About

Learn more about our dedicated department.

The Department of Pharmacy Practice

is unique within the School of Pharmacy. Housed in both Oxford and the Jackson University of Mississippi Medical Center campuses, it is one of the largest departments. The department is dedicated to helping students become medication experts and serving them in their professional journey.

Adam N Pate

Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Pharmacy Practice. With a dedicated team located on our Oxford and Jackson campuses, we are committed to providing the highest quality education to our students and residents, exceptional patient care throughout the state, conducting innovative research that improves the quality of healthcare and well-being for patients throughout Mississippi and promotes the profession of pharmacy in community engagement and helping to address health equity. Our faculty members participate in the practice of pharmacy throughout the state in hospital, ambulatory care, cardiology, oncology, infectious disease, and community-based practice; we strive to be at the forefront of innovative teaching, practice, and research, and as a community of learners, we are deeply invested in using our teaching, research, and service efforts to help improve Mississippians health.

Adam N Pate

Chair and Clinical Professor of Pharmacy Practice

Our Goals

Check out our vision and mission to learn more about our dedicated service to our students.

The Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy seeks to be a leader in pharmacy education, world-class basic and applied research, innovative medication management models, and delivery of exemplary patient care.

The mission of the Department of Pharmacy Practice is focused on: education, scholarship, and service.

Our educational mission is to create a student-centered learning environment, to facilitate the development and application of abilities necessary to provide comprehensive medication management, to model excellence in practice, to foster leadership skills, and to promote lifelong learning.

Our scholarship mission is to impart new knowledge by developing and participating in basic and applied research programs, by promoting collaborative research in communities and the broader public health arena, and by contributing to the literature of pharmacy practice and beyond.

Our service mission is to provide outstanding patient care, to educate pharmacists and other health care professionals, to provide leadership and advocacy that will advance the practice of pharmacy, and to contribute to the overall mission of the University.

Headshot of Pearl Wales

Practice Makes Perfect!

"Students should pursue a Pharm.D. degree because it allows them to have the ability to be placed among other health care professionals as a standout. This will allow them to be in a position to be an asset to the community they serve."

Dr. Pearl Wales

Alumna, School of Pharmacy

Give to the Department of Pharmacy Practice

With your generous gifts, our department can continue to shape the future of pharmacy practice.
Picture of a student with their patch

Jackson, Mississippi

Students will complete their P3 year at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Students play a key role in the success of this highly acclaimed academic medical center. While living and learning in the state’s capital, students can explore its rich history and culture and immerse themselves in its southern charm.

Visit Jackson
Students Observing an Experiment

University of Mississippi Medical Center

The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) is an 827-bed tertiary care hospital near downtown Jackson. It serves the entire state of Mississippi as the largest diagnostic, treatment, and referral care system. UMMC offers the only Level 1 trauma center, the only Level 4 neonatal intensive care nursery, and the only organ transplant program in the state, in addition to Children's of Mississippi, Mississippi's only hospital solely dedicated to caring for children.

Learn More
Kayla Stover Hielscher

Message from the Vice Chair - Jackson

I am excited by what our department has accomplished and proud of what we offer. We have several highly-trained and respected faculty in the department that educate students in all years of the curriculum, and interact especially with the third-year professional students who are all located on the Jackson campus. The Jackson campus houses the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, the Office of Experiential Education, the Division of Pharmacy Professional Development, and the Office of Wellbeing.In addition to the provision of exceptional education, the Jackson campus is located on the UMMC academic medical center campus with seven health-related professional schools. This interaction with UMMC and several other hospitals in the Jackson area offers opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships in patient care, scholarship, service, and education.

Kayla Stover Hielscher

Assistant Dean-Jackson/Vice Chair and Professor of Pharmacy Practice