Message from the President

Alan Kadish, MD
President
Touro College & University System

Dear Graduates,

Congratulations to the entire graduating class of 2020! It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to the ninth commencement of the Touro College of Pharmacy. We regret that circumstances do not allow us to all be in one room together today, but we are certainly joined in spirit.

Today, we honor and celebrate the culmination of your hard work and your commitment to fulfilling your dreams. I am confident that you will continue to transform your aspirations into realities.

Touro College of Pharmacy provides an innovative educational environment that combines classroom instruction with experiential training. It is our hope that this unique approach to pharmaceutical education has prepared you with the skills necessary to succeed in a field that is rapidly and constantly evolving.

Your experiences here have also been enriched by Touro’s strong ties to the Harlem neighborhood. In the pursuit of our mission to educate and model the values of compassion, service and social justice, I am confident that we have instilled in you a commitment to serve humankind. You are ambassadors of our institution, and your service to your communities attests to the values of our mission. Now is the time to apply all the knowledge and skills you have learned at Touro and live with passion and purpose.

As alumni, you are members of the Touro family. I invite you to join us in alumni activities, stay connected and share your stories of success so that we may continue to take pride in your achievements. You will always remain a part of Touro’s legacy and future.

Best wishes,

Alan Kadish, MD

Message from the Dean

Henry Cohen, PharmD, MSc, FCCM, BCPP, BCGP
Dean and Professor, Touro College of Pharmacy

Dear Members of the Class of 2020,

Congratulations on completing your Doctor of Pharmacy at the Touro College of Pharmacy. It is a distinction you have earned with your hard work and dedication, and an achievement of which you and your family can be justly proud, wherever your future careers take you. You are talented and passionate, and you have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to education and patient care.

You will soon join the ranks of one of the most trusted and rewarding professions. You are the only healthcare professionals dedicated to the intricacies of drug products handling and preparation, and the sophistication of drug mechanisms, actions and uses. You are the medication expert and an essential member of the healthcare team. Indeed, we have witnessed increasingly prominent and high-profile contributions from pharmacists in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. Pharmacists are administering the COVID-19 nasopharyngeal tests and COVID-19 antibody tests in community pharmacies, compounding hand sanitizers, counseling patients on off-label use of drugs such as Hydroxychloroquine, designing pharmacotherapy treatment algorithms and participating in research for new antiviral compounds such as Remdesivir.

The extensive education and training you have received from the College’s dedicated and passionate faculty has prepared you for a wide world of opportunities - in community pharmacy, long-term care, ambulatory and in-patient settings, drug information, public health, research, management, marketing, sales, pharmaceutical industry, pharmacogenetics and more. Whatever path you choose, we are confident that you will be successful pharmacists prepared to practice at the top of your license.

Remember too that the distinction you have achieved today carries with it great responsibilities. Always be mindful of the mission of the College, to promote wellness, especially among the underserved populations around the corner and across the globe, to contribute to scientific knowledge and to improve the profession. As you provide compassionate patient care, and share your knowledge; maximize patient safety, and advance the profession through research and service, your reputation, and the reputation of our College will continue to grow, your achievements will inspire our future students, and patient by patient and project by project, the world will become a better place.

This is also the beginning of what we hope will be a lifelong relationship. We look forward to you sharing knowledge with our students and serving as preceptors, mentors and speakers at College events. We will always be here for you and hope you will return often. We are most proud of you and look forward to your career accomplishments. You are outstanding College of Pharmacy alumni; we are excited that you are part of the Touro family and delighted to welcome you as members of the profession.

Sincerely,

Henry Cohen, PharmD, MSc

Message from the Provost

Patricia E. Salkin, JD
Provost, Graduate and Professional Divisions

Dear Members of the Class of 2020,

On behalf of the Administration of Touro College, it is a pleasure to congratulate you and your families on your accomplishments, and an honor to be a part of this special day. While many refer to the day as a “Graduation Ceremony,” I prefer the word “Commencement,” because it signals that this is not the end but a beginning. You have worked hard throughout your professional career where you will have the opportunity to contribute to our society in countless important and meaningful ways by virtue of the distinction you have earned.

The privilege of becoming a licensed pharmacist also carries important responsibilities that have been evident throughout your Touro College of Pharmacy career. Remember why you chose Touro and why Touro chose you – a focus on public health, cultural awareness, and community service – and a commitment to, among other things, serving under-resourced communities and providing outreach and education about preventive care locally and globally. When you leave here today, we know that you will take seriously these ideals and commitments and put them into practice in whatever professional setting you choose.

As you know, pharmacy education and the practice of pharmacy continue to evolve. Touro College of Pharmacy has given you the tools you need to become effective lifelong learners in the fields of pharmacy practice and research. We are confident that as professionals, you will play leadership roles in the future directions of the profession, in government regulation, the advancement of research and science and service to the public.

We look forward to learning of your successes and invite you to continue your relationship with Touro as mentors, presenters, preceptors, and members of our growing alumni community. We hope you will return often; we will always be here for you.

Congratulations again on a job well done.

Sincerely,

Patricia E. Salkin, JD

Message from the Executive Team

Dear Members of the Class of 2020,

Congratulations on this major accomplishment and significant milestone in your life! You have built your fortitude and resilience in this most challenging year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are confident that as you leave the Touro College of Pharmacy, you are prepared for your life’s journey as a pharmacist. We know that the education and experiences you have received here have not only helped you grow intellectually but professionally and personally. With the guidance and advice of administration, faculty and staff, you have worked hard to build a solid foundation on which to establish your career. We are sure you will use these professional and clinical skills to provide outstanding health care to those you will be serving in the years to come.

As you begin the next phase in your life, remember that you will always have a home and family here at the Touro College of Pharmacy. We hope you will stay connected to the College, to the professors who have mentored you and to the friends with whom you have shared your professional educational experience.

We wish you the very best,

Abraham M. Jeger, PhD, Chief Operating Officer and Associate Dean, Student Affairs

Martin Brown, MS, RPh, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

Zvi Loewy, PhD, Associate Dean, Research

Heidi Fuchs, Assistant Dean, Admissions and Enrollment Management

Cheuk (Michael) Liu, PharmD, Assistant Dean, Clinical and Professional Affairs

Batoul Senhaji-Tomza, PharmD, MPH, Assistant Dean, Curriculum

Bupendra Shah, PhD, Assistant Dean, Assessment

Nelly Adel, PharmD, Chair, Pharmacy Practice

Sidhartha Ray, PhD, Interim Chair, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Science

Elizabeth Unni, PhD, MBA, BPharm, Chair, Social, Behavioral and Administrative Sciences

Keynote Speaker

Paul W. Abramowitz, PharmD, ScD (Hon), FASHP
Chief Executive Officer, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)

Paul W. Abramowitz is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Prior to his arrival at TeamHealth in January 2015, Dr. Klauer spent 15 years with Emergency Medicine Physicians, Ltd. (EMP), serving in many capacities. He was also a member of the board of directors for Physicians Specialty Limited Risk Retention Group and the EMP Medical Group board of directors.

Prior to joining ASHP in September 2011, Dr. Abramowitz worked in hospitals and health-systems for 34 years. He served as Associate Hospital Director for Professional Services and Chief Pharmacy Officer at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and Professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. He also held prior positions as Director of Pharmacy and Associate Professor at the Medical College of Virginia and the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Abramowitz received a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry and Biology from Indiana University, a Bachelors Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Toledo, a Pharm.D. from the University of Michigan, and completed his residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center.

In addition to serving as Treasurer of ASHP from 2007-10 and as ASHP President in 1993-94, he chaired the Boards of: the ASHP Research and Education Foundation, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, and the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center.

Dr. Abramowitz has actively combined practice, teaching, and research throughout his career. He has lectured and published extensively focusing on: the effect that pharmacists have on improving outcomes of care and reducing costs; developing new care models; reducing adverse drug events; and expanding comprehensive medication management to the ambulatory setting.

He was a recipient of the John W. Webb Lecture Award in 2000 and the Harvey A.K. Whitney Lecture Award in 2009, health-system pharmacy’s highest honor. In 1990, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy, in 2010, the Alumni Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, and in 2013 the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Toledo. In 2015, he was recognized as one of Washington’s Trending Association Leaders by Bisnow.

Currently, Dr. Abramowitz serves on the Boards of the American Nurses Foundation, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and the GTMRx Institute. He also is a member of the National Steering Committee for Patient Safety of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and a Professor-Emeritus at the University of Iowa.