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SPECIAL REPORT
Crouch
Named
Pharmacy
Dean
by Katie Stripling
“It is an honor to be
selected as dean of
Samford University’s
McWhorter School of
Pharmacy,” said
Crouch.
Dr. Michael A. Crouch was named dean of Samford University’s
McWhorter School of Pharmacy effective July 1, 2014. An
accomplished educator, clinician and researcher, Crouch currently serves
as executive associate dean and professor at East Tennessee State
University’s Gatton College of Pharmacy, Johnson City.
The selection follows a national search to replace Dr. Charlie Sands
III, who resigned in May 2013 to pursue medical missions opportunities.
Sands continues to serve as a member of the pharmacy school faculty. Dr.
Michael D. Hogue has served as interim dean since Sands’ resignation.
He will return to his role as chair of the Department of Pharmacy
Practice.
“With experience in a variety of pharmacy education programs and
within a college of health sciences, Crouch is uniquely qualified to assume
the deanship of McWhorter School of Pharmacy,” said Nena F. Sanders,
vice provost of Samford’s College of Health Sciences. “His knowledge of
and experience in developing interprofessional education opportunities,
combined with his assessment and accreditation experience, makes him
well-suited to advance McWhorter School of Pharmacy’s reputation as a
leader in pharmacy education.”
Crouch joined the Gatton College of Pharmacy in 2010 as professor
and associate dean for professional education and academic affairs. He
accepted his current leadership position in 2012. Prior to his positions at
East Tennessee State, he served for 12 years on the faculty at Virginia
Commonwealth University in Richmond and later as chair of the
Department of Pharmacy Practice at South University, Savannah, Ga.
A recipient of numerous teaching awards, Crouch has dedicated
much of his career to educating pharmacy trainees, Sanders said. He is a
board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist who also holds added
qualifications in cardiology. He is a Fellow of the American Society of
Health-System Pharmacists [ASHP], and an active member of ASHP and
the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
A native of North Carolina, Crouch received his bachelor of science
in pharmacy from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He
earned his doctor of pharmacy from Medical University of South Carolina
in Charleston and pursued postgraduate training that included a first-year
residency at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-
Salem, N.C., and a second-year residency, with emphasis in cardiology, at
the Medical University of South Carolina.
Crouch has a number of ongoing and completed research initiatives,
including investigations involving interprofessional education and other
teaching strategies. He has more than 100 scholarly publications,
including two books: Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy: a Point-of-Care
Guide and Securing and Excelling in a Pharmacy Residency.
“It is an honor to be selected as dean of Samford University’s
McWhorter School of Pharmacy,” said Crouch. “The school has a rich
and distinguished history, and I am excited by the interprofessional
education opportunities afforded by the College of Health Sciences. I
look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students to advance
the school’s strong reputation as a leader in pharmacy education.” ◗
www.samford.edu • 17