Pharmacy professor earns national recognition


LAWRENCE — Janelle Ruisinger, clinical associate professor and community pharmacy residency director at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, has received the APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management  Distinguished Achievement Award in Pharmacy Practice. She accepted the award at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) annual meeting March 1-4 in Los Angeles.

David Henry, chair of the KU School of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmacy Practice, said the award, which recognizes educators who have developed or implemented an innovative, original pharmacy program or service significant to their area of practice, reflects well not only on Ruisinger, but the entire school.

“Janelle Ruisinger continues to do the type of work that draws the attention and admiration of her colleagues," Henry said. “This is a well-deserved award that means a great deal to her as it does to all at the KU School of Pharmacy.”

In addition to her teaching duties, Ruisinger works at the KU Atherosclerosis and LDL-Apheresis Center, where she helps patients manage their high cholesterol. She is a national advocate for pharmacy practice and serves on numerous task forces and committees. She is a member of the APhA Community Pharmacy Residency Program Advisory Panel and serves as a reviewer for the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association and the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Ruisinger earned her doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree from KU, then completed a residency at the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. After her residency, Ruisinger returned to the KU School of Pharmacy.

Associate Dean Harold Godwin said the timing proved to be ideal for both Ruisinger and the School of Pharmacy.

“Community residencies were a new concept in the late 1990s, and Janelle was eager to become a change agent in this environment. She returned to Kansas and began patient care services in both the ambulatory and community care arenas,” Godwin said. “She became the residency director for a new community residency program in 2001, and the program received ASHP accreditation in 2006.”

Professor and Pharmacy Practice Vice Chair Patricia Howard said Ruisinger is a true mentor both inside and outside of the classroom.

“Dr. Ruisinger is a highly respected colleague and excellent role model for our students. Her many accomplishments in collaborative practice, research, professional service and education provide a rich learning environment for our students and demonstrate the important role pharmacists play in advancing patient-centered care,” Howard said.

Mon, 04/22/2013

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Jackie Hosey

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Jackie Hosey

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