by Nicole Hackett, Student Public Relations Writer
Dr. Justin Cole, director of the Center for Pharmacy Innovation and assistant professor of pharmacy practice, has been named the new chair of the department of pharmacy practice at Cedarville University’s School of Pharmacy.
“My primary aim as chair is to support our faculty in a way that allows them to achieve excellence as teachers, clinicians, scholars, mentors and servants of Christ,” explained Cole. “I want to help our faculty steward the wisdom and resources that God has graciously provided to impact not only the development of our students but also the physical and spiritual health of the patients they serve.”
Before coming to Cedarville, Cole served as the pharmacy clinical coordinator at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. There, he was responsible for the oversight and strategic development of clinical and investigational drug services.
Now, Cole focuses his teaching, research and clinical interests around pediatric pharmacy practice. He continues to practice in pediatrics and actively serves in national pharmacy organizations, including the Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Cole also serves as the pharmacy lead for Grace Clinics of Ohio's Hardin Clinic, a free medical clinic in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
As the new chair, Cole will recruit, supervise, mentor and evaluate faculty members in the pharmacy practice department. He will also work with the chair of pharmaceutical sciences to implement and improve the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.
Cole’s role as the director of the Center for Pharmacy Innovation will shift to focus more on developing partnerships between the school of pharmacy and outside agencies. “My hope is to connect external partners with individual faculty members that can lead and manage the innovative projects, impactful research and disruptive change we desire to foster in the field of pharmacy,” said Cole.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Doctor of Pharmacy program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.