Dr Lawrence 'LB' Brown - What is pharmacy like in America?

FAPhA. Dr. Lawrence “LB” Brown is Associate Dean of Student and Academic Affairs and a Full Professor in the school of pharmacy, where he will be responsible for admissions, curriculum, and progression of students.

Prior to joining the School of Pharmacy’s Administrative team, he was an Associate Professor of Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy in Memphis. There he served in various roles, including Vice-Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chair of the Health Outcomes and Policy Research Division, Director of Graduate Studies in Health Outcomes and Policy Research, and Director of the UT Center for Medication Therapy Management Center. He also served as the UT Health Science Center Faculty Senate President. He earned his PharmD degree at the University of the Pacific in 1999, and his PhD in Social and Administrative Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota in 2003.

He is a fellow, a former trustee, and former Speaker of the House of the American Pharmacists Association. He is currently elected to serve as President of the American Pharmacists Association in 2015. Dr Brown was selected the Pharmacy Student of the Year in 1999, by the California Pharmacists Association, a “Men of Excellence” awardee in 2010, by the Tri-State Defender, and a “Medallion of the Association” awardee in 2001, by the Hungarian Private Pharmacists Association.

Dr Brown’s career in pharmacy began as a U.S. Air Force pharmacy technician in 1985. After the Air Force, he worked in the Pharmacy Operations department as a pharmacy computer systems trainer and help desk tech for Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Since becoming a pharmacist, he has dedicated his career to the expansion of pharmacists’ roles within the health care system that improve patient health, and the improvement of patient’s perception of pharmacists. Dr Brown is an International Expert in the area of Medication Therapy Management (MTM). In addition to his work promoting the value of pharmacists provided MTM services throughout the United States, he has travelled to South Africa, the Philippines, Sweden, and Hungary to help pharmacists in those countries become better prepared to provide MTM services to their citizens. He has given over 30 invited presentations internationally and over 70 throughout the United States.

He was kind enough to take some time out to speak to us about his excellent career achievements and also a little about pharmacy in America. He is due to speak at the Pharmacist Defence Association conference on March 31st and good enough to give us a preview of his presentation.