by Linda Awdishu, PharmD, MAS (Division Head, Clinical Pharmacy) and Brookie Best, PharmD, MAS (Dean)
With sadness and appreciation, we share the news that Dr. Laura Hart will be leaving our UC San Diego Skaggs family to pursue an exciting career opportunity in a tenure track faculty position in geriatrics at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmacy. Additionally, Dr. Hart will join the leadership team in the role of Assistant Director of the Plein Center for Geriatric Pharmacy Research, Education and Outreach, and will be appointed as the David and Anita Bailey Faculty Fellow in Geriatric Pharmacy. Dr. Hart has graciously agreed to stay on until December 2023 and will begin her new position in January 2024.
As many of you know, Dr. Hart's pharmacy training began at the University of Washington where she completed her PharmD, PGY2 geriatrics residency training, geriatric pharmacotherapy fellowship training, and her Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy. She joined SSPPS in 2018 and has made stellar contributions over the past 5 years. She demonstrated a strong commitment to students through mentorship and involvement in numerous student organizations in addition to formal teaching responsibilities in Pharmacy Practice, Drug Information, Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, and Applied Pharmacoeconomics. She has fostered a safe environment for students to feel welcomed and supported. She has spearheaded efforts to improve inclusivity for students within the LGBTQIA+ community. She started a new clinical practice in the Geriatric Medicine Clinic at UC San Diego Health and was enthusiastically welcomed in the Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Care. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the SSPPS Associated Students Teaching Award, University of Washington School of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni Award: Early Career Achievement Award, ASCP Next-Gen Rx Award and ASCP Fellow status. These are a few highlights of her many achievements.
We are sad to lose Dr. Hart as she will be returning to her alma mater pharmacy school in this new role. We are so excited for Laura and wish her continued success as this new position will support her research program and academic career path. The school will be holding a reception in her honor sometime at the end of the upcoming Fall Quarter. Please join us in congratulating Laura on this exciting new journey!
Congratulations, Dr. Laura Hart!