College of Pharmacy

The University of New Mexico
College of Pharmacy
Nursing/Pharmacy Building
MSC09 5360
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001
(505) 272-3241
FAX: (505) 272-8324

Lynda S. Welage. Dean
Donald A. Godwin, Executive Associate Dean for Education
Scott W. Burchiel, Senior Associate Dean
Larry Georgopoulos, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
Michel Disco, Assistant Dean of External Programs
K.J. (Jim) Liu, Associate Dean for Research

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Professors
Scott W. Burchiel, Ph.D., University of California (San Francisco)
Linda A. Felton, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin
Laurie G. Hudson, Ph.D., Harvard University
K.J. (Jim) Liu, Ph.D., University of Leeds
Mary K. Walker, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin (Madison)

Associate Professors
Matthew Campen, Ph.D., University of North Carolina– Chapel Hill
Donald A. Godwin, Ph.D., University of South Carolina
Jason McConville, Ph.D., University of Strathclyde
Todd Thompson, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin (Madison)
Graham Timmins, Ph.D., University of Leeds

Assistant Professors
Changjian (Jim) Feng, Ph.D., Nanjing University
Pamela Hall, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University
Pavan Muttil, Ph.D., Central Drug Research Institute, Luc Know, India
Yubin Miao, Ph.D., Beijing Normal University

Research Faculty/Adjunct Faculty
Anton Hopfinger, Ph.D., Research Professor, Case Western Reserve University
Alexis Kaminsky, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Cornell University
Johnnye Lewis, Ph.D., Research Professor, University of Manitoba
Wenlan Liu, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Central South University (China)
Debra MacKenzie, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin (Madison)
Joseph M. Masserano, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, University of Tennessee
Colleen McNamara, Ph.D., Lecturer, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Honglian Shi, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences
John Weaver, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Washington College
Reema Zeineldin, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin (Madison)

Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences Professors
Larry Georgopoulos, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Jeffrey P. Norenberg, Pharm.D., University of Washington
Dennis W. Raisch, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, University of Arizona
Lynda Welage, Pharm.D., University of Buffalo

Associate Professors
Joe Anderson, Pharm.D., University of Texas at Austin
Ludmilla Bakhireva, Ph.D., University of California (San Diego)
Blaine (Jess) Benson, Pharm.D., University of Minnesota
Matthew Borrego, Ph.D., University of Arizona
Amy Buesing, M.B.A., University of New Mexico
Michel Disco, M.B.A., University of New Mexico
Melanie Dodd, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Mark T. Holdsworth, Pharm.D., State University of New York (Buffalo)
Patricia L. Marshik, Pharm.D., University of Minnesota
Renee-Claude Mercier, Pharm.D., Wayne State University
James Nawarskas, Pharm.D., State University of New York (Buffalo)
Megan E. Thompson, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico

Assistant Professors
Amy Bachyrycz, Pharm.D., University of Connecticut
Rucha Bond, Pharm.D., University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Catherine Cone, Pharm.D., University of Arizona
Paulina Deming, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Ning Yan Gu, Ph.D., University of Southern California
Anja Hamidovic, Pharm.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bernadette Johnson, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Gretchen Ray, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Krista Salazar, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Mary Vilay, Pharm.D., University of Toronto
Mikiko Yamada, Pharm.D., Roseman University of Health Sciences

Adjunct/Research Faculty
Robert Atcher, Ph.D., UNM-LANL Professor, University of Rochester
Mike T. Sather, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, University of New Mexico
Stuart Warren, Pharm.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of New Mexico
Kristina Wittstrom, M.S., Radiopharmacy Lecturer, University of New Mexico

Introduction

The College of Pharmacy, the oldest professional college at The University of New Mexico, was founded in 1945. The College of Pharmacy has approximately 2,900 graduates of its professional program. Nearly two-thirds of all practicing pharmacists in New Mexico are graduates of the College of Pharmacy. The College of Pharmacy offers the professional program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D. degree). The program consists of four years of professional education. Consideration for admission to the program requires 91 hours of prerequisite course work. The Pharm.D. program emphasizes student-centered problem-based learning and requires nine months of advanced professional practice experiences during the fourth year, including experiences in ambulatory care, community-based and institutional settings. The Pharm.D. degree is the only professional degree offered by the College of Pharmacy.

In addition to the Pharm.D., a Master of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences with concentrations in Pharmacoeconomics, Epidemiology, Public Policy and Outcomes Research; Radiopharmacy; and Toxicology. A Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences with concentration in Pharmacoeconomics, Pharmaceutical Policy and Outcomes Research is also offered. Inquiries should be addressed to the Graduate Student Academic Advisor. A Doctor of Philosophy focusing on Toxicology is offered through the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and inquiries should be addressed to the Program Director of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.

The mission of the college is to develop innovative leaders in pharmaceutical care and research who enhance the quality of life for the people of New Mexico. The college enrolls the second highest number of Hispanic and Native American pharmacy students among all colleges of pharmacy in the United States. Unique programs within the college include the NM Poison and Drug Information Center, which is open 365 days per year and annually receives 40,000 inquiries; the Quentin Burdick Rural Health Interdisciplinary Program; a nationally-recognized problem-based learning curriculum and the oldest training program in nuclear pharmacy in the United States.

The college is a co-sponsor for pharmacy practice and specialty practice pharmacy residencies in infectious diseases pharmacotherapy, cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, and renal pharmacotherapy with the UNM Hospitals and is affiliated with the NM VA Healthcare System, the Lovelace Sandia Health System, Presbyterian Healthcare System, the Indian Health Service and the University’s Cancer Research and Treatment Center.

The college has 54 faculty and 250 preceptors throughout the state. The college has a strong partnership with the NM Pharmacists Association, the NM Society of Health System Pharmacists and the NM State Board of Pharmacy. These partnerships have created innovative pharmacy practice opportunities for pharmacists in New Mexico including recognition as pharmacist clinicians, pediatric and adult immunization prescribing, prescribing of tobacco cessation and emergency contraception products, and various disease state management programs.

Opportunities in Pharmacy

The profession of pharmacy offers a wide variety of opportunities for practice. Opportunities in community pharmacy practice are available in independent pharmacies, prescription centers and chain pharmacies. An increasing number of graduates are entering residencies and fellowships as well as the practice of health systems pharmacy in hospitals, governmental institutions and in skilled nursing facilities. Graduates also practice as nuclear pharmacists, manufacturing pharmacists, medical service representatives, analysts for state and federal food and drug departments, clinic pharmacists in managed care organizations, the Armed Forces, Public Health Service and Veterans Administration facilities. Pharmacists are also engaged as administrators in pharmaceutical organizations and editing or writing for pharmaceutical publications.

Accreditation

The College of Pharmacy’s professional program is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Pharmaceutical Education, the national accrediting agency in pharmaceutical education, and holds membership in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Laws Relating to Licensure as a Pharmacist

To be eligible for licensure as a registered pharmacist, an individual must graduate from an accredited college of pharmacy and meet the experiential requirement of the applicable state board of pharmacy. It is usually possible to be eligible for Board of Pharmacy examinations and licensure immediately upon graduation.

The qualifications for registration as a pharmacist by examination under the New Mexico Pharmacy Act are as follows: “an applicant shall: be not less than 18 years of age and not addicted to drugs or alcohol, hold a degree from an accredited college of pharmacy, have appropriate internship experience and pass an examination administered by the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy.”

All students in the College of Pharmacy are eligible to register as a pharmacist intern after successful completion of the first professional year. The qualifications for registration as a pharmacist intern under the New Mexico Pharmacy Act are as follows: “an applicant shall: be not less than 18 years of age, have completed not less than 30 semester hours (of specific course work from the first professional year) or the equivalent thereof in an accredited college of pharmacy and meet other requirements established by regulation of the Board of Pharmacy.”

Additional information on registration as a pharmacist intern and licensure as a pharmacist may be obtained from the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy, 5200 Oakland NE, Suite A, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113, telephone (505) 222-9830.

High School Preparation Recommendations

It is important that the high school student wishing to pursue the pharmacy program at The University of New Mexico orient his/her subject selection in the proper direction as early as possible. It is recommended that the student intending to obtain a Pharm.D. take the following subjects in high school: one year of chemistry and biology; physics; mathematics, to include at least two years of algebra and one year of geometry and trigonometry; four years of English; one year of social science and/or humanities; and two years of a foreign language. These are recommended subjects, NOT requirements for admission to the College of Pharmacy.

WICHE Program

The College of Pharmacy is a participant in the reciprocal tuition program coordinated by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE). The states that The University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy exchanges (WICHE) students with are Alaska and Hawaii. Under the program, pharmacy students may be eligible for tuition assistance if they are a resident of a member western state that does not have a school or college of pharmacy and that participates in the pharmacy component of the WICHE Program. Additional information concerning the WICHE Program may be obtained from: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Student Exchange Programs, P.O. Drawer P, Boulder, CO 80302, telephone (303) 497-0214.

Associated Departments

Doctor of Pharmacy

Graduate Program