School of Pharmacy Launches Unique Regulatory Affairs-Academia Fellowship

The Pacific University School of Pharmacy and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy have been involved in an ongoing implementation of a new regulatory affairs and academia fellowship — the first of its kind. The inaugural fellow is Tim Frost, who shared a bit about his experience in this Q&A. 

What is your background and what prepared you for this fellowship experience?

"I graduated from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2017 with my PharmD. While completing pharmacy school I was president of the University of Toledo APhA-ASP chapter and had a strong pharmacy advocacy presence on the state level through the Ohio Pharmacist Association and national level through the American Pharmacist Association (APhA). During an APPE rotation with the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy, I discovered my passion for public policy and regulatory affairs."

What is your primary teaching assignment for the Pacific University School of Pharmacy?

"I am primarily involved in providing pharmacy law content in the Social and Administrative Sciences block curriculum. I have created and begun to implement a new pharmacy law curriculum that engages students in law content prior to them beginning their respective IPPE and APPE rotations. Because law is not static and is subject to change over the span of a pharmacist career, I work hard to help students learn how to find, interpret, and apply relevant pharmacy law content. In addition, I serve as key member on the Alumni and Marketing Committee."

What is your role at the Oregon Board of Pharmacy?

"My main board project has been the implementation of HB 2397 and the development of the Public Health and Pharmacy Formulary Advisory Committee. This work has included a plethora of research related to pharmacist prescribing and subsequent drafting of committee rules and pharmacist prescribing rules. In addition, I work very closely with OBOP pharmacist consultant writing various rule drafts for the Board to review, delivering outreach presentations to stakeholders, and occasionally performing inspections of drug outlets."

What experiences have you enjoyed the most from your fellowship so far?

"This fellowship is the first joint fellowship in the country between a college of pharmacy and a board of pharmacy. I have truly enjoyed seeing the collaboration between the OBOP, colleges of pharmacy, and industry representatives to facilitate meaningful conversations and change related to the practice of pharmacy in Oregon. The most rewarding aspect of this fellowship has been to inspire students at PUSOP to embrace and advocate for changes in pharmacy law that improve patient care. I always aim to help student pharmacists make evidence-based decisions on the historically emotional and controversial topics."