Davis to lead College of Pharmacy
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Former assistant dean at University of Tennessee appointed dean of Lipscomb College of Pharmacy
Davis will lead creation of first pharmacy program in Middle Tennessee
In November, the Lipscomb Board of Trustees approved the creation of a College of Pharmacy – the third pharmacy school approved in the state and the first in Middle Tennessee. The College of Pharmacy will award Lipscomb’s first doctorate degree in its 115-year history.
“Thirty-five years of pharmacy experience in a variety of service settings made Roger Davis the perfect choice to head up the establishment of our own pharmacy college,” said Lowry of Davis, who has been a member of Lipscomb’s Board of Trustees since 1999.
“Throughout his career, he has worked with a great variety of people and health care organizations, specifically coordinating experiential learning opportunities for UT pharmacy students in Middle Tennessee, which will greatly benefit Lipscomb’s program,” he said.
At the University of Tennessee, Davis was a member of the faculty for more than 25 years and the assistant dean for Middle Tennessee for 10 years. His responsibilities included overseeing a number of educational programs for pharmacy students, from student internships in hospitals, community pharmacies and nursing homes to continuing education for practicing pharmacists.
Such experience will hold him in good stead at Lipscomb, where experiential learning will make up at least 30 percent of the pharmacy program curriculum, as per accreditation standards, Davis said.
“My hope is that I will help build a college of pharmacy that produces quality practitioners, grounded in a Christian education, devoted to community service and acting as strong contributors to the patient-oriented tradition of pharmacy practice in Tennessee,” said Davis.
Lipscomb’s program could someday rank among the top in the nation, he noted, and will have a positive impact on the level of patient care not just in Tennessee, but throughout the nation, as the university will strive to recruit students nationwide.
Davis’ years as a practicing pharmacist in Memphis and Franklin, his time as the associate executive director of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association and most recently his employment with the pharmaceutical industry, make him a well-rounded and esteemed choice for Lipscomb’s first dean, said Ray Marcrom, owner of Marcrom’s Pharmacy in Manchester, and faculty member at UT for 25 years.
“He has a long successful career, and he has been involved in leadership in pharmacy in virtually every aspect,” said Marcrom, former president of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA), “He is universally respected in all areas of his experience.”
“While serving as Associate Executive Director of the TPA, Dr. Davis provided visionary leadership in areas vital to the positioning of pharmacy in the ever-changing health care environment,” said Baeteena M. Black, executive director of the association. “His extraordinary knowledge and experience in the areas of pharmacy education, public health policy, and management uniquely qualify him for service as the founding dean for the Lipscomb College of Pharmacy.”
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Davis’ wife Nancy is an alumna of Lipscomb University as well as two of his children. His third child is a current student at Lipscomb University.
Lipscomb’s journey to establish a college of pharmacy began with a faculty-generated proposal in May 2006 and a June site visit and report by national consultant Dr. Joseph Dean, a former pharmacy school dean who has helped many universities establish pharmacy schools. After seven months of research, discussion and consultation, the university’s board of trustees approved a Lipscomb College of Pharmacy in November.
Lipscomb officials are currently planning for an inaugural class of around 75 students to begin in the fall of 2008. Davis’ first duties will include hiring staff and preparing for the accreditation process.
Lipscomb board members and administrators agreed that a pharmacy college would be a positive step in addressing the growing need for highly qualified pharmacists throughout the nation. Due in part to a rapidly aging population demanding more health care services, the nation is expected to continue experiencing an increased demand for pharmacy services.
“The board saw a pharmacy college as extremely compatible with Lipscomb’s mission to develop in its students a lifelong commitment to the service of others,” said Gerald Coggin, Lipscomb trustee and senior vice president of corporate relations at National Healthcare Corporation, a Murfreesboro-based company providing long-term care in 10 states.
As the only private, faith-based program in Tennessee, Lipscomb’s pharmacy program will draw a national student body, being especially attractive to students looking for faith-based education and world-wide service opportunities.