Parker Named Interim Dean of the College of Pharmacy

Debra L. Parker, RPh, Pharm.D., has been named Interim Dean of The University of Findlay’s College of Pharmacy for the academic year beginning Aug. 1. Parker has been serving as associate professor of pharmacy practice at UF since 2006 and as chair of the Pharmacy Practice Department since 2009.
In addition to her role at UF, Parker has maintained a clinical practice with St. Rita’s Health Management Group in Lima since 2012, where she works collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary group of health professionals to provide patients with medication therapy management services. Parker served in a similar role at Blanchard Valley Medical Associates in Findlay, Ohio, from 2006-2012, and is the former director of clinical pharmacy services at Physicians Inc., in Lima where she directed multiple disease state management clinics, including diabetes, heart failure, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and anticoagulation clinics.
In addition, Parker has served as a preceptor for Ohio Northern University, and as an adjunct professor for both the University of Toledo and The Ohio State University. She is past president and active member of the Ohio Pharmacists Association and holds membership in numerous professional societies including the American Association of the Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Diabetes Association and American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists.
She is active in scholarship, including authoring a chapter in the 4^th edition of “A Guide for Pharmacists,” journal publications in U.S. Pharmacist and Formulary; and peer-reviewed poster presentations at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Society of Health Systems and the Nonprescription Medicines Academy. Her scholarly interests include application of drug information; adherence and health outcomes in ambulatory, geriatric, internal medicine, and cardiology populations, with special interest in anticoagulation and diabetes care.
Parker has been awarded Preceptor of the Year at Ohio Northern University, Teacher of the Year in the UF College of Pharmacy, the National Community Pharmacists Association Pharmacy Leadership Award, the Ohio Pharmacists Association’s McKesson President’s Award and the Elan Pharmaceutical Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award.
Parker holds a doctor of pharmacy from Ohio Northern University and completed a pharmacy practice residency at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus. She is a certified anticoagulation provider, a certified diabetes educator, a clinical lipid specialist and is a board certified pharmacotherapy specialist.
She is passionate about innovative pharmacy practice and inspiring students to practice collaboratively with other healthcare professionals in order to take the best possible care of patients.