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New Assistant Dean Will Boost UTHSC Statewide Expansion Efforts

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Memphis, Tenn. (November 2, 2006) – In a move to bolster University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) statewide expansion efforts, Debbie Byrd, PharmD, was recently appointed assistant dean of the College of Pharmacy, Knoxville campus. 

Announcing the appointment, College of Pharmacy Dean Dick Gourley, PharmD, said, “Dr. Byrd’s role is critical to the expansion of the College of Pharmacy’s educational programs in Knoxville.  She brings a wealth of experience in pharmaceutical care of patients and clinical education of students.”  Dr. Byrd will also hold the position of associate professor of ambulatory care in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy.

Headquartered in Memphis in the UTHSC main campus, the College of Pharmacy is expanding operations across Tennessee.  Ultimately 75 students from each class will relocate to Knoxville to complete years two to four of the pharmacy curriculum.  The construction of a 15,000-square-foot facility on the UT Graduate School of Medicine campus in Knoxville has begun.  The new pharmacy building is scheduled to open in July 2007.  The UT Graduate School of Medicine, located on the Knoxville campus, is a unit of the UTHSC College of Medicine.  The College of Pharmacy is also opening Clinical Education Centers in Chattanooga, Kingsport, Nashville and Jackson to serve students and patients across the state.

A native East Tennessean, Dr. Byrd grew up in Bradley County.  After receiving her BS in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University, she earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the UTHSC College of Pharmacy.  She completed a pharmacy practice residency at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The MED), followed by a specialty residency in primary care at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland.  Dr. Byrd is also a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.  Prior to joining UTHSC, she was a full-time faculty member at Auburn University for 10 years. 

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, patient care and community service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main campus, which includes six colleges, is located in Memphis.  UTHSC has additional College of Medicine campus locations in Knoxville and Chattanooga.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.