Appalachian College of Pharmacy

THE SCRIPT

The Appalachian College of Pharmacy (ACP) is pleased to announce

that Dr. Sarah Melton has been appointed to the Virginia Foundation for

Healthy Youth (VFHY) by Governor Bob McDonnell. Her nomination

received bipartisan support from Southwest Virginia legislators as well as

the Virginia Pharmacists Association and the National Alliance of State

Pharmacy Associations.

“We’re so pleased that Dr. Melton was appointed to the Board of

Trustees for the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth,” says VFHY

Executive Director Marty Kilgore. “The medical and pharmacological

expertise and knowledge she brings to the table from her position as

Director of Addiction Outreach at the Appalachian College of Pharmacy

is a welcome asset to VFHY and our mission to reduce and prevent youth

tobacco use and childhood obesity.”

Formerly known as the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation, the

Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth was established by the Virginia

General Assembly to lead statewide efforts to reduce and prevent youth

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Dr. Sarah Melton,

Pharm. D.

Dr. Susan Mayhew, Dean

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Volume V, Issue I

WINTER QUARTER

ACP FACULTY MEMBER APPOINTED TO VIRGINIA FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY YOUTH

Message from the Dean

Ringing in the New Year beckons a reflection of several of the

Appalachian College of Pharmacy’s (ACP) milestones in 2010 such as

obtaining full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy

Education, candidate status with the Southern Association of Colleges and

Schools, increased student enrollment, and a pass rate for first-time takers

of the North American Pharmacy Licensing Examination (NAPLEX) of

93.22% which exceeded the state average. The College has also taken great

strides in the areas of community service and outreach, research, and

practice site expansion.

Our students and faculty have continued to work on community

outreach initiatives which include participation in the Remote Area Medical

events in Wise and Buchanan Counties, medication reviews for the elderly,

immunization clinics, smoking cessation programs, blood pressure

screenings, and many others. The Appalachian AWARxE program was one

of our most successful community outreach programs. Led by Dr. Sarah

JANUARY 2011

Melton, the program was designed to increase awareness of prescription addiction and deter

medication abuse.

ACP, through the efforts of Dr. Brent Gravelle and Dr. Leah Hollon, began a research study

within the Buchanan County School system to assess and address obesity in children. This is the first

of many such initiatives that the College hopes to bring to the region.

The College established new collaborative agreements with community pharmacy training sites,

Tiger Rx Pharmacy and Kroger Pharmacies, which further expanded the College’s nucleus of

community pharmacy-based faculty. These student training sites offer innovative patient care

services led by newly appointed faculty members, Dr. Rebecca Cantrell and Dr. Christine Corsberg,

respectively. Other recent additions to the ACP faculty include Mrs. Brenda Smith, Mr. Wade

McGeorge, and Dr. Joseph De Soto.

Looking to the future, the College will continue to expand research efforts and collaborative

partnerships, expand residency training opportunities for our graduates, and remain focused on

achieving academic excellence, service, and community outreach. This spring I expect the College to

achieve a longstanding goal of opening a Buchanan County-based pharmacy clinic near the college

campus. The ACP Medical Home Pharmacy Clinic will provide free medication to qualifying

patients, medication therapy management, wellness and preventative health counseling, health

literacy training, and telemedicine in an effort to improve access to medical care and ultimately

health outcomes for the citizens we serve.

Countless individuals and community members have contributed to the College’s success over the

year. I extend a most sincere thank you to the College’s Board of Trustees, administrators, faculty,

staff, students, and to the members of the community and benefactors for helping us extend the

mission of the College.

ACP FACULTY MEMBER Continued from Page 1

Message From The Dean Continued from Page 1

The Appalachian College of Pharmacy is certified to operate in Virginia

by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

tobacco use and childhood obesity. In Virginia, approximately 9,300 children under the age of 18

become new smokers each year. The growing childhood obesity epidemic is also a concern. In

Virginia alone, more than 30% of children and teens are considered overweight or obese.

VFHY promotes healthful living habits to children and teens in Virginia through a variety of

methods that include classroom programs, a multimedia youth marketing campaign, cutting-edge

research, and funding enforcement of Virginia’s tobacco-access laws. Virginia’s program for child

smoking awareness and prevention is one of the most successful in the nation.

Dr. Melton is a board certified psychiatric pharmacist and was recently awarded the Innovative

Practice Award by the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists for her presentation titled

the “Role of the Pharmacist in Collaborative Care for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment in

Medically Underserved Appalachia.”

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VOLUME V, ISSUE I THE SCRIPT

ACP WELCOMES THE CLASS OF 2013

AT ORIENTATION AND WHITE COAT CEREMONY

The Appalachian College of

Pharmacy (ACP) welcomed the

Class of 2013 during the annual new

student orientation. The members of

the Class of 2013 participated in

three days of orientation activities,

beginning Wednesday, August 18th

2010, at the College’s Campus at

Oakwood, Virginia.

Orientation activities included

registration, an overview of the

didactic and experiential curriculum,

information regarding campus safety

and information technology, student

policies and procedures and an

opportunity to interact with current

students. ACP student leaders

provided a brief presentation on each

of the College’s student organizations to inform the incoming class about participatory and leadership opportunities

within pharmacy’s professional organizations.

Wednesday evening featured a dinner reception to introduce new students to their faculty mentor. On Thursday,

new and returning students had the opportunity to meet with over 30 local vendors and student organizations at the

ACP Annual Vendor Fair held in the gymnasium.

Friday, August 20th, marked the College’s 6th annual White Coat Ceremony. The White Coat Ceremony

recognizes the ceremonial entrance of pharmacy students into the profession of pharmacy. Over 300 students,

faculty, family and guests attended the ceremony held on campus in the gymnasium. Dean Susan Mayhew began

the ceremony by welcoming students, family members and friends to the event.

Dave Shanahan Keynote Speaker

Dave Shanahan, RPh, ACP Board Member and owner of Medical Park

Pharmacy in Grundy, was the guest speaker for the event. Mr. Shanahan reflected

on changes in the technology and practice of pharmacy over the years and

challenged the incoming students to write their own chapter and make their own

mark on the blank canvas of their pharmacy education and career. Following the

keynote address, Dean Mayhew presented each member of the Class of 2013

with their white coats. Following the presentation of white coats, Dean Mayhew

administered the Oath of a Pharmacist to the Class of 2013 and invited all to

attend the closing reception.

The Class of 2013 includes 78 students representing fifteen states. The class is

51% female, 49% male, and the average age is 25 years old. Approximately 64%

of students are from the Appalachian region, with 41% from the state of Virginia.

The cumulative GPA is 3.10 and the average Pharmacy College Admissions Test

(PCAT) score is 52. Sixty percent (60%) of the class has earned a Bachelor’s

Degree or higher prior to enrollment at ACP.

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VOLUME V, ISSUE I THE SCRIPT

TM

ACP OUT IN THE COMMUNITY: REMOTE AREA MEDICAL

The American Pharmacists Association—Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP)

organized a diabetes screening which included checking blood glucose concentrations and Gylcated

Hemoglobin A1C levels, a laboratory test that shows the average blood glucose concentration for the

last three months. Students also performed diabetic foot exams and measured patients’ Ankle

Brachial Index (ABI) to assess disease progression. Students also provided counseling and

educational material to help diabetics manage their disease better.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) student chapter, the Student

Society of Health-System Pharmacy (SSHP), provided patient information about asthma and chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Student volunteers used a peak flow meter to gauge each

patient’s ability to exhale, assess the severity of their pulmonary disease, and educate them about the

best treatment strategy. Additionally, students provided information on smoking cessation and the

hazards of smoking.

The Apothecary Medical Plant Society (AMPS) is a relatively new organization at the College

whose purpose is to increase awareness, knowledge and understanding of medicinal plants and their

medicinal properties and uses. AMPS provided patient education and handouts from the Blue Ridge

Poison Control Center and provided information about common household products that are

sometimes confused with food products.

The Kappa Psi professional fraternity helped patients to enroll in patient assistance programs. In

patient assistance programs the pharmaceutical industry often provides medications for little or no

cost; however, the enrollment process and paperwork are often cumbersome and confusing for

patients.

The Phi Delta Chi professional fraternity provided DEXA scans for patients to assess bone

density and strength. Students then provided patient information regarding ways to improve bone

density and reduce bone loss to help prevent events such as a hip fractures.

“The RAM event provides a tremendous outreach opportunity for the College,” says Dean

Mayhew. “It is a melting pot of healthcare professionals collaborating to provide much needed

patient care, medication, and education to the medically underserved. The increased number of

health initiatives that the College offered this year helped to enhance and expand the scope of patient

care provided at RAM. We hope to further expand patient services in years to come and appreciate

the many collaborative practice opportunities that this event provides for our faculty and students.”

The Script

ACP expanded pharmacy-related patient care services at

the Buchanan County Remote Area Medical (RAM) health

fair which took place on October 2nd-3rd at Riverview Ele-

mentary/Middle School in Grundy, Virginia. As in past

years, students and faculty volunteered their time to pro-

vide assistance in the areas of general health, dental, vision

and pharmacy. Several student organizations at the College

selected a patient care initiative to expand or enhance. Each

targeted patient care service is highlighted below.

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VOLUME V, ISSUE I THE SCRIPT

SUPPORT THE APPALACHIAN COLLEGE OF PHARMACY The College’s mission is to serve Central Appalachia and rural areas around the world by training

qualified pharmacists. The College needs your help to continue to meet its very important mission. You

can support our mission by giving to the College’s Scholarship, Building or General Funds.

If you wish to partner with the College by giving, please contact:

Terry Kilgore, Dean of Institutional Advancement at tkilgore@acpharm.org or 423.335.3160.

Each fall the Appalachian College of Pharmacy partners with the Appalachian Agency for Senior

Citizens (AASC) and Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. (MEOC) to provide medication reviews,

counseling, and education. The event was held on September 27, 2010 and is commonly referred to

as “Brown Bag Day” as the elderly often bring in their medications in brown paper bags. More than

50 students and eight faculty members participated at six sites throughout southwest Virginia to

review and counsel patients about their medications, over the counter (OTC) products, vitamins,

herbs and minerals such as Vitamin D, Calcium and Fish Oil. Other topics discussed were drugs with

special requirements such as “blood thinners” and how to read food labels. Brown Bag Day events

allow the students and faculty to fulfill the mission and vision of the College and provide students

with hands-on innovative examples of community service outreach initiatives focused on improving

the health and well-being of the citizens they serve. Year after year, this event makes a lasting

impression on patients and students alike.

ACP STUDENTS AND FACULTY PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL

COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY

A new pedestrian bridge is currently under construction at the Appalachian College of Pharmacy.

The bridge will provide direct access to the businesses along Route 460 in Oakwood, Virginia and

will connect the campus to the Hagy Building property which the College plans to renovate in the

near future. “The bridge will enhance pedestrian access to the campus and will provide additional

nearby parking,” says President Mickey McGlothlin. The bridge is expected to be opened for foot

traffic this spring.

CAMPUS ENHANCEMENT IN PROGRESS

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VOLUME V, ISSUE I THE SCRIPT

ACP MEETING MISSION THROUGH ADDICTION OUTREACH

ACP faculty member, Dr. Sarah Melton works with first year student Stacy Chaffins to count and identify prescription medications at the College of Pharmacy site. Buchanan County Sherriff Ray Foster looks on.

Over the past year, ACP has been recognized across the Commonwealth for service, outreach, and

curriculum development in the areas of substance abuse and addiction. The College was awarded a grant

from the Appalachian Regional Commission to develop a comprehensive education program for health

professionals in the area of prescription drug abuse. Under the leadership of Dr. Sarah Melton, the

Appalachian AWARxE program was initiated by the College in October 2009. Appalachian AWARxE is

a comprehensive continuing education (CE) program for healthcare providers that has reached over 250

participants. Experts from multidisciplinary areas (pharmacy, medicine, law enforcement, and social

work/counseling) educated participants about addiction, caring for the addicted patient, and being agents

of change in communities in the fight against prescription drug abuse.

In conjunction with development of the successful CE program, ACP developed an exemplary elective

course in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program in the area of addiction. Using the American Association of

Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Substance Abuse and Addictive Disease Curriculum, an elective course

(didactic) was developed to prepare pharmacy students to transition into an experiential rotation in

addiction that provides the student an opportunity to apply knowledge learned in the classroom in

“real-life” situations and scenarios. In the

spring of 2010, 25 students took the elective

course and most of these students are

rotating through the addiction experiential

rotation offered by C-Health, PC, with a

focus on treatment of opiate dependence.

ACP is currently collaborating with

prominent stakeholders in the region to

develop an interactive website titled

“Appalachian AWARxE” that will serve as

a source of information and educational

materials on prescription drug abuse for

professionals and the community.

The College has been recognized for its

efforts in addiction outreach at several key

events across the Commonwealth. On

September 22, 2010, Dr. Melton and third-

year student Laurie Peery were invited to

speak to the SJR Workgroup about

Strategies for Prevention and Treatment

of Substance Abuse. Dr. Melton described how the curriculum course regarding addiction had been

developed at the College and can be used as a model for other schools in Virginia. Ms. Peery discussed

the beneficial effects of the curricular addition and described the excellent learning opportunities she has

been afforded as being part of the program. As a result of this meeting, the SJR 73 Workgroup, chaired

by the The Honorable Emmet W. Hanger, Jr., recommended that the General Assembly encourage

development of similar curriculums in other pharmacy, medical, and nursing schools in the

Commonwealth of Virginia.

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VOLUME V, ISSUE I THE SCRIPT

First year pharmacy students: Yancey Lockhart, John Murphy, and Tiffany Brooks work with local law enforcement at the American Medical Chest Challenge in Tazewell.

ACP Students at the Rx Take Back Day L to R: Travis Robbins (P1), Wesley Caldwell (P3), Sarah Ramsey (P1), and Dara Francis (P1)

ACP ADDICTION OUTREACH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

VOLUME V, ISSUE I THE SCRIPT

In October, Dr. Melton and several

P3 students attended the OneCARE

of Southwest Virginia Legislative

Advocacy breakfasts in Abingdon and

Blacksburg, VA. At these meetings,

Dr. Melton discussed the role of the

Virginia Prescription Drug Monitoring

Program in patient-centered care and

the College was recognized for its

efforts in the region regarding the

prescription drug abuse epidemic.

On November 13th, 2010, ACP

was a key community partner with

The American Medicine Chest

Challenge take-back day. In partner-

ship with Cumberland Mountain

Community Services, SATIRA, and

local law enforcement, Dr. Melton and

Dr. Jackie Hackney worked with 16

ACP students to take back prescription

medication from the community. Take-back sites were set up at the

College of Pharmacy, at Walmart

in Richlands, Magic Mart in

Tazewell, and the Government

Center in Russell County. Over

30,000 units of prescription

medications, many of which were

abusable substances, were taken

off the street during this outreach.

Second year students Daniel

Puckett and Sarah Sparks were

student leaders for this event.

ACP will sponsor a similar event

in Spring 2011.

For more information about

the Appalachian AWARxE

program, please contact

Dr. Sarah Melton at

smelton@acpharm.org

or at (276) 971-6097.

7

1060 Dragon Road

Oakwood, Virginia 24631

Phone: 276.498.4190

Fax: 276.498.4193

newsletter@acpharm.org

INNOVATIVE PHARMACY PRACTICE

& EDUCATION

P LEA SE VIS IT US ON THE

INTERNET AT

WWW . ACP HARM . ORG

Appalachian

College of Pharmacy

KAPPA PSI ANNUAL MEETING

Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical

Fraternity, Inc. recently held their

annual Fall Conclave meeting. The

meeting was held in Bristol, Virginia

on the weekend of October 9th and

10th. Various pharmacy schools

throughout the region alternate

hosting and planning the meeting.

ACP’s chapter, Epsilon Delta, hosted

the regional meeting the first time. It

was considered a great success with

approximately 150 students and

graduates attending from pharmacy

programs throughout the Southeast.

Brother and ACP faculty member,

Dr. Mike Jones, provided a one

credit hour continuing education

lecture on “Avoiding the Major Side

Effects of Tramadol”. This greatly

enhanced the meeting for graduate

attendees. A great deal of planning

and hard work made this a produc-

tive and enjoyable weekend.

Paul Gavaza, Ph. D. published an article entitled “Texas pharmacists’ opinions on reporting serious adverse drug

events to the Food and Drug Administration: a qualitative study” in Pharmacy World and Science, October 2010;

32(5):651-657(Epub 2010 Jul 23). Co-authors: C.M. Brown and S. Khoza. Dr. Gavaza has also published an

article entitled “The state of health economics and pharmaceoconomics research in Russia: a systematic review” in

Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, September 2010. Co-authors: Marvin Shepherd, Natasha

Shcherbakova, and Star Khoza.

Su Lee, Pharm. D. presented “Relationship between Vancomycin pharmacodynamic Parameters from Two

Levels in Steady State and Outcomes in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Infections,” at the

50th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) for the American Society of

Microbiology’s Premier Annual Meeting on Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Agents in Boston, MA,

September 12th—15th, 2010 with co-authors, S. Lelly, N. Combs, N. George, R. Webber, and S.K. Lee.

Quamrum Masuda, Ph. D. and Randy Mullins Pharm. D. presented “Acetaminophen Assay in Compounding

Laboratory” at the Compounders in Capital Hill, June 19th-21st, 2010 in Washington D.C. sponsored by IACP:

International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists.

Dean Susan L. Mayhew, Pharm.D. has successfully recertified in Nutrition Support from the Board of

Pharmaceutical Specialties.

Mr. Wade McGeorge, J.D. and Mrs. Brenda Smith, RPh. recently joined the College in administrative and

faculty roles - Mr. McGeorge as Legal Counsel and Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Law and Mrs. Smith as

Director of Experiential Education.

Three new faculty members joined the College this fall, Rebecca Cantrell, Pharm.D., Assistant Professor of

Pharmacy Practice, Christine Corsberg, Pharm.D., Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, and Joseph

Desoto, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

FACULTY NEWS

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