Dr. Marilyn Thompson Odom, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical, Social and Administrative Sciences in the Belmont University College of Pharmacy, was recently elected as the secretary of the biological sciences section of the American Association of the Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Odom has been a member of the AACP since 2009, previously serving positions that placed her in charge of reviewing the New Investigator Awards, the Student-Led Community Engagement Awards and abstracts for the AACP’s annual meetings. In her new position within the biological sciences section, Dr. Odom will serve as the college’s faculty delegate at the annual AACP meeting.

Dean of Belmont’s College of Pharmacy Dr. Phil Johnston said, “We are so proud of Dr. Odom and all of our pharmacy faculty. This is verification that we are acknowledged as leaders in the profession and in the academy. We celebrate the election of Dr. Odom into this important post.”

Founded in 1900, the AACP is the national organization representing pharmacy education in the United States. The mission of the AACP is to lead and partner with its members in advancing pharmacy education, research, scholarship, practice and service to improve societal health. The AACP is comprised of all accredited colleges and schools with pharmacy degree programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, including more than 6,400 faculty members, 62,500 students enrolled in professional programs and 5,100 individuals pursuing graduate study.

Dean of Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy Dr. Phil Johnston recently attended a global conference on pharmaceutical sciences education hosted by the International Pharmaceutical Federation in Nanjing, China. The focus of the conference was to explain current and future educational needs in pharmacy on a global scale and to seek agreement and endorsement by delegates from 35 countries of 60 prepared statements that will guide educators in developing a proper curriculum.

Many of the prepared statements were based on data collected by the World Health Organization. Among these statements, there was a strong emphasis on drug shortages around the world, the migration of the world population and the health care needs that emerge from it, the need for inter-professional collaboration, the importance of alliances between industry and education, the need for antibiotic stewardship, the need to document the roles taken to develop with proof of concept, a focus on the health needs of the world in curricular planning and the expansion of the roles of health professionals. 55 of the 60 prepared statements were approved at the meeting.

Johnston discussed the importance that the conference had for the future of health care educators. “In a world where 10-15 percent of all workers are in health care, and where 50 percent of those workers require specialized education, it is imperative that we work collaboratively and build our curriculum to meet the needs of our population.”