PHARMACY

Graduated in 1984

Q: Why did you choose Wayne State? 

A: Wayne State’s PharmD program had a good reputation and was affordable. When I interviewed for the program, I felt comfortable with the faculty on my interview team.

Q: What inspired you to pursue pharmacy?

A: I wanted to work with people to improve their health.

Q: Who was your most memorable instructor?

A: Paul Munzenberger, because of his knowledge about pediatric medicine and his fun and outgoing personality. Paul made the classroom interesting, and he held high standards for our work on clerkship.

Q: What was your most challenging class?

A: Statistics! No matter how good a professor is, statistics is a hard concept to grasp. Dr. McKercher made the topic tolerable, and I did learn. I’m now using stats in my job pretty regularly.

Q: Share some reflections about your time at Wayne State: 

A: My time at Wayne State was transformational. It opened my eyes to the health and health care disparities that people in a large urban setting face. My experiences at Wayne State shaped my research and teaching goals that have stayed with me for the last 40 years.

Q: In your opinion, what is one of the biggest changes that has occurred in your profession since graduating?

A: Collaborative practice models in ambulatory care.

Q: What are you doing now?

A: For the past 10 years, I have focused my attention on work to ensure the safe and effective use of medications taken by people who have disabilities, specifically those who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. I am a fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and recently was awarded Consultant Pharmacist of the Year by the MPA Consultant and Specialty Pharmacists of Michigan. I work with community partners from support and advocacy agencies, along with research colleagues, to better understand the medication-related issues faced by people with disabilities and the people who support them. A few points of pride include many peer reviewed research publications; a book chapter on pharmacotherapy for patients with intellectual or developmental disability; creation of the interprofessional course Health and Disability, with the goal of increasing health professional students’ understanding of the lived experiences of persons with disabilities (which recently received an award from the University of Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education for Innovation and Excellence); development of a comprehensive medication review program within the Michigan Medicine Health system for patients with disabilities; and collaboration with data scientists on projects that identified disparities in health outcomes of those with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

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The Doctor of Pharmacy program at Wayne State University is a four-year curriculum in the heart of Detroit. Approximately 100 students are enrolled in each year of the program. WSU Applebaum information meetings for prospective students take place at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. The application process or the Doctor of Pharmacy program begins each July.

An anchor in urban health care

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is built on more than 100 years of tradition and innovation in the heart of Detroit. We have grown deep roots in our city, harnessing its powerhouse hospital systems and community service organizations as vibrant, real-world training grounds for students, with an ongoing focus on social justice in health care. And our research at all levels – from undergraduates to veteran faculty members – translates into creative solutions for healthier communities.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 24,000 students.