annual Meeting in Dallas, Tx and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Meeting in Anaheim, Cali. At the ACCP conference, recipients of awards included:

• Dr. Anthony Hawkins, Critical Care PRN Education Award
• Dr. Sharmon Osae, Ambulatory Care PRN Member of the Year
• Kara Phillips, Critical Care PRN Student Travel Award
• Dr. Andrea Sikora, ACCP Critical Care PRN Investigator of the Year; ACCP CC PRN Publication of the Year
• Dr. Susan Smith, 2023 JACCP Outstanding Reviewer

Posters were presented by the following faculty and students: Andrew Bennett, Dr. Chris Bland, Dr. Anthony Hawkins, Dr. Devin Lavender, Amoreena Most, Dr. Sharmon Osae, Kaitlyn Ozrechowski, Kara Phillips, Elly Sherman, Dr. Andrea Sikora, Dr. Susan Smith, Dr. Rebecca Stone, and Suzanne Whitten. Additionally, many faculty served in leadership roles while at the conference:

• Dr. Daniel Chastain – Chair, HIV PRN
• Dr. Anthony Hawkins – Transitioned from Chair to immediate past Chair of the Trainee Engagement Committee of Critical Care PRN
• Amoreena Most – Student/Resident/Fellow Liaison, ACCP Critical Care PRN
• Dr. Sharmon Osae – Outgoing Secretary/Treasurer, Health Equity PRN; Incoming Chair-Elect 
• Dr. Beth Phillips – Board of Regents
• Dr. Andrea Sikora – Task Force Chair, Critical Care PRN Position Statement on Critical Care Pharmacist Practice Models 
• Dr. Rebecca Stone – Publications Committee, Didactic Toolkit Revision

At ASHP Midyear, Dr. Andrea Sikora received the prestigious ASHP Foundation Literature Award for Pharmacy Practice Research. The award recognizes authors of significant and impactful articles that demonstrate the value of the pharmacy workforce for patient care and outcomes.  Dr. Sikora’s specific award-winning article is “Impact of Pharmacists to Improve Patient Care in the Critically Ill: A Large Multicenter Analysis Using Meaningful Metrics with the Medication Regimen Complexity-ICU Score.” Dean Kelly Smith interviewed Dr. Sikora about her award; see the video interview here.  

Also at the Midyear Meeting, Dean Kelly Smith served in various leadership capacities in her roles as Chair of the ASHP Foundation Board of Directors, a member of the ASHP Advocacy and PAC Advisory Committee, and ASHP Past President. Faculty and adjunct faculty speakers included: Dr. Timothy Brown, Dr. John Carr, Dr. Daniel Chastain, Dr. Derek Gaul, Dr. Anthony Hawkins, Dr. Blake Johnson, Dr. Beth Phillips, and Marjorie Shaw.  In addition, more than 40 PharmD student and 15 resident posters were presented. 

Dr. Xi Receives APS Recognition

Dr. Yaguang Xi, Head of the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences Department and UGA Athletic Association Distinguished Professor in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has been awarded an 2023 APS Outstanding Contribution Award from Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, an international peer-reviewed journal. The title of Dr. Xi’s award-winning paper is “Metformin and cancer immunity.”  According to the abstract, “…a new era of cancer treatment options has now been clinically tested and applied to many forms of human malignancies, often with quite dramatic results. As we develop more effective combinations of cancer treatment, several agents have been recently investigated…One such agent is metformin, originally developed as a standard first-line therapy for patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Given the underlying mechanisms of action, researchers began to examine the alternative functions and possible utility of metformin, finding that the cancer risk in patients with T2DM was reduced. It appears that metformin, at least in part, has an antitumor effect through activation of the 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway.”

Dr. Young Spotlighted in New UGA Web Feature

Dr. Henry Young, Department Head for Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy and the Kroger Professor, was highlighted in a new UGA website feature, “We Are Georgia.” Created and directed through a partnership between UGA’s Office of Public Service and Outreach (PSO) and the Marketing and Communications Department, “We Are Georgia” underscores the impact of economic, health, and scientific development in the State of Georgia.  Dr. Young’s specific feature is his work on health disparities in Pulaski County and the symbiotic collaboration he has with PSO’s Archway Partnership. See and read the feature, titled, “UGA Partnerships in Pulaski County Make for a Healthier Community.”  

Drs. Southwood, Sikora and Smith Explore AI

In a new scoping review of AI in pharmacy education published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Dr. Robin Southwood, Clinical Associate Professor, demonstrates that information regarding the formal use of AI in pharmacy schools is lacking, despite significant growth in its use in both pharmacy practice and research settings. This gap in the literature may reflect limited uptake of the technology in educational institutions, even though many health profession students—including 72% of undergraduate pharmacy students—desire training on AI in their programs. 

Drs. Andrea Sikora and Susan Smith published an article in Nature Science Reports comparing machine learning and traditional regression analyses for fluid overload prediction in the ICU.

Dr. Lavender Selected Director for PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency

Dr. Devin Lavender, Clinical Assistant Professor, will assume the role of Program Director for the UGA PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency beginning July 1. Dr. Beth Phillips has directed this program since its inception in 2008. Under her outstanding leadership, the program has graduated 14 residents who are now practicing throughout the country as faculty members, clinical pharmacists, residency program directors, and medical science liaisons. The College of Pharmacy collaborates with the Augusta VA Healthcare System for the primary practice site at the Athens Outpatient Clinic and Piedmont Physicians Group to offer additional training sites for residents. As Assistant Department Head for Residency Programs, Dr. Phillips will continue her passion for residency training across the College’s partnerships with 11 residency programs in Athens and on the extended campuses.

AJPE Announces Dr. Smith as New Editorial Board Member

Dr. Susan Smith, Clinical Associate Professor, recently was appointed as one of two new editorial board members for the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. Editorial board members are selected based on their AJPE peer-review and manuscript submission records, overall experience, credentials, and other interactions with the journal. Dr. Smith will serve a three-year term with the option to renew her time by an additional three years. 

Dr. Do Selected For Advanced Leaders Program

Dr. Duc Do, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, has been accepted into the second annual cohort of UGA’s Advanced Leaders Program, which recognizes outstanding senior faculty. In this program. Dr. Do will attend retreats and workshops that focus on four major leadership skills – personal mastery, interpersonal communication, team management, and systems thinking. Additionally, Dr. Do will work on a leadership project throughout the year as a part of his program. We commend him on this prestigious campus opportunity.

Associate Clinical Associate Professor Dr. Andrea Sikora (second from left) was an award recipient at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Meeting in December.  She is congratulated by (l-r) Dr. Aliya Abdulla ’22, Dean Kelly Smith, and Dr. Alfred Awuah ’21.