Chisholm-Burns Receives ASHP-ABHP Leadership Award

Press Release

Marie A. Chisholm-Burns, Pharm.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., FCCP, FASHP, dean and professor of the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy in Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville, and a renowned academic and clinical pharmacist, is the recipient of the 2015 ASHP and Association of Black Health-System Pharmacists (ABHP) Leadership Award. The award was presented during the annual ABHP luncheon at ASHP’s 50th Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition in New Orleans.

The ASHP-ABHP Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare.

An exemplary leader in these efforts, Dr. Chisholm-Burns is the founder and director of the Medication Access Program (MAP), a statewide network that facilitates solid-organ transplant patients’ access to medications. The program has helped more than 830 solid-organ transplant recipients — of whom more than 57 percent are African-American — receive more than $57 million in prescription medications. Her efforts in this area have influenced similar programs at institutions around the country.

Over the course of her career, Dr. Chisholm-Burns has been a driving force in promoting a more diverse healthcare workforce. At the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, she is a strong advocate for inclusivity. She advocates for student engagement and diversity, highlighting the need to increase minority enrollment as a pipeline for building an adaptive workforce capable of serving an increasingly heterogenous society. Her efforts emphasize the necessity of cultural competency and sensitivity training to ensure that future pharmacists can provide effective care to patients from a broad spectrum of backgrounds.

“Dr. Chisholm-Burns has brought much-needed attention to the issue of racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare,” said ASHP President John Armitstead, R.Ph., M.S., FASHP. “This award honors her work to advance our profession and ensure that pharmacists serve the unique needs of every patient.”

A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Chisholm-Burns has authored more than 275 publications, including many award-winning papers and textbooks, and has received nearly $10 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health, the ASHP Foundation, and other organizations. She is an ASHP Fellow as well as a recipient of numerous awards, including the ASHP Award of Excellence (2011), the ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Practice Research Award (2011 and 2014), and the ASHP Foundation Award for Sustained Contributions to the Literature (2013).

About ASHP

ASHP represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in acute and ambulatory settings. The organization’s more than 40,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. For over 70 years, ASHP has been at the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists advance healthcare, visit ASHP’s website, www.ashp.org, or its consumer website, www.SafeMedication.com.

About ABHP

ABHP strives to represent black and minority health-system pharmacists and is dedicated to the growth and development of their pharmacy practice in healthcare facilities. The association provides up-to-date educational programs on minority health issues to help members improve their professional skills and the quality of care that they provide in their areas of pharmacy practice. ABHP serves as a liaison and facilitates communication with other pharmacy associations and organizations concerned with healthcare.