Kate Cozart

Biographical information:

Dr. Cozart first completed a B.S. in Chemistry and M.Ed. in Secondary Curriculum & Instruction prior to her “first career” as a high school math and chemistry teacher. She later returned to school to pursue a Pharm.D. from Union University in Jackson, TN, after which she completed her residency at the Memphis VA Medical Center. She has been serving Veterans at the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System since 2015. She is board certified in Pharmacotherapy, Geriatrics, and Ambulatory Care. 

Current employment, practice, and academic responsibilities:

As a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dr. Cozart operates under a scope of practice with prescriptive authority. Most days Dr. Cozart can be found seeing patients or training learners. Dr. Cozart also serves as Chair of Preceptor Development/Teaching and Learning for the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System and is an active member of Veterans Health Administration Education Advisory Committee, specifically contributing to efforts focused on Geriatrics, Diabetes, and Precepting.

Significant projects and accomplishments:

Over 2021-2022, Dr. Cozart has been actively involved in projects/presentations related to Impostor Phenomenon, Resiliency, Bridging the Generation Gap in Precepting, and Psychological Safety, and will be presenting at four national conferences on these topics from October to December 2022. She also provided a recorded presentation - MORE than “Just” Precepting: Motivational Interviewing, Crafting Learning Objectives, and the many Roles of Preceptors and Educators - in June 2022 for the VHA Education Advisory Committee Board Certification Lecture Series. Additionally, Dr. Cozart was recently selected as Outstanding Student Preceptor for 2022 by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.

ASHP professional engagement:

When I saw the Section of Pharmacy Educators call for inaugural members, I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of this group. After getting involved in the SPE SAG for Development of the Educational Workforce, I volunteered to be our workgroup lead, then drafted a blog and organized/facilitated our Impostor Phenomenon roundtable as well. I am extremely honored to continue working with this group, now in the role of Vice Chair.

ASHP value:

As an active participant in the DEW SAG, I have seen many contributions to the profession over the last year. These included the Statement on Precepting as a Professional Obligation and development of activities to encourage well-being. For the upcoming year, I envision lots of opportunity for creating and compiling resources to serve as the go-to source for all things preceptorship and DEI, and am passionate about development of the educational content needed to support preceptors across the nation.

Professional advice:

To new preceptors, my biggest advice would be to get a mentor. You will sometimes feel like an impostor and you will sometimes feel unprepared, but if you have a mentor that you trust, that person can be your lifeline for getting through the hard days and deliberating your next steps.