Alumnus Jorge Carrillo PharmD ’00 uses his Campbell degree to accomplish challenging tasks

Name: Jorge D. Carrillo, PharmD, MPH, BCPS

Colonel, US Army (Retired)

Degrees & Graduation Year:

  • Northeastern University, Bachelor of Pharmacy, 1992
  • Central Michigan University, Master of Healthcare Administration, 1995
  • Campbell University, Doctor of Pharmacy, 2000
  • Army War College, Master of Strategic Studies, 2016
  • University of North Carolina, Master of Public Health, 2017

Current Job Title: Senior Director, Specialty Pharmacy Operations

Practice Site: Biologics by McKesson, Cary, NC

Job Description: I am responsible for all areas of pharmacy services, including the leadership of pharmacy staff, ensuring regulatory and contractual compliance, ongoing quality improvement of the operations, managing personnel budget, financial performance management, and personnel development and performance management. I drive corporate initiatives within specialty pharmacy services and assist in business development opportunities. I also spend time consulting and collaborating with practitioners in the field and assist sales teams with outreach when necessary. Collaborating with quality assurance to obtain URAC and ACHC specialty pharmacy accreditations is another aspect of my job.

“Campbell gave me the confidence and expertise to handle the most challenging tasks one can imagine as a pharmacy leader.”

How did CPHS impact you as a person: I came to Campbell after being a pharmacist for seven years. The United States Army gave me a scholarship to attend Campbell and this experience allowed me to assess my priorities and modify some of my personal goals. The caring faculty and engaging student body contributed to an environment where I was able to reflect upon my professional experience and prepare for future challenges in pharmacy.

How do you use skills you learned from CPHS to get your current job: The skills I acquired during my time at Campbell have played a big role in my ability to obtain and perform in a variety of jobs. I have served as a member of a trauma team in Iraq, performed as a pharmacy logistics consultant, developed public policy focused on immunization, lead the busiest department of pharmacy in the military, and managed a specialty pharmacy operation. Campbell gave me the confidence and expertise to handle the most challenging tasks one can imagine as a pharmacy leader.

What were you involved in at CPHS: I initiated and developed the Spanish for Pharmacists elective class. I played intramural softball and was also a student candidate interviewer.

What advice do you have to incoming first year CPHS professional students: Come to pharmacy school with an open mind. Pharmacy is a dynamic profession that continues to experience changes and increase opportunities for pharmacists. You may not know what you want to do as a pharmacist, but Campbell will provide plenty of exposure to help you make that decision.

Most impactful CPHS faculty/staff member/preceptor: The most impactful Campbell faculty member was Daniel Teat, the Assistant Dean for Admission. I met Dr. Teat when I came to Campbell for the first time to participate in my admission’s interview. After meeting with the admission’s committee for an hour, I met with Dr. Teat for another hour. At the end of our conversation, he handed me a letter of acceptance. This meant a lot to me and set the tone for my positive experience at Campbell.

Please share a little bit about why you joined the military and what avenue you took to get there. I grew up hearing stories about my grandfather and godfather. My grandfather was an infantry officer in the Puerto Rico National Guard, and served during World War II. My godfather was a medical corps officer with the US Army. I joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program in college and graduated from pharmacy school as a 2nd Lieutenant. In Oct 2018, I completed 26 years of service as a pharmacy officer in the US Army and retired from Fort Liberty with the rank of Colonel.