ACCP members Mikael Jones, Pharm.D., BCPS; Sonak Pastakia, Pharm.D., MPH, BCPS; and Alan Zillich, Pharm.D., were selected by the 2009 ACCP Awards Committee to receive the College’s prestigious 2010 New Educator, New Clinical Practitioner, and New Investigator Awards, respectively. The awards will be presented in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, April 24, 2010, during the Opening General Session of the 2010 Spring Practice and Research Forum.
The ACCP New Educator Award is given to recognize and honor a new educator for outstanding contributions to the discipline of teaching and to the education of health care practitioners. The awardee must have been a Full Member of ACCP at the time of nomination and a member at any level for a minimum of 3 years; in addition, the awardee must have completed his/her terminal training or degree less than 6 years previously. Mikael D. Jones, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. He also has an appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing and is a volunteer faculty member in the Center for Advancement of Women’s Health. Dr. Jones is actively involved in the clinical education of students in the schools of pharmacy and nursing, where he coordinates and teaches pharmacotherapy and physical assessment courses. He also serves as a clinical preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents. He is recognized as a gifted young instructor. In particular, his work in updating and streamlining the college of pharmacy’s physical assessment curriculum has led to an innovative, competency-based system of learning. A colleague commented in her letter of support, “Dr. Jones’ primary concern has been student learning.... For an individual so early in his career, he has accomplished a great deal and affected the learning of many students.” Another colleague adds,
He understands the principles of “good” teaching. Dr. Jones does the little things that translate into tangible outcomes in the classroom, such as having an open-door policy, grading assignments in a critical but timely fashion, and participating in student-sponsored activities.
In recognition of his support of student activities, Dr. Jones was elected to honorary membership in Phi Lambda Sigma by University of Kentucky students.
The New Clinical Practitioner Award honors a new clinical practitioner who has made outstanding contributions to the health of patients and/or the practice of clinical pharmacy. The awardee must have been a Full Member of ACCP at the time of nomination, as well as a member at any level for a minimum of 3 years; in addition, the awardee must have completed his/her terminal training or degree less than 6 years previously. Sonak D. Pastakia, Pharm.D., MPH, BCPS, is Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice for the Purdue University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He is the full-time Purdue School of Pharmacy faculty member in Eldoret, Kenya, as part of a collaboration between Indiana University School of Medicine and the Moi University School of Medicine in Kenya. This partnership has focused on the identification and treatment of individuals with HIV. One nominator wrote in his letter of support for Dr. Pastakia’s nomination,
As a clinical pharmacy practitioner, Sonak facilitates the provision of inpatient and ambulatory care pharmacy services in a tremendously resource-poor environment. Sonak’s patient base includes 3000 patients for which he has primary responsibility and an additional 16,000 [patients] that he assists through the establishment of a distribution network allowing access to antiretroviral therapies and other supportive care. Sonak’s presence in Eldoret has enabled the collaboration to expand its provision of care through enhanced access to pharmaceuticals as well as the provision of clinical pharmacy support.
Dr. Pastakia is a practitioner in both inpatient and ambulatory care settings, where he precepts four to six pharmacy students every 8 weeks. “It is important to note that Sonak has successfully launched a clinical pharmacy practice in an area where there was no pre-existing model,” adds one of his nominators. His work has enabled the expansion of pharmacy-based services, including a recently implemented anticoagulation program.
The New Investigator Award recognizes an ACCP member who has made a significant impact on an aspect of clinical pharmaceutical science. The awardee must have been a member of ACCP for more than 3 years; must have completed his/her terminal training or degree less than 6 years previously; and must have a research program with a substantial publication record having a programmatic theme or an especially noteworthy single publication. Alan J. Zillich, Pharm.D., is Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Purdue University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Zillich’s research theme is care of the ambulatory patient with a focus on hypertension, smoking cessation, and practice standards. At the time of his nomination, he had published 31 peer-reviewed research manuscripts and received numerous competitive research awards, including a Veterans Affairs Career Development Award on which he was principal investigator. One of his nominators noted,
I have had the opportunity to work [with] and mentor many colleagues. I can say, without a doubt, that Alan is the most outstanding junior faculty member with whom I have worked.... [Dr. Zillich] 1) has the necessary ingredients for a successful, independent research career, 2) produces quality work and is reliable in his commitments to collaborators, and 3) exhibits an outstanding level of productivity.
Dr. Zillich will deliver the annual New Investigator Award Lecture at 6:00 p.m. during the April 24 Opening General Session in Charlotte.
The members of the 2009 ACCP Awards Committee were Amanda Corbett (Chair), Mark Garrison (Vice-Chair), Diane Goodwin, Paul Gubbins, Thomas Majerus, Cindy O’Bryant, Chris Paap, Brad Phillips, Ralph Raasch, Jo Ellen Rodgers, and Robert Talbert.