Pharmacy alumnus Christopher Dennis encourages students to approach their training and education with an open-mind.

Alumni: Christopher R. Dennis, PharmD, MMCi, BCPS, CPHIMS

Degrees & Graduation Year:

            Master of Management in Clinical Informatics (MMCi) – Duke University School of  Medicine (2017)

Certificate of Advanced Study in Health Informatics – University of Illinois at Chicago (2015)

Doctor of Pharmacy – Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (2008)

Current Job Title: Pharmacist IS Specialist

Practice Site: Vidant Health, Greenville, NC

Job Description: In my role as Pharmacist IS Specialist at Vidant Health, I leverage my clinical experience to enhance our suite of healthcare applications. My goal is to improve the experience of our frontline staff in order to better care for patients.

I have a specific professional interest in clinical decision support modalities and how they can be deployed to enhance system usability and improve patient care. While the majority of this effort is focused upon the configuration and maintenance of our electronic health record system, my team is responsible for a variety of other ancillary systems to facilitate all aspects of the medication use process (e.g. automated dispensing systems, pharmacy inventory systems, etc). The Pharmacy Applications team works collaboratively with other teams within the organization to foster a multidisciplinary approach to patient care.

How did CPHS prepare you for your current position? CPHS prepared me for my current position in a number of ways. Core clinical training helped prepare me to successfully attain a residency position at Vidant Health (formerly Pitt County Memorial Hospital). This additional training, in addition to my education at CPHS, helped me to become a successful Clinical Pharmacist at Vidant Health in the years that followed.

My transition into the Health Informatics realm began a little over five years ago. I maintain that my robust clinical training at Campbell helps me to be effective and informed in my current role.

How did CPHS impact you as a person? While the clinical training has been important, I also learned a number of interpersonal skills such as developing relationships with peers and colleagues. During my time on campus, I was involved in many student organizations. I held several officer positions in said organizations, which helped me hone leadership skills that did not come naturally for me. I have never forgotten how supportive my classmates were and I remain thankful for their encouragement.

What advice do you have to incoming first year CPHS professional students? Approach your training and education with an open-mind. Clinical practice is changing at a rapid pace and our roles and responsibilities are changing equally fast. Throughout your education you will gain a wide range of skills that will enable you to integrate yourself as part of the broader interdisciplinary healthcare environment. Choose to challenge yourself with new opportunities and never be afraid to try something new.

What do you miss most about Buies Creek? I am sure that this is a common response for many people that have been away from Campbell, but Sunni Sky’s is something that I miss. Last fall I helped teach a course in the pharmacy school program but was unable to make the timing work out to get some of their blueberry cheesecake ice cream.

Most impactful CPHS faculty/staff member/preceptor: This is probably the most challenging question for me to answer. I have thought long and hard since there are so many great choices. After much deliberation, I believe Dr. Kathey Rumley was my most impactful faculty member. As a student, I was first impressed by how knowledgeable she was and her ability to explain material in a straightforward manner. After graduation, Dr. Rumley served as my Residency Program Director. She helped me find my footing as a new pharmacist. In the years since residency, she has been one of my most prominent mentors and has been a constant source of encouragement as I have navigated my non-traditional path in pharmacy practice.