Rebecca Andersen

Andersen is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist and an associate professor of pharmacy practice at the Shenandoah University Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, where she precepts APPE students. She serves as director of postgraduate education and career development for Shenandoah University School of Pharmacy. Andersen is an internal medicine clinical specialist at Winchester Medical Center in the Medical Innovations Unit, a lecturer for the medical residents onsite, and a mentor/preceptor for the PGY1 residency program. Andersen completed her Doctor of Pharmacy at Wingate University in North Carolina and residency training at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Virginia. She has served as a Delegate of AACP for Shenandoah University and as the Interim Co-Director of Experiential Education at Shenandoah University. Dr. Andersen serves on the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists (VSHP) education committee and is Region VII President-Elect. Dr. Andersen and her team were awarded the 2021 AACP Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) grant for research in incorporating SNAPPS in experiential education, which included Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Shenandoah University.

Facility:
Shenandoah University is a private student-centered learning community that educates and inspires compassionate and ethical leaders in interprofessional, patient-centered care located in northern Virginia. Winchester Medical Center is a 495-bed regional referral center serving more than 500,000 residents in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Eastern Panhandle, and Potomac Highlands of West Virginia.

Recent Significant Projects:
I am currently researching the incorporation of SNAPPS into pharmacy experiential education and its impact on students' clinical reasoning. A pilot study was completed after the awarding of an AACP SOTL grant to fund the research. I am also involved in clinical research on the efficacy and safety of oral beta-lactams for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the older adult population compared to non-beta-lactam therapy.

Advice for Someone New to a Specialty Area:
I highly encourage those entering academia to protect their time. Ensure you schedule time daily for lecture/lab preparation, research, or other activities that might not be added to your calendar. In addition, finding a mentor is invaluable.

Involvement with ASHP:
I am currently serving as chair of the ASHP Educational Steering Committee (ESC). I have participated as a moderator and presenter in podcast sessions and the Midyear Clinical Gem Sessions. I have also served as secretary and vice-chair of the ESC.

Reason for ASHP involvement:
I became a member of ASHP because I value being connected to a community of pharmacists who are passionate about advancing patient care and education for their community. For me, ASHP provides meaningful opportunities to network with others across the country and learn from others in clinical practice, especially those implementing innovative approaches to patient care and/or pharmacy education.

Value of ASHP for Peers or Colleagues:
ASHP has provided me with the necessary resources needed to sustain my professional growth through educational programming and collaboration with others through committee work. ASHP has also provided me with the resources needed to support my BCPS certification, along with a tool to track my professional progress via ASHP Navigator.

Value of ASHP for the Profession:
ASHP not only provides high-quality educational programming but also further supports the profession through advocacy. I receive information regarding key issues on a federal level and what ASHP is doing to support the profession.