Lauren Pamulapati

Her Story

Dr. Pamulapati earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Pharmacy in 2015. She then went on to complete a PGY1 pharmacy residency at the University of Colorado Hospital, followed by a PGY2 Ambulatory Care pharmacy residency at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Thereafter, Dr. Pamulapati returned to her alma mater as an Assistant Professor at VCU School of Pharmacy. Dr. Pamulapati is also a Board-Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist.

Facility

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, established in 1898, is an institution of higher learning with a primary medical campus located in Richmond, VA and two satellite campuses in Charlottesville and Northern Virginia. At VCU School of Pharmacy, Dr. Pamulapati currently teaches across the curriculum, coordinating Contemporary Pharmacy for first year students and Endocrine Therapeutics for second year students, as well as coordinating two elective courses she co-created for third year students focused on Academia in Pharmacy and Residency/Fellowship Preparation. She also precepts fourth year students at her practice site, a VCU Health interprofessional family medicine clinic, where Dr. Pamulapati provides chronic disease statement management services under a collaborative practice agreement. Dr. Pamulapati also serves as a preceptor for the PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency at VCU School of Pharmacy.

Recent Significant Projects

While Dr. Pamulapati is still early in her career, she has been fortunate to engage in several meaningful projects related to ambulatory care. As a PGY2 Ambulatory Care pharmacy resident, Dr. Pamulapati received one of the ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Resident Practice-Based Research Grants to conduct a Delphi regarding Best Practices for Managing Adverse Effects from SGLT-2 inhibitors. This experience enabled her to successfully mentor a PGY2 resident at VCU School of Pharmacy in submission of a grant to fund a research project to evaluate a Pharmacy-based Continuous Glucose Monitoring Service. This grant has been beneficial for expanding the services offered at Dr. Pamulapati’s practice site. In addition to her scholarly and clinical efforts, Dr. Pamulapati has been using her perspective as a new ambulatory care practitioner for the Role Delineation Study for the BCACP exam for the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, which will help shape the format of the exam for future years!

Current Involvement in ASHP

Dr. Pamulapati is currently serving on the Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners as a member of the Ambulatory Care Pharmacotherapy Section Advisory Group. She is also currently the Chair of the Clinical Practice Advisory Group of the New Practitioner’s Forum. On a state and local level, Dr. Pamulapati is the Mentorship Co-Chair for her state affiliate, the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists (VSHP), and the faculty co-advisor for the student chapter of ASHP at VCU School of Pharmacy.

Why did you become involved in ASHP? 

I initially became involved with ASHP as a student due to the immense number of opportunities for clinical and leadership growth that ASHP fosters. After graduation, I continued to be impressed by how many professional development opportunities ASHP offered at every step of my career, and I knew I wanted to continue my involvement. The longer I am involved with ASHP, the more excited I get about the opportunities this organization provides and the amazing people I will engage with along the way.

Advice for Someone New to Specialty Area

My general piece of advice, no matter what specialty area someone is in, is to volunteer for new experiences, even if it feels like you are under-qualified. The one thing I have learned as a New Practitioner is that our voice and perspective is incredibly valuable, as we are the future of the profession. I believe this is especially important for ambulatory care pharmacists since this area of pharmacy is continuing to expand, so new ideas and perspectives are always needed! 

How would you explain the value of ASHP to a friend or colleague?

ASHP offers many benefits across one's career. Whether you are a student wanting to learn more about career opportunities in health-system pharmacy, a resident seeking advice on next steps in your career, a new practitioner learning how to create a sustainable practice, or a seasoned practitioner wanting to connect with individuals on a difficult patient scenario or seeking financial support for expanding clinical services, ASHP has it all. At each career stage, ASHP is there to support you professionally and personally.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession?

ASHP serves as our voice for health-system pharmacy, helping the public, our patients, and our colleagues understand the importance of our services both in the inpatient and outpatient settings. This central organization ensures that we are supported on a personal and professional level so that we are able to offer the best services and care to our patients.