ETSU earns top pharmacy award for service

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 9, 2022) – East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy earned a top national award for service to the community, part of its continuing mission to serve the rural and underserved in the Appalachian Highlands.

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) awarded ETSU the Lawrence C. Weaver Transformative Community Service Award, which is presented annually to one college or school of pharmacy across the United States demonstrating a major institutional commitment to addressing unmet community needs through education, practice and research. AACP is the national organization representing the interests of pharmacy education. The award consists of a commemorative sculpture honoring the institution’s extraordinary social commitment and a $5,000 honorarium.

“This is a tremendous honor to join the ranks of elite pharmacy schools across the country that have earned this award for service,” said Dean Debbie Byrd. “Our student pharmacists and faculty serve our community and make a positive impact year-round on patients in some of the most rural and underserved areas of the Appalachian Highlands. I’m proud that our service-oriented college—having been founded only since 2005—has become a nationally recognized presence. I am excited to see where we grow from here.”Highlights of Gatton College of Pharmacy’s service impact includes:

50% of the college’s practice sites serve rural and/or underserved populations.
97% of fourth-year students in 2019-2020 completed at least one rural and/or underserved experience.
Helped administer over 30,000 COVID-19 doses since December 2020.
Worked with local law enforcement since 2008, helping set up medication Take Back operations in counties across the region, collecting nearly 30,000 pounds of unused, expired, or unwanted medications.
Served nearly 3,000 patients at Remote Area Medical (RAM) in Gray, Tennessee since 2017.
Distributed over 10,000 naloxone kits through RAM clinics and reached over 15,000 youth in the past decade through education regarding naloxone, stimulant misuse and prescription drug misuse.
Connected over 550 student pharmacists with 150 older adult residents over 4,600 service hours at Abundant Christian Living Community.
Administered the only multi-state, multi-network Flip the Pharmacy team since 2019, designed to transform community pharmacies from traditional point-in-time, prescription-level care processes to outcomes based, patient-level care models.
Partnered with local clinics and organizations where students serve, assisted in providing needed care and services for people in our region.

“The winning college’s commitment to service should be demonstrated through the development of exceptional programs that go well beyond the traditional service role of academic pharmacy,” according to the AACP’s award website. “The award highlights community service as an important element of the academic mission and recognizes institutions that can serve as examples of social responsiveness in the academic pharmacy community. It demonstrates commitment to a community achieving transformative community service rather than any preconceived status.”

“I’d like to thank all of our community partners for their support and for the opportunity to work with them to serve the community,” said Byrd. “Together we have made a huge impact on the Appalachian Highlands.”ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy was founded in 2005 by the community with a mission to develop progressive, team-oriented pharmacists who improve health care, focusing on rural and underserved communities. The college has earned numerous national awards and accolades for service, scholastic achievement and clinical training. Learn more at www.etsu.edu/pharmacy.