Three Pharmacists Win AACP Preceptor of the Year Awards

Drs. Ifeanyi Egbunike-Chukwuma, Kristen Fink, and Patricia Ross were named Preceptors of the Year by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

By Andrew Tie
February 24, 2022

(Pictured left to right: Drs. Kristen Fink, Ifeanyi Egbunike-Chukwuma, and Patricia A. Ross)

Three University of Maryland School of Pharmacy preceptors received 2021 Preceptor of the Year Awards from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP).

The 2021 winners include Ifeanyi Egbunike-Chukwuma, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, preceptor at the University of Maryland Midtown Campus; Kristen Fink, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, CDCES, preceptor at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Region, and Patricia A. Ross, PharmD, MEdHP, BCACP, preceptor at John Hopkins Hospital.

They were three of 166 individuals selected to receive the award, which recognizes preceptors from across the United States for their commitment to teaching student pharmacists and dedication to the patient care team.

“We are incredibly excited that AACP recognized three of our long-standing preceptors with this award,” says Agnes Ann Feemster, PharmD, BCPS, the School of Pharmacy’s assistant dean for experiential learning and associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science. “This national honor acknowledges the sustained commitment and dedication that Drs. Egbunike-Chukwuma, Fink, and Ross have to excellence in experiential education and pharmacy practice. Our students are fortunate to benefit from their influence and expertise.”

Preceptors are a key element of the School of Pharmacy’s experiential learning program (ELP), which comprises more than 30 percent of the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. During their ELP rotations, student pharmacists are immersed in real-world settings with preceptors, who are practicing pharmacists and other health care professionals and who oversee students during introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences. The School of Pharmacy works with more than 850 preceptors and 500 practice sites.

In addition to national recognition, Drs. Egbunike-Chukwuma, Fink, and Ross received a certificate of recognition, a two-year complimentary AACP membership, and access to programming, resources, and tools for pharmacy education preceptors.

“Each of these preceptors is an important ELP partner,” Feemster says. “They contribute significant time to precepting high quality rotations in their unique practice areas. They create learning experiences tailored to the individual interests and needs of the student and provide challenging opportunities for professional growth.

“Dr. Egbunike-Chukwuma is known for helping students hone project management skills and further develop confidence and independence through various projects and committee activities. Both Dr. Fink and Dr. Ross coordinate rotations for multiple students across two very large organizations and are very engaged in School activities through teaching and committee involvement.”

Ifeanyi Egbunike-Chukwuma, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP

Egbunike-Chukwuma has precepted students for 14 years and is director of pharmacy services at the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus. She teaches in two courses: Quality and Safety in Health-System Practice and Health System Pharmacy Practice.

“I am deeply honored by this recognition,” Egbunike-Chukwuma says. “My continued professional growth and development is aligned to that of my students. As with every teacher, I take great pleasure in their successes and cheer their contributions to our great profession. It is my privilege to be part of the team of teachers and clinicians that advance the profession of pharmacy by participating in the training of students.”

Kristen Fink, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, CDCES

The academic affairs coordinator and pharmacy residency program director for Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Region, Fink has been a preceptor at the School for eight years. She teaches in the Leadership and Management course.

“Working with students is one of my favorite parts of my job,” Fink says. “I view my role as helping them to experience and explore facets of the profession they may not see in their everyday life, and in turn, I learn something new from them every day. The exuberance for pharmacy that students bring always reinforces how exciting and meaningful our profession is and inspires me to be the best pharmacist and preceptor I can be. I cannot even express how much this award means to me.”

Patricia A. Ross, PharmD, MEdHP, BCACP

Patricia A. Ross has worked with the School of Pharmacy as a preceptor for 13 years teaching in two courses, Ambulatory Care and Quality and Safety in Health-System Practice. She is the clinical pharmacy specialist and residency program director PGY-2 ambulatory care at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

“Serving as a preceptor to University of Maryland, Baltimore pharmacy students is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,” Ross says. “It is a joy to teach students and watch them develop into independent pharmacy practitioners.”

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