UMatters

[The following was provided by the Office of Public Relations.]

School of Pharmacy Clinical Assistant Professor Kristen DiDonato was recently inducted by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation into the 2012-2013 inaugural class for the Foundation’s Faculty Scholars Program. Launched earlier this year, the Faculty Scholars Program is designed to educate assistant professors from U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy about designing, implementing and publishing community pharmacy-based patient care research. 

DiDonato graduated from The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency with an Emphasis in Community Care from The Ohio State University and the Kroger Patient Care Center in Columbus, Ohio. She has been a member of the UMKC faculty since 2009 and practices at Red Cross Pharmacy in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

“Dr. DiDonato is a champion in the classroom as an educator and in her practice site as a teacher, preceptor and patient care provider. She has built and expanded a tremendous collaboration with Red Cross Pharmacies that has enabled development of an outstanding extramurally funded community residency program,” said Russell Melchert, Ph.D., dean of the School of Pharmacy.

DiDonato was one of only five professors of pharmacy from across the country to receive this year’s inaugural distinction. As participants in the NACDS Foundation Faculty Scholars Program, each Scholar will participate in advanced educational opportunities through in-person meetings, regular conference calls, individualized mentoring, web-based lecture material and online discussion forums. The Scholars will engage in peer-to-peer review, receiving support from an experienced network of researchers nationwide. They also will be eligible to receive a research grant to launch a community pharmacy-based, patient-centered care project.