School of Pharmacy Participate in Faculty Exchange with the University of Kentucky
The University of Texas at El Paso’s School of Pharmacy participated in a two-week faculty exchange with the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Pharmacy.
The exchange, which launched this spring, was proposed by UK based on its relationship with the UTEP School of Pharmacy’s founding dean, José O. Rivera, Pharm.D., and UTEP’s standing as America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Rivera is an alumnus of the UK Pharmacy Residency Program and recent recipient of their Paul F. Parker Award, which is given to alumni who have dedicated themselves to advancing the pharmacy field through their practice and work in academia.
The exchange program, which includes one faculty member from each institution, provided a hands-on experience exploring the topics and issues relevant to the communities that each university serves. Students at both universities also benefited from the exchange through seminars, guest lectures and clinical visits with the visiting faculty member.
For Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences Marc Cox, Ph.D., who oversees the program alongside Margie Padilla, Pharm.D., Chair of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Sciences, the exchange is an opportunity for School of Pharmacy faculty to broaden their view of the challenges facing pharmacists nationwide.
“As a relatively new school of pharmacy, many of our faculty are individuals for whom this is their first position in an academic setting,” said Cox. “My hope is that our faculty member comes back to UTEP with their eyes having opened and having become more enlightened to the challenges that exist outside of our community.”
Established in 2017, UTEP’s School of Pharmacy has already distinguished itself among its peers. The program is among the top five nationwide in producing Latino graduates, has more Latino faculty than any pharmacy school in the U.S. and is led by one of only two Latino pharmacy deans.
“We’re a hidden gem. When we bring people to UTEP or send our students or faculty elsewhere, we get positive feedback about the academic quality and strength of our community,” Padilla said. “The faculty exchange program is the next step in building the School of Pharmacy’s brand and profile and in advancing our mission to achieve access, excellence and impact by transforming pharmacy education.”