Annual Teaching Awards for 2019-2020

Every year, each doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) class bestows Didactic Teaching Awards on their instructors and their Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) preceptors for excellence in teaching. In addition, students at the UCSF School of Pharmacy’s five Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) Experiential Programs select an outstanding preceptor for recognition with a Long Teaching Award.

Two classes will graduate in 2021: the first graduates of the School’s new 3-year, year-round curriculum, and the last graduates of the School’s traditional 4-year curriculum. As a result there were three Didactic Teaching Awards given out this year instead of two.

The Class of 2021P selected Conan MacDougall, PharmD, the instructor of Clinical Pharmacy 131, as teacher of the year, praising his “positive energy and humor” and his teaching format, which encourages questions and participation.

Adam Melgoza, MS, who teaches Pharmacology 131, was named teaching assistant of the year by the Class of 2021P, which cited his passion for teaching.

Rupa Tuan, PhD, who teaches Pharmacology in multiple integrated themes, was the Class of 2021T’s teacher of the year. Tuan was selected for being an “excellent professor and an invaluable resource” and her embrace of technology like PollEV, a tool that allows teachers to ask questions and receive responses from students.

The Class of 2022’s teacher of the year award went to Leslie Floren, PharmD, MA, who teaches Pharmacy Integrated Sciences 112 and Respiratory Science & Therapeutics. The class praised Floren for being an incredible educator and for her enormous empathy for her students.

For the IPPE Preceptor Awards, the Class of 2021P selected Vicki Jue, PharmD, UCSF General Internal Medicine, and the Class of 2021T picked Rebecca Florez, PharmD, who works in heart and lung transplants at UCSF Health. Mira Parekh, PharmD, who is a pharmacist at UCSF Medical Center, was the Class of 2022’s selection.

In addition, the following preceptors received Apples for Preceptors awards: Korana Avdagic, PharmD, UCSF Medical Center; Katherine Bagget, PharmD, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital; Tram Cat, PharmD, Medication Reconciliation at UCSF Health; Valerie Clinard, PharmD, associate dean in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy; Steve Grapentine, PharmD, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital; Janet Grochowski, PharmD, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center; Nancy Hung, PharmD, UCSF Medical Center; Liseli Mulala, PhD, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital; Marilyn Stebbins, PharmD, Community Care Transitions Project; Felice Wu, PharmD, UCSF Medical Center; and Catherine Yen, PharmD, UCSF Medical Center.

Students in the School’s five Experiential Programs selected preceptors for recognition with a Long Teaching Award. These are outstanding clinical educators who apply knowledge of the basic health sciences to patient care, ensuring the best educational opportunities for students and the highest quality care for patients. The winners this year were: Rebecca Wittenberg, PharmD, UC Davis Health; Christopher Hajou, PharmD, Family HealthCare Network; Tiffany Phung, PharmD, UC Irvine Specialty Pharmacy; Patrick O’Meara, PharmD, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center; and Rose Pavlakos, PharmD, UCSF Medical Center.