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Washington State University
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences February newsletter

WSU doctor of pharmacy program accredited through 2031

The Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has received confirmation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) that effective February 6, 2023, the college has been successfully reaccredited for its doctor of pharmacy program through June 2031. The standard length of accreditation is 8 years (some programs may be accredited for fewer years, but never beyond 8 years).

“I’m so pleased with the overwhelmingly positive responses we received from our accreditation site visitors,” said Mark Leid, dean of the college. “I have been privileged to be a part of a total of five accreditation site visits over my 30 years in … » More …

Preserving WSU Pharmacy’s Black history

The first recorded Black student who graduated from Washington State University (or Washington State College as it was known at the time) was a Black woman named Jessie Senora Sims. She received a pharmacy degree in 1913 and was the only woman and Black student in her graduating class of six students. According to a 1914 Chinook publication, she was known to her classmates as “Sister Sims” and described herself as a “Pharmacister.”

Not much is known about Sims after she graduated from Washington State College (WSC). There were no smart phones to snap a quick photo, or social media platforms to stay in touch. … » More …

How a pharmacy school seating chart led to a 64-year marriage

From their first day of pharmacy school 70 years ago, through two sons, and three grandchildren, Earl (’55) and Barbara (’56) McIntosh have faced it all together. Below Barbara shares a peek behind the scenes of their relationship and nearly 64 years of marriage.
Where did you two meet?
We met in September 1952, on the first day of classes in Dr. Haakon Bang’s one-hour credit class “Introduction to Pharmacy.”  We were seated alphabetically so Barbara McLellan was seated next to Earl McIntosh.
What was your first date?
At Halloween time in 1952 when my dormitory Regent’s Hill held a dance … » More …

Finding love in the pharmacy

For Hung Truong (’00) and Megan McIntyre, a Montana pharmacy graduate from 2004, meeting at a Bartell Drug store was all it took for a future to unfold. They met when Megan was on a Pharmacy Administration rotation with Bartell Drugs in the summer of 2003 and Hung worked at Bartell’s Coal Creek location. If Hung was telling the story he would say that she was his intern. According to Megan, she was technically licensed as an intern but met Hung when she was training him on her rotation project to establish new point of care services throughout Bartell Drugs (of course, Megan tells the correct version). And the rest is history. » More ...

Cooking and humor brought pharmacy couple together

Russell Heaton (’00) remembers seeing his future wife, Kristi (’00), in 1995, while they were both students in a chemistry class at Eastern Washington University. He immediately thought she was beautiful, so he approached her and asked a question about the lab. Russ says she was not impressed by him, at all, and Kristi doesn’t even remember this encounter. But a year later, when they were both at WSU, they met again and started to hang around with mutual friends. » More ...

February 2023 Updates

FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP

Publications

Pharmaceutical Sciences Assistant Professor Travis Denton and three co-authors published, “α-Ketoglutaramate-A key metabolite contributing to glutamine addiction in cancer cells,” in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Medicine in November 2022.

Travis Denton and thirteen co-authors published, “Lanthionine ketimine ethyl ester accelerates remyelination in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis,” in the peer-reviewed journal ASN Neuro, the official publication of the American Society for Neurochemistry.

Pharmacotherapy Vice Chair & Allen I. White Distinguished Professor Joshua Neumiller and four co-authors published, “Use of glucose-lowering agents in diabetes and CKD,” in Kidney International Reports in December 2022.

J. Roberts and Marcia Fosberg … » More …

Understanding the future of pharmacogenomics testing in patient care

Pharmacogenomics, often referred to as PGx, is a budding field of personalized medicine, and studies how genes influence an individual’s response to treatment with medications. To learn more and register for Washington State University’s new course on pharmacogenomics,  visit our continuing education platform in collaboration with the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. The course begins Monday, February 27 and runs through Friday, May 12, 2023. Pharmacotherapy Associate Professor (Yakima) Rustin Crutchley shares how patients and care providers can use pharmacogenomics as an added tool in their arsenal of treatment options. » More ...

PharmD students’ top 10 things to do in Spokane —winter edition

By Elina Schmauch, class of 2025

When I first moved to Spokane, I had no idea how to spend my free time. In my opinion, Spokane is best tackled in seasons since winter and summer are two varying degrees of intensity. For this winter I narrowed down a long list of fun winter activities from WSU student pharmacists to these 10:

1. Skiing at Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area

Did you know that Lookout has a discounted student pass for $159 dollars for the ENTIRE season? Whether you ski, snowboard, or are just starting out on the bunny hills, Lookout Pass has become … » More …

Student Perspective: Introducing Elina Schmauch

Hello CougRx Family! My name is Elina Schmauch and I am in my second year of the WSU doctor of pharmacy program (fondly referred to as a PY2) at WSU Spokane. This spring semester of 2023 I challenged myself to take on a project that not only peaks my interests as a pharmacy student, but also involves content creation and community outreach. I am hoping to not only entertain our community with silly videos and fun blog posts, but also highlight what it means to be a pharmacy student in Spokane and what being a student pharmacist means to us as students. To start, I thought it would be insightful to share a few things about myself and what it means to me to be in the pharmacy program at WSU. I was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington and I loved it so much that I stayed to get my undergraduate degree just 15 minutes from where I grew up at the University of Puget Sound. There, I received my bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology, with a minor in Spanish. I also adopted my dog, Goose, who is my biggest supporter through pharmacy school! My family moved to Washington from Puerto Rico in the 80s, and I was a first-generation college student. Receiving my bachelor’s degree was an accomplishment all on its own, and I never thought I would actually continue in higher education. » More ...

Personalized Medicine and the Future of Pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics, a budding field of personalized medicine, is the study of how genes influence an individual’s response to treatment with medications. Drug-related morbidity and mortality due to unoptimized medication therapy is estimated to cost the United States $528 billion annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adverse drug events (ADEs) have been categorized as a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. » More ...