Sarah Anderson

Her Story

Dr. Anderson received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2003 and her Pharm.D. degree from the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy in 2007. She then went on to complete an ASHP Accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Denver Health Medical Center during 2007-2008. Following her PGY1 year, Dr. Anderson completed an ASHP Accredited PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency at the University of Colorado during 2008-2009. Dr. Anderson was hired as an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2009 with a shared faculty position with Denver Health Medical Center's Eastside Clinic. Dr. Anderson was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016 and was awarded Fellow of ACCP in 2017. She is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS) and a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP). 

Facilities

The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, established in 1911, is one of the top-ranked pharmacy schools in the U.S. and seventh in the nation for total NIH funding among pharmacy schools. Committed to pharmaceutical education, research and patient care, the faculty educates students in the biology of disease, the properties and actions of drugs, and best practices for clinical and therapeutic uses of drugs.

The Denver Health Eastside Clinic is the oldest community health clinic west of the Mississippi, established in 1966. The clinic is certified as a patient-centered medical home and serves and urban, diverse, underserved population of Denver county residents. Dr. Anderson, along with her clinical practice partner Dr. Joel Marrs, works closely with the clinic's interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, behavioral health practitioners, social workers, clerical staff, medical residents, and pharmacy residents and students to care for patients with cardiovascular and cardiometabolic disease.

Recent Significant Projects

Dr. Anderson has led the Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist team in several QI initiatives to improve patient care and adherence to Medicare Star measures. She is currently investigating the feasibility of initiating a pharmacist-run PrEP prescribing and monitoring service. Lastly, Dr. Anderson serves as a P3, P4, PGY1, and PGY2 preceptor at her clinical practice site and is highly involved with precepting and mentoring residents' major research projects.

Initial Involvement in ASHP

Dr. Anderson is currently serving in the Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners as a member of the Section Advisory Group's Educational Steering Committee. She is also serving her second term on the ASHP Council on Therapeutics (COT) and participated in ASHP Policy Week in both 2018 and 2019. Dr. Anderson has participated as a CV reviewer for ASHP since 2012 and as a mentor through ASHP Connect since 2014. She is actively involved with the Colorado Pharmacists Society and its Academy of Health-System Pharmacists. 

Why did you become involved in ASHP?

"I have been an active member of ASHP since 2006 when I joined as a pharmacy student. My initial interest in ASHP was related to residency placement and my interest in ASHP has continued to grow as it has facilitated strong connections and networking opportunities with students, residents, and pharmacists within my own state and across the nation. I appreciate ASHP's efforts towards education and enjoy participating in the live and home-study programming that ASHP offers. As a proud ASHP member, I recognize the value of ASHP in its commitment to advancing pharmacy practice and advocating for pharmacists at the national and international levels."

Advice for Someone New to Specialty Area

"Always practice with the patient as your top priority. Much of ambulatory care clinical practice involves gray areas as many patients do not fit guideline recommendations. If you always practice with the patient in mind and approach their care with a holistic view, you will always optimize your patient's medication management and care."

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

"ASHP has evolved over time to be a resource for all health-system pharmacists, both those who practice inpatient and those who practice in the ambulatory care setting. ASHP provides a wealth of opportunities to engage with other pharmacists, participate in educational activities, and get involved in pharmacy-related advocacy initiatives."

What is the value of ASHP for the profession?

"ASHP serves as a strong voice for advocating for both the individual pharmacist and the profession as a whole."