Winter Smith

About my pharmacy practice journey, education, and key accomplishments:

Dr. Winter Smith received her Pharm.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy (OUCOP) in Oklahoma City. She completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency at Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, TX followed by a PGY2 residency in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and academics at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC in conjunction with Campbell University College of Pharmacy. Following residency training, she joined the OUCOP as an adult medicine clinical faculty member. Upon relocation to Dallas, TX, she joined the Texas Tech University School of Pharmacy faculty and subsequently the University of Texas at Tyler Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy faculty. Throughout her career, she has served as an inpatient internal medicine clinical pharmacist while teaching and mentoring pharmacy students in the didactic and experiential settings, along with precepting PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residents. She has served as residency program director for PGY1 pharmacy and PGY2 internal medicine residencies as well as director of residency programs for two institutions.

Current employment, practice, and academic responsibilities:

Dr. Smith is currently a Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the University of Texas at Tyler Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy in Tyler, TX. In her academic role, she teaches in the didactic areas of drug information, literature evaluation, and infectious diseases pharmacotherapy. She also serves as a primary preceptor for the required adult medicine advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE). She participates in research and scholarship as well as local and national professional service. In practice, she serves as an inpatient internal medicine clinical pharmacist at Medical City Plano, a 603-bed acute care community hospital in Plano, TX. In her clinical role, Dr. Smith is responsible for clinical drug monitoring and therapy adjustments, assistance with the development and implementation of policies and procedures to improve the medication use process, responding to advanced drug information questions, and pharmacy resident precepting. In both her academic and clinical roles, Dr. Smith supports APPE and residency preceptor development through training and mentorship.

Significant projects and accomplishments:

I am fortunate to have recently been involved in the development of a different approach to teaching drug information and literature evaluation within didactic coursework, serving as co-lead on an institutional pharmacy policy designed to assist with meeting regulatory requirements, serving as co-lead on the development of a new PGY1 pharmacy residency program, and serving on the team for revision of the ASHP PGY2 Internal Medicine Pharmacy Residency Competency Areas, Goals, and Objectives. Through my work in ASHP Sections, I have also had the opportunity to contribute to the development of resources for busy preceptors and a commentary published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP).

Professional involvement with ASHP. What has been your ASHP journey?

Dr. Smith initially became a member of ASHP as a student seeking residency training. her involvement in ASHP increased when she became a faculty member and subsequently a residency program director (RPD) a few years later. After gaining experience as an RPD, she was invited to serve as an ASHP practitioner surveyor for residency programs. Through this opportunity, Dr. Smith became more involved in ASHP by delivering podium and poster presentations at the ASHP National Pharmacy Preceptors Conference, serving on the PharmAcademic™ Advisory Committee, serving on the Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists Section Advisory Group for Preceptor Skills Development, serving as the Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists Network Facilitator for Preceptor Skills, and serving on the Section of Inpatient Care Practitioners Section Advisory Group on Pharmacy Practice Experiences Precepting. Through work with these ASHP Sections, she was able to contribute to updating the Busy Day Toolkit for preceptors and a commentary on challenging pharmacy residents published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP). Dr. Smith is currently Director-at-Large of the inaugural Section of Pharmacy Educators Executive Committee.

Share your thoughts on ASHP’s value as a professional organization in contributing to the education of the pharmacy workforce? What do you think are some key success, resources, and opportunities?

ASHP's various offerings contribute to the education of the pharmacy workforce. The many opportunities for student involvement in the organization facilitate development of leadership, communication, negotiation, and time management skills. The numerous resources for residency program directors, pharmacy preceptors, and residents in a variety of formats are an invaluable support for residency programs; and, these resources only continue to grow. I believe there are opportunities through the new Section of Pharmacy Educators, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to develop and share pharmacy education best practices that will assist in preparing our graduates for their roles as essential healthcare professionals in contemporary pharmacy practice.

What advice would you provide for individuals new to your area of expertise?

I would advise new clinical faculty to continuously look for opportunities to enhance the delivery of pharmacy education based on changes in pharmacist roles in practice, new educational approaches, and changing characteristics of pharmacy trainees.