SOP’s Eddington, Sera Named Leaders in Health Care by Baltimore Business Journal

Inaugural awards celebrate doctors, nurses, hospital leaders, and other health care workers for dedication to helping people.

By Malissa Carroll
November 3, 2020

Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FCP, FAAPS, dean and professor of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, and Leah Sera, PharmD, MA, BCPS, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science (PPS) and director of the MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program at the School of Pharmacy, have been named as two of the recipients of the Baltimore Business Journal’s inaugural Leaders in Health Care Awards. Established in late 2019, these awards celebrate doctors, nurses, hospital leaders, and other health care workers for their profound dedication to helping people.

Eddington and Sera were recognized in the medical cannabis category of the Leaders in Health Care Awards, applauding their work in developing and launching the School of Pharmacy’s MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program – the first graduate program in the United States dedicated to the study of medical cannabis.

“I was thrilled to learn that the Baltimore Business Journal planned to recognize me and Dr. Sera with its inaugural Leaders in Health Care Awards in the area of medical cannabis,” says Eddington. “The demand for an educated workforce in medical cannabis has never been higher. Our program is designed to prepare students to meet this demand and make a positive impact on their communities. I thank the Baltimore Business Journal for seeing the value in this critical work, especially during these challenging times.”

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Baltimore Business Journal for our work to establish the School’s MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program,” adds Sera. “This program is incredibly unique, because there truly is no other educational program that offers the in-depth instruction on the science, policy, and therapeutics of medical cannabis that the students who are accepted into our program receive. Receiving this award really validates all of the hard work that we poured into creating this first-of-its-kind program.”

Launched in 2019, the MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics is a two-year program that blends online instruction with face-to-face experiences to prepare graduates to respond to the increasing demand for medical cannabis with an understanding of the basic science and clinical uses of the cannabis plant. Students who complete the program are well-equipped with the knowledge needed to support patients and the medical cannabis industry, add to existing research, and develop well-informed medical cannabis policy.

The Baltimore Business Journal received more than 130 nominations for its Leaders in Health Care Awards. Only 15 health care professionals were selected as honorees, including Eddington and Sera.

All award recipients will be recognized during a virtual celebration hosted by the Baltimore Business Journal on Dec. 3. Recipients will also appear in a special print edition of the publication on Dec. 4.

To learn more about the School of Pharmacy’s MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program, please visit the program website.

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