USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy

Ezetimibe has long been the go-to add-on for patients still above their LDL goal on statins. Bempedoic acid is the newer contender, especially for statin-intolerant patients.

TCOP faculty learned that bempedoic acid lowered LDL less than ezetimibe — but cut cardiovascular events by 27% more, hinting at anti-inflammatory effects beyond cholesterol-lowering alone.

At the recent FSHP conference, Dr. John Clark was recognized and received the Anna Thiel Meritorious Service Award by his peers.

This award is given out annually to a Florida pharmacist who is recognized for their devotion and dedication to FSHP by being extensively involved for an extended time period. This award is in honor of Anna Thiel, the initial founder of FSHP.

Congratulations to Dr. Clark on his achievements and his advocacy throughout TCOP and the world of pharmacy.

🎉 Preceptor Shoutout of the Month! 🎉

The Office of Experiential Education proudly recognizes a preceptor who goes above and beyond in guiding future pharmacists. This month, we’re thrilled to spotlight Dr. Andrew Carothers, Clinical Specialist at HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital.

"As my first APPE preceptor, [Dr. Carothers] created a supportive learning environment where I always felt comfortable asking questions and challenged to grow. He took the time to explain complex concepts in a way that built my confidence, consistently provided meaningful feedback, and was genuinely invested in my learning. His patience, encouragement, and dedication made this an incredibly positive and rewarding APPE experience."

Could weight-loss drugs treat more than weight? 👀

Binge eating disorder is a real, common condition — and current treatments like therapy, SSRIs, and topiramate don't work for everyone. Dr. Raechel White reviewed the emerging evidence on GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists (the same drug class behind Ozempic and Mounjaro) as a potential treatment, given their effects on satiety, appetite regulation, and reward-driven eating — the exact circuits involved in binge eating.

We would like to announce the new addition of four faculty members to the TCOP Pharmily! Dr. Darcie Evans, Dr. Amira Othman, Dr. Pooja Patel, and Dr. Trang Trinh.

Their vast experiences will help assist our new and current students throughout their pharmaceutical journey and we are truly excited to see what you'll accomplish at the Taneja College of Pharmacy.

Managing diabetes after breast cancer is complicated and TCOP researchers looked for answers.

Women with type 2 diabetes who've survived breast cancer face unique, understudied cardiovascular risks. TCOP's faculty studied GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy in this exact population — finding a promising signal for cardiovascular benefit, though the team is clear that randomized trials are still needed to confirm.

This is real-world pharmacy research, led by TCOP faculty and clinicians. Want in? Explore our programs.

The Taneja College of Pharmacy Office of Office of Experiential Education would like to recognize Mega Patel a member of the 2026-2027 cohort on their APPE rotation.

"Mega has been a stellar student the entire APPE rotation. She is eager to learn, takes feedback well, and goes above and beyond what is expected of an APPE student - especially a rotation 1 APPE student. Mega's presentation handouts are eye catching but not overdone. Her content is clinically accurate and presented with confidence to the team. Mega really dug deep into topics assigned such as authorized generics, rabies exposure protocols, generic mandated state formularies, and Pharmacy news presentations that specifically applied to worker's compensation patients. We wish Mega all the best on her future rotations."

Congratulations to Mega on going above and beyond during your rotations and being a great example of the student body here at TCOP.

We invite all our USF students to participate in our Pharmacy Career Exploration Program! This is an opportunity for you to learn more about pharmacy careers and the application process! Stay tuned for updates on the various events that count towards the Pharmacy Career Exploration Program. If you attend FIVE, you've receive a Certification of Completion, and you'll have the chance to have lunch with the Dean at an End of the Year Event.

Events that count towards the program include:
• Application Workshop — Jul 15, 2026, 3pm (virtual)
• Interview Workshop — Aug 27, 2026, 3pm (virtual)
• Group Advising Sessions — Aug–Nov (virtual)
• InPHARMation Sessions — Aug–Nov (virtual; a maximum of two can count toward the five requited events)
• Pharmacy Technician — Oct 20, 2026, 6–7:30pm (virtual)
• Compounding Experience — Dec 4, 2026, 2–4pm (USF Health Downtown)
• Student Org Meetings with Admissions — TBD

To learn more about the program, please reach out to our admissions team for more information. The link to register for these events are in our bio.

Attention Class of 2031 PharmD Applicants!!

Apply for early access to our 1st round of PharmD interviews. Benefits include Priority access to interview dates, earlier decisions, and awarded highest merit scholarships. You should also look to join our admissions team July 15th at 3:00pm for their application workshop for more insight on our Early Access Interviews.

Decisions will be made by October 9th for those with a 3.75 or higher GPA with a verified application & letters of recommendation by August 31st.