Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Georgia Athens, GA 2023-2025

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Georgia Athens, GA  2022

Doctor of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University 2010

Research Areas:
Patient medication use to improve quality of life and health outcomes, with a specific interest in implementation science in healthcare and pharmacy settings. Focus areas include pharmacy-based interventions for overdose prevention and opioid use disorder, rural health systems and access to care, and public health-oriented pharmacy practice innovations.

Opportunities for Collaboration:
Research across different clinical contexts and populations, including substance use disorder and groups affected by access limitations. Open to collaborations on pharmacy-led interventions, rural and community-based service delivery models, and opioid-related prevention and treatment initiatives.

2025 – Travel Award, APhA Institute on Substance Use Disorders

2024 – APhA New Practitioner Network Operation Substance Use Disorders Research Award 2024

2023 – Postgraduate Best Poster Award, American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting 2023

2022 – Finalist, UGA Three Minute Thesis (3MT™) Competition

American Pharmacists Association (APhA)

International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR)

Rawal S, Welsh JW, Yarbrough CR, Abraham AJ, Crawford ND, Khail JW, Chinchilla A, Caballero J, L Villa-Zapata, Young HN (2025). Community pharmacy-based buprenorphine programs and pharmacists’ roles, knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to providing buprenorphine-related services: A systematic review. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

Rawal S, Snead CA, Soiro FD, Lawrence J, Rivers BM, Young HN (2024). Facilitators and barriers to implementing the Diabetes Prevention Program in rural church settings: A qualitative study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. The Journal of Rural Health.

Rawal S, Khail JW, Stone RH, Young HN (2024). The availability of fentanyl test strips in Georgia community pharmacies. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

Rawal S, Osae SP, Tackett RL, MacKinnon NJ, Soiro F, Young HN (2023). Community pharmacists’ naloxone counseling: A theory-informed qualitative study. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

Khail JW, Rawal S, Young HN, Caballero J. (2024). Addressing buprenorphine supply barriers: A guidance commentary. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

Rawal S, Osae SP, Cobran EK, Albert A, Young HN (2022). Pharmacists’ naloxone services beyond community pharmacy settings: A systematic review. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.

Rawal S, Johnson BR, Young HN, Gaye B, Sattler EL (2023). Association of Life’s Simple 7 and Ideal Cardiovascular Health in American Indians/Alaska Natives. Open Heart.

A complete list of publications is available: Smita Rawal, PhD, PharmD – Google Scholar

“Harm Reduction Services Provision through Rural Community Pharmacies: A Novel Approach to Expanding Naloxone Access.” (2024) Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust. Funded $1,182,903. (Role: Co-Investigator)

“Community Pharmacist–Delivered Injectable Naltrexone for Alcohol Use Disorder after Crisis Care Discharge.” (2024) Pilot Grant for Community Pharmacy Enhancement. Funded $5,000. (Role: Principal Investigator)

“Examining Access to Opioid Harm Reduction and Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Community Pharmacies.” (2024) UGA College of Pharmacy Seed Grant. Funded $17,000. (Role: Co-Investigator)

“Dissemination of a Mini-Education Intervention for Pharmacists on Emergency Contraception, Naloxone, and Fentanyl Test Strips.” (2024) Pilot Grant for Community Pharmacy Enhancement. Funded: $12,000. (Role: Co-Investigator)

“Impact of a Brief Educational Intervention on Pharmacist Counseling Regarding Emergency Contraception, Naloxone, and Fentanyl Test Strips.” (2023) UGA College of Pharmacy Grant. Funded: $8,666. (Role: Co-Investigator)