Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science
The Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science offers the PharmD program, residency opportunities, and the Center for Pediatric Experimental Therapeutics.
The department was formed to meet the ever-evolving needs of the healthcare and education environments, making it one of the largest pharmacy practice departments in the country. The department aims to provide excellence in education, research, and patient care throughout the State of Tennessee.
Mission
We educate, discover, and serve Tennesseans and our nation.
Vision
To be the leading clinical pharmacy and translational science department in the nation through outstanding education, discovery, and service.
In pursuing the mission of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, the faculty and staff are guided by these shared values, which are the foundation of its practices, spirit, and culture:
Core Values
- Dedication to the pursuit of excellence in education and clinical care.
- Dedication to the profession of pharmacy.
- Dedication to our students and alumni.
- Dedication to the community.
- Active engagement in the profession, public service, and outreach.
- Competitiveness in research.
- Professionalism.
- Mutual trust and respect.
- Intellectual honesty and academic integrity.
- Mutual responsibility and accountability.
- Collaboration and teamwork.
- Cultural diversity in our faculty, staff, and student body.
- Continuous quality improvement.
- An orientation to the future.
- Development of leaders.
Leadership
Chair and Professor
Dr. Finch was born in Memphis, TN. He received a Bachelors degree in Chemistry from Lambuth University in Jackson, TN, and the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee Memphis. He completed a specialized residency in internal medicine at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Finch taught for two years at Auburn University School of Pharmacy and the University of Alabama School of Medicine before moving back to his hometown of Memphis in the summer of 2003. While in Memphis, Dr. Finch served in several roles during his 16 years at Methodist Healthcare University Hospital, including the Director of Pharmacy for the last five years before leaving for UTHSC.
As chair, he continues to coordinate and teach in the Drug-Induced Disease Selective and several other courses at the UTHSC College of Pharmacy. His clinical interests include pulmonary disease, drug interactions, adverse drug events, and drug-induced disease. Dr. Finch has published more than 60 manuscripts in several well-recognized pharmacy and medical journals and has been an invited speaker at several national medical and pharmacy conferences. He is a Fellow in both the American College of Critical Care Medicine and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. He was selected Pharmacist of the Year in 2019 by the Tennessee Pharmacist Association.
Professor and Vice Chair for Research
Dr. Wang received her PhD in Pharmaceutical Health Services Research from the University of Maryland in 2005, a BS in Preventive Medicine and a MS in Health Economics from Shandong University from China. Her research has been funded by various public and private sources such as the National Institutes of Health, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and its Foundation, and various pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Wang has published more than 60 research articles in peer-reviewed journals and received recognition for her research, including the Nobuo Meade International Research Award from the American Public Health Association.
Firmly dedicated to excellence in education, Dr. Wang was selected for an Excellence in Teaching Award by the Student Government Association Executive Council at UTHSC. Dr. Wang is a Standing Member for the Health Services Organization and Delivery (HSOD) study section for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for 2020-2024. She is also an Advisory Committee member for the Health Outcomes Program of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
Professor and Vice Chair for Education
Kenneth C. Hohmeier, PharmD is a Professor & Director of Community Affairs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. He also serves as Vice Chair for Education within the college in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science. Dr. Hohmeier has an extensive background in pharmacy practice and practice-based and implementation science research, including post-graduate residency training in community pharmacy, credentials in lean six sigma and change leadership, and attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Implementation Science Institute. He has successfully established and provided clinical pharmacist services within several community pharmacy settings in a wide variety of rural, suburban, and urban locations. His background also includes extensive leadership experience both in practice and within professional organizations, with past and current positions held at local, regional, and national levels including the American Pharmacists Association, Ohio Pharmacists Association, and Tennessee Public Health Association. His specific areas of research focus are on clinical service implementation in community pharmacy settings, medication therapy management, and innovative clinical pharmacy practice models. He has served as PI or Co-PI on over 15 grant-funded projects, most of which explore expanded roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the community pharmacy to increase patient care activities, such as vaccinations, medication therapy management (MTM), and other clinical services. To date, he has authored over 110 papers published in peer-reviewed journals and 10 textbook chapters.
