Bariso Argo, left, a College of Pharmacy student, talks with preceptor Sandy Anderson at the Old Town Clinic in downtown Portland. (photo: Jan Sonnenmair)

PORTLAND, Ore. – Driving along Burnside Street in downtown Portland, it’s difficult to ignore some of the area’s most vulnerable residents. For those living on downtown streets, shelter and food are often uncertain, and basic health care needs go unmet.

In the heart of the neighborhood, though, one organization is committed to providing medical care to this population. The Old Town Clinic has, for nearly three decades, provided health care on a sliding-scale fee schedule to the low-income and homeless citizens. Approximately 40 percent of the clients are uninsured and nearly all fall below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The clinic is part of the nonprofit organization Central City Concern.

Four years ago, OSU College of Pharmacy alumna and pharmacist Sandra Anderson began volunteering part time at the clinic.  Anderson, who is an affiliated faculty member of Oregon State University’s College of Pharmacy, was looking for a way to become more involved in her community and to use her expertise in helping patients with their medications.

Working with physicians, Anderson is able to provide medications to patients at no cost and foster relationships with both clinic staff and patients to improve clinical outcomes, as well as provide pharmacy students at Oregon State with an outstanding opportunity to work closely with clinic patients.

“I really enjoy working with the caring professionals here at the clinic, and it is very rewarding to see the benefits of the collaborative care we are able to provide,” she said. “The providers are very open to working with a pharmacist and communicating with me. I was able to significantly impact the quality of pharmaceutical care that these patients were receiving.”

Originally, Anderson’s job was to label, manage and distribute drug samples donated by pharmaceutical companies for clinic doctors to provide to uninsured patients. Eventually, the clinic became part of a federal program that helps to fund the purchase of medications. At that point, creating a fully functioning pharmacy became imperative.

Last year, with help from the OSU College of Pharmacy, the clinic received a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant to create an on-site pharmacy, and Anderson was hired as the pharmacist in charge.

The pharmacy is also the first in the state to be licensed as a Charitable Pharmacy, an entirely new category of pharmacy in Oregon, allowing Anderson to accept medication donations from long-term care facilities and other places that have unused, still-sealed containers of medicine they no longer need. Oregon recently passed a law allowing for the creation of Charitable Pharmacies, thanks in large part to the work of Rep. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis), who introduced the legislation at the request of her friend Deanna Kingston, an associate professor at OSU who has battled cancer.

Anderson is a preceptor with the OSU College of Pharmacy, which bases part of its program in Portland at Oregon Health Sciences University, and had already been bringing pharmacy students to the clinic on the days she volunteered. The creation of the on-site pharmacy allowed her to significantly expand the opportunities she could provide to those students.

Every six weeks, Anderson gets a new set of three fourth-year OSU College of  Pharmacy students who work in the pharmacy every day, as well as three third-year students who work there once a week.

Students are able to answer questions that providers and patients ask, and have time to review charts and evaluate the medications patients are taking. This gives them the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in class to real-life situations.

“Oregon State University College of Pharmacy at both the Corvallis campus and the OHSU campus,  has  provided an outstanding pharmacy education,” Anderson said. “The students have a lot to offer. This allows them the opportunity to utilize their clinical pharmacy knowledge and provide excellent pharmaceutical care and medication management to the patients at our clinic.”

At the clinic, students have the time and opportunity to do one-on-one medication consultations with patients, which expands their exposure to direct patient care, helps to streamline and coordinate care at the clinic by preventing duplication of therapy, and keeping providers up to date on the patient’s medications.

“It’s storytelling,” Anderson said. “Often people aren’t fully aware of their health conditions and how their medications impact their health… If they have time to sit and story tell, and say ‘This is how I feel, these are the symptoms,’ we can provide chart notes for providers so that next time they see that patient they have a more complete picture of what’s going on.”

Anderson measures out a prescription at the pharmacy in the Old Town Clinic. (photo: Jan Sonnenmair)

By sitting down with patients, pharmacists can often learn about barriers that prevent them from taking their medications correctly. It can be as simple as a pill that’s too large to swallow, or frustration at having to take several medications at once.  The pharmacy student may suggest an alternative form of a medication, changes in the dosing schedule or alternative medications that may help.

“You really choose the medication to fit with the person’s lifestyle and who they are, and find out what works for them, because it’s all about the patient,” Anderson said.

Tyson Elliot is a fourth-year pharmacy student working at the clinic. The Bend native said he liked the collaborative nature of Old Town Clinic, and the impact that the  students have on the health and outcomes for the patients.

“What we’re allowed to do here is really progressive,” he said, because students have the chance to use the skills they’ve acquired in class, and encouraging them to consult with patients, something they might not get to do as intently in another pharmacy setting.

Barisa Argo, also an OSU College of Pharmacy student, is from Oromia, in East Africa. He is a former employee of the American Red Cross National Testing Laboratory. Argo said he saw many people dying from lack of care in his home country, and appreciates the opportunity to work in a facility that focused on residents with the greatest needs.

“This is our chance to learn and to give back to the community,” he said.

For fourth-year student Mariah Doty of Portland, building relationships with patients is the most important part of her work.

“We make sure they get the medicine they need,” Doty said. “We’re happy that patients are taking care of themselves.”

“The patients love the pharmacy students,” Anderson said. “The students are so accessible to help answer their questions about their medications.  With our clients, when they come into the clinic with a concern or question you must address it immediately because you may not see them again for a month or two.”

Above all, Anderson feels immensely supported by the College of Pharmacy as she continues helping Portland’s most vulnerable community members.

“I owe the OSU College of Pharmacy a big thank you,” she said. “They have been so supportive in helping me develop the pharmacy at Old Town Clinic.  The college helped us apply for the HRSA grant, prepares the students for this rigorous clinical experience, and has provided educational programs that have helped me to evolve this practice site as the profession of pharmacy has changed.”

And at the same time, Anderson and her students are helping change lives.

“One of the big things about this clinic is, our message is hope.”

~ Theresa Hogue

Mark Zabriskie has been named Dean of the College of Pharmacy.

Mark Zabriskie, a professor of medicinal chemistry and natural products at Oregon State University who specializes in the search for natural product drug leads, has been named dean of OSU’s College of Pharmacy.

He succeeds Wayne Kradjan, who is stepping down after leading the college for the past 10 years.

Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost and executive vice president, praised Kradjan’s contributions to the university, which included successfully implementing the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program through which students study two years at OSU and spend their third year at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. Randhawa said Zabriskie would provide continuity in leadership at the helm of Oregon’s premier pharmacy program.

“Wayne Kradjan led the college through a period of transformation and growth as the role for professional pharmacists grew much more complex and multi-faceted,” Randhawa said, “and we are thankful to him for transitioning the college to the Pharm.D. program. Mark Zabriskie has the skills and vision to enable the college to continue to grow its education programs, its research, and its overall impact – and he has the broad support of colleagues within the college.”

As dean, Zabriskie will assume leadership of a college that annually enrolls more than 300 students in a pharmacy program that in addition to the Pharm.D., offers a research-based doctoral degree and a master’s degree. The college also plays a leadership role in providing continuing education for professional pharmacists and has active research programs in drug discovery, pharmacology, drug delivery and metabolism, pharmacotherapy and the impact of pharmaceutical policy on care and costs and patient outcomes.

The college has 34 faculty members, nine staff members and about 50 “affiliate” faculty members around the Northwest who help provide education and mentorship for students. Additionally, the college works with more than 1,000 preceptors at hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and other locations where students receive extensive experience that prepares them for their careers.

OSU’s College of Pharmacy offers a joint degree program with its partner, Oregon Health & Science University, and has a satellite facility at OHSU’s South Waterfront campus in Portland.

“I am honored to be asked to serve as the dean of the College of Pharmacy at OSU and to succeed Wayne Kradjan, who did an outstanding job of leading the college through a period of transition and tremendous growth,” said Zabriskie. “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with a dedicated faculty and exceptional groups of students and alumni as we continue to advance the college’s goals of training exceptional pharmacists and conducting world-class research.”

Zabriskie received his education at the University of Utah where he obtained a B.S. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry. He continued his training at the University of Alberta where he held NSF/NATO and Killam Trust postdoctoral fellowships. In 1992 he joined the faculty of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Oregon State University.

His research has focused on the discovery and biosynthesis of biologically-active microbial natural products. He and his colleagues are presently screening rare soil bacteria collected in Indonesia and extremophilic bacteria gathered near deep sea hydrothermal vents for novel anticancer and anti-infective compounds, and are studying the molecular genetics and enzymology of peptide antibiotic biosynthesis in order to produce new agents with improved therapeutic properties.

Nkwenti Davidson Achu returned from Cameroon to Oregon State University in June to receive the Noel. B Flynn Award for Alumni Achievement with the College of Pharmacy. Here he is giving a talk during the awards ceremony before presenting Dean Wayne Kradjan, left, a red feather as a ceremonial gesture of respect. Achu is a leader in his country for his work with pharmacists and his advocacy for diabetes treatment. (photo: Celene Carillo)

Nkwenti Davidson Achu received the Noel B. Flynn Award for Alumni Achievement on June 11. During the event, Achu spoke on “Health Care and Pharmacy Practice in Cameroon.” A traditional Cameroon tea ceremony and a Red Feather presentation, also a Cameroon tradition, followed the event

Achu is the president of the Cameroon Diabetes Association, the owner of a popular Cameroon pharmacy, president of the National Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Cameroon and vice president of the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association. Through the years he has been a champion for the treatment of chronic diseases, and has helped create three pharmacy schools in the country, using lessons he gained from his time at Oregon State University.

He originally came to OSU because of the College of Pharmacy’s strong national reputation, and because some American friends he’d met in Cameroon were living in Portland. Achu found it challenging to be the only black student, and the only African, in pharmacy school at OSU, but he says he found he administration receptive to his needs and concerns.

“On the whole my stay at Oregon State University was splendid,” he said. “That is why I have established a life-long relationship with the university and the College of Pharmacy in particular.”

Achu said the pharmacy curriculum helped him develop skills to face both professional and personal challenges later in life.

“I remember (former) Dean Richard Ohvall’s words, ‘My students, I know how hard your studies are, but you will only appreciate what we are doing to you after you have successfully completed your studies here.’”

After graduation, Achu returned to Cameroon and got a job with the Ministry of Public Health as a pharmacy inspector. He found the job tedious and paperwork heavy, and felt that he wasn’t able to use the skills he’d gained at OSU. This feeling was reinforced when his mother was diagnosed with a lump in her breast, and had to go through a mastectomy.

While spending time at the hospital, he volunteered to help out doctors there, and uncovered an incident where an employee accidentally dispensed the wrong medication to a patient, which resulted in the patient’s death.

This galvanized Achu’s determination to find a way to more directly help people. He requested a transfer to a hospital, and was eventually appointed director of Nkongsamba Divisional Hospital, where he also supervised work in five other hospitals. There, he established an “ideal unit dose” system for medications based on similar systems in American hospitals. This helped prevent medical directors from stealing hospital medicines and gave pharmacies a say in the hospital’s drug budget.

After spending time directing a national office for pharmaceutical products, Achu went into private practice, and created Professional Plaza Pharmacy, which is now one of the leading pharmacies in Cameroon. The pharmacy has a referral and improvised drug information service, and pharmacists often refer their patients to specialists when they see the need, and are trained to follow up and make sure the patients have received proper treatment.

“When I was director of pharmacy in Nkongsamba Hospital I found that general care of patients with chronic diseases was poor,” Achu said. “I started organizing refresher courses for nurses and doctors and I gave talks on management of patients with chronic diseases.”

Achu has also created a pilot regional diabetes education center, where diabetes educators receive training. He became interested in diabetes issues when his wife Phebe, a nurse, was researching diabetes as part of her studies. He and his wife have now been certified to train diabetes educators, and Achu is president of the Cameroon Diabetes Association. He is also a member of the International Diabetes Federation Managing Board for Africa, and he helped write a diabetes training manual for sub Saharan Africa.
Achu and his wife have four children. Sharon is a post-graduate student at Portland State University who is planning on going to pharmacy school and follow in her father’s footsteps. Emmanuel is a pre-med graduate who will start medical school this fall. Vanessh is a second year law student and the youngest, Genlyn, will start college in the fall. Within the next five years, both he and his wife hope to retire, and he hopes his daughter Sharon will take over running Professional Plaza Pharmacy.

~ Theresa Hogue

R. Logen Logendran, professor and graduate program chair of the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at OSU, has been named a fellow with the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) professional association. Logendran will be honored at the IIE Annual Conference and Expo May 31 in Miami. The award recognizes outstanding leaders of the industrial engineering profession who have made significant contributions to the industrial engineering field. Logendran is known for his significant research contributions in two specific areas within manufacturing systems — design of cellular manufacturing and group scheduling.
In 1996, he received the Most Favorite Teacher of the Year award by the IIE student chapter at Oregon State University.

Pharmacy alum from Cameroon gives lecture at OSU

During the College of Pharmacy Graduation Recognition Ceremony on June 12, the College is bestowing the Noel Flynn Alumni Excellence Award to Nkwenti Davidson Achu, Class of 1982. Nkwenti lives and practices in his native county of Cameroon, West Africa where he owns his own pharmacy, is president of the Cameroon Pharmaceutical Society, is assisting in the development of the first college of pharmacy in Cameroon, and is active in international Diabetes Education and Prevention initiatives.
Nkwenti will present a lecture to the campus community at 3 p.m., June 11 about pharmacy practice and medical care in Cameroon, followed by a reception with College of Pharmacy faculty and students. The public is welcome to attend his lecture.

Local printmaker holds artist reception in MU Concourse

Half a century making a living as a fine and graphic artist, Earl Newman has created many masterful series of hand silk screened posters. A number of these, along with drawings and tools of the trade will be displayed in a one-person exhibit at Oregon State University’s Memorial Union Concourse Gallery. The solo exhibit entitled “Earl Newman: 50 Years of Printmaking” opened May 20 and runs through the end of August. Newman will come to campus May 28 for a gallery talk and artist reception in the Memorial Union Concourse at 5 p.m.

Sunderland named emeritus for work in agricultural education

Paul Sunderland has been granted the title Associate Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Education and General Agriculture by OSU President Ed Ray. The title assures Sunderland of life membership on the university faculty with associated rights and privileges. The title went into effect March 31.

OSU Women’s Choir tour ends with Corvallis performance

Bella Voce, the Oregon State University women’s choir, directed by Dr. Tina Bull, embarked on a tour earlier this month, performing three concerts at schools in the greater Portland area, heading north to Seattle. They are returning to perform a May 29 concert in Corvallis. The Corvallis concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 4515 SW West Hills Road. Admission is $5 at the door. OSU students will be admitted for free.

Oregon Sea Grant wins numerous design and communication awards

Oregon Sea Grant has won four awards–two Platinums, a Gold, and an Honorable Mention–in the international Hermes Creative Awards 2009 competition.
On the Lookout for Aquatic Invaders won a Platinum in the Design/Publication Overall category; Boats of the Oregon Coast was awarded Platinum for Publications/Handbook; Oregon Sea Grant Program Report 2007 earned a Gold for Video/Internal Communication; and Oregon Sea Grant Publications & Videos 2008 received an Honorable Mention in Publications/Catalog.

Forest management candidates give presentations May 28

The two College of Forestry finalists for the N.B. and Jacqueline Giustina Professor of Forest Management will present their visions for disciplinary leadership in teaching, research and outreach for sustainable management of planted forests on May 28. Doug Maguire will hold his presentation at 9 p.m., and Claire Montgomery will hold hers at 11 a.m., both in Richardson Hall, room 107. Receptions will follow.
Candidates’ resumes available at http://www.cof.orst.edu/Giustina.php.