College of Pharmacy

Donald A. Godwin, Dean
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
https://hsc.unm.edu/pharmacy/

K.J. (Jim) Liu, Associate Dean for Research
Melanie Dodd, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
L. Douglas Ried, Associate Dean for Programmatic Assessment
Joe Anderson, Assistant Dean for Curricular Affairs
Tracy Hunter, Assistant Dean for Experiential Education
Krystal Ward, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Professors
Sarah Blossom, Ph.D., University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Scott W. Burchiel, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco
Matthew Campen, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Linda A. Felton, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin
Changjian (Jim) Feng, Ph.D., Nanjing University
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
Donald A. Godwin, Ph.D., University of South Carolina
Pamela Hall, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University
Jason McConville, Ph.D., University of Strathclyde
Pavan Muttil, Ph.D., Central Drug Research Institute (India)
Todd Thompson, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison
Graham Timmins, Ph.D., University of Leeds

Assistant Professors
Alicia Bolt, Ph.D., University of Colorado
Dawn Delfin, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Research Faculty
Seth Daly, Ph.D., University of New Mexico
Johnnye Lewis, Ph.D., Research Professor, University of Manitoba
Debra MacKenzie, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences

Professors
Ludmilla Bakhireva, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Barry Bleske, Pharm.D., University of Minnesota
Matthew Borrego, Ph.D., University of Arizona
Renee-Claude Mercier, Pharm.D., Wayne State University
L. Douglas Ried, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Susan Smolinske, Pharm.D., Idaho State University

Associate Professors
Joe Anderson, Pharm.D., University of Texas at Austin
Amy Buesing, M.B.A., University of New Mexico
Paulina Deming, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Melanie Dodd, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Mark T. Holdsworth, Pharm.D., State University of New York, Buffalo
Tracy S. Hunter, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Bernadette Jakeman, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Patricia L. Marshik, Pharm.D., University of Minnesota
James Nawarskas, Pharm.D., State University of New York, Buffalo
Gretchen Ray, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Krista Salazar, Pharm.D., University of New Mexico
Mikiko Takeda, Pharm.D., Roseman University of Health Sciences
Mary Vilay, Pharm.D., University of Toronto

Assistant Professors
Amy Bachyrycz, Pharm.D., University of Connecticut
Melissa Roberts, Ph.D., University of New Mexico
Alexandra Sible, Pharm.D., 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 more than 3,000 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. 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.

While in the Pharm.D. program, students have the option of applying for the clinical track Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences after successful completion of the first professional year of Pharm.D. curriculum. In addition, the College of Pharmacy offers the B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences (research and development track) for those students who do not intend on becoming a pharmacist, but rather choose to work in the pharmaceutical sciences field. Students who complete this degree will have the knowledge and skills to work in the flourishing pharmaceutical, cosmetics, chemical and related industries. Graduates of the research and development B.S. track can be employed in areas such as drug discovery, research and development, product formulation and manufacturing, clinical research, pharmacokinetics and metabolism.

In addition to the Pharm.D. and the B.S., the College of Pharmacy offers a Master of Science (M.S.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences with concentrations in Pharmacoeconomics, Epidemiology, Public Policy and Outcomes Research; Radiopharmacy; and Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Sciences. A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a concentration in Pharmacoeconomics, Epidemiology, Public Policy and Outcomes Research is also offered. A Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences focusing on toxicology and pharmaceutical sciences is offered through the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. See the School of Medicine: Biomedical Sciences section of this Catalog.

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 New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center, which is open 365 days per year and annually receives 40,000 inquiries, and is 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 New Mexico Veteran's Affairs 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 53 faculty and almost 500 preceptors throughout the state. The College has a strong partnership with the New Mexico Pharmacists Association, the New Mexico Society of Health System Pharmacists and the New Mexico State Board of Pharmacy. These partnerships have created innovative pharmacy practice opportunities for pharmacists in the state of 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 semester 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 15 credit 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, 5500 San Antonio Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 841-9102.

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 the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Student Exchange Programs, P.O. Drawer P, Boulder, CO 80302, (303) 497-0214.

Associated Departments

Undergraduate Program

Graduate Program

Doctor of Pharmacy