When Jeffrey Baldwin, Pharm.D., professor and Vice Chair for Education at theCollege of Pharmacy, got here in 1973, UNMC was a radical place. 

 And he loved that about this place.

"We were the first program outside of California to approve the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree as the sole entry-level degree for the College of Pharmacy," he said.

 That was a daring move. But, "History has proven us correct."

 Dr. Baldwin has been a part of that history. In his 40 years at UNMC, he has served as a vital resource in his field of study, substance abuse and recovery from addictions; he's served as president of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy; and, he's been honored with the UNMC Spirit of Community Service Award for his work with youth scouting.

Radical? Dr. Baldwin once rappelled down Omaha's Woodmen Tower as a fundraiser for Boy Scouts of America.

But, history was almost cut short. A budget crisis in the mid-'80s brought about a proposal that UNMC close its College of Pharmacy. What happened next is one of Dr. Baldwin's favorite memories:

"Pharmacy and the public rose almost as a singular voice in expressing support for the college and its ongoing provision of pharmacists safeguarding the health of Nebraskans," Dr. Baldwin said.

The proposal to close the college was rejected. "And the college has continued its vital mission of providing practitioners and scientists engaged in providing innovative pharmaceuticals and patient care," Dr. Baldwin said.

It's a radical idea. And it's been a pretty good way to spend the last 40 years.

The College of Pharmacy has filled a key leadership position on its faculty.

Effective June 1, Ram Mahato, Ph.D., is professor and chair of the department of pharmaceutical sciences.

Dr. Mahato held the position of professor of nanomedicines and drug delivery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center at Memphis (UTHSC). He has published 105 papers, holds two patents and has written and/or edited eight books and nine journal issues. He is on the editorial board at eight journals and serves as Feature Editor for Pharmaceutical Research. He is a winner of the Excellence in Teaching award at UTHSC.

Dr. Mahato earned his Ph.D. at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, and holds a bachelor's degree from China Pharmaceutical University in Nanjing.

His NIH-funded research program on drug delivery and gene therapy targeted to improve the outcome following islet cell transplantation for diabetes and for the treatment of liver fibrosis and prostate and pancreatic cancer will come with him to UNMC.

UNMC Outstanding Teacher Award

Paul Dobesh, Pharm.D., associate professor, College of Pharmacy, is among three UNMC faculty members who received Outstanding Teacher Awards at the April 25 Annual Faculty meeting. ...read more

UNMC Distinguished Scientist 

Dong Wang, Ph.D., associate professor, College of Pharmacy, received the Distinguished Scientist Award at a ceremony on April 30. ...read more

UNMC Alums Propelled New Partnership

The groundbreaking health care reform partnership between the UNMC College of Pharmacy, Walgreens, the Kearney Clinic, P.C., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska and the Nebraska Health Information Initiative is rolling out a new model in the treatment of patients with hypertension and type-2 diabetes, as noted last week. It involves a partnership not just between all of these entities, but between community pharmacists and physicians, too. ...read more  

Scholarship Recipient

The recipient of the 2013 Lou Carta Scholarship sponsored by 

Southwest Iowa Pharmacists Association (SIPA) is Rory Sallach Ruma.

Rory is a 3rd year pharmacy student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy.  The $1000 award will be applied to her 2013 tuition.  

Rory is vice president of UNMC's chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma, the national Pharmacy Leadership Society.  In addition, she has received the Dean's Leadership Scholarship.  She represents her classmates as a member of the college's curriculum committee, and is the treasurer of UNMC's EMPOWER Project that focuses on the health and wellness needs of women who are victims of domestic violence. She ranks in the top 15% of her class.

Congratulations to Rory!  This is the 14th consecutive year that SIPA has presented this award.  For more information about the Lou Carta Scholarship, please click here.

Defending Champions

Congratulations to Kendra Schomer, Casey Koch, and Gina Paletta for winning the MCCP Clinical Pharmacy Challenge against Creighton.  The students will go on to represent UNMC in the national competition with online rounds starting in late summer/early fall.