ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 15, 2023) – Johnathan Hamrick, adjunct clinical assistant professor at the Mercer University College of Pharmacy, has been named the 2023 Outstanding Faculty Liaison of the Year by the National Community Pharmacists Association Foundation as part of NCPA’s Annual Convention, which was held Oct. 14-17 in Orlando. The award recognizes a faculty liaison who demonstrates exceptional leadership and commitment to independent pharmacy, their NCPA Student Chapter, and the community.
Hamrick’s passion for this field began early during his college years, when he started as a delivery driver at Adams Drug Store in Cordele, Ga. He quickly recognized the vital role of independent community pharmacists in fostering strong patient connections. After earning his Doctor of Pharmacy in 2010, he took on the role of pharmacist-in-charge at Kenmar Pharmacy in Marietta, where he also served as a preceptor. In 2014, he returned to his alma mater, Mercer University College of Pharmacy, to serve as a clinical assistant professor and director of introductory pharmacy practice experiences.
Hamrick’s dedication to student growth and community pharmacy innovation shone brightly at Mercer. He created and coordinated an Advanced Community Pharmacy elective, providing students with hands-on opportunities to explore the innovative services and endless possibilities of community pharmacy practice. He also served as the faculty adviser for the NCPA Student Chapter for more than seven years. In this role, he encouraged student engagement with NCPA which led to several students serving on the Student Leadership Board; wrote countless NCPA Foundation Scholarship recommendation letters; served as a mentor for the chapter’s Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition team; and proctored exams remotely during NCPA conventions to ensure students would be able to attend the meetings.
Recognizing his expertise and leadership, Hamrick was recruited to serve as the Lead Network Facilitator for CPESN® Georgia, where he plays a pivotal part in promoting collaborative care and patient-centered services. He remained connected to Mercer as an adjunct clinical assistant professor and faculty adviser for the NCPA Student Chapter, ensuring independent community pharmacy was still represented.
Hamrick also serves as clinical pharmacist at Poole’s Pharmacy in Marietta. He continues to mentor student and early-career pharmacists through precepting introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences and serves as the site coordinator for participation in the NCPA Innovation Center/CPESN Community Pharmacy Fellowship.
###
The NCPA Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1953 to honor the previous incarnation of NCPA, the National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD) Executive Secretary John W. Dargavel. Contributions to the foundation are tax-deductible as charitable donations to the extent permitted under federal tax law. The NCPA Foundation improves community-based health care access by supporting efforts that promote the sustainability and growth of independent community pharmacists, the most accessible health care provider, through scholarships, grants, and ownership development. For more information, go to www.ncpafoundation.org.
