Values, Vision and Mission of the
School of Pharmacy
(May 2007)

The University of Mississippi

CORE VALUES OF THE SCHOOL OF PHARMACY (listed in alphabetical order)

Collaboration – By fostering a spirit of teamwork and partnership that is founded on respect for the contributions of others, we seek to create interdisciplinary, synergistic relationships characterized by inclusiveness and flexibility. 

Creativity – We seek to encourage and support resourcefulness, originality, imagination, ingenuity, and vision in our students, faculty, and staff.

Excellence – We strive to meet and exceed, through continuous improvement, the highest expectations for achievement as we maintain the highest quality and standards in all of our endeavors.

Knowledge – We value the discovery, acquisition, application, and dissemination of knowledge, and will work to foster these activities in pursuit of our vision and fulfillment of our missions.

Leadership – We encourage and foster the development of leaders who have the ability to influence the thinking, understanding, and attitudes of others and who have the ability and courage to identify and effect solutions.  Leadership requires the ability to inspire, enable, instill confidence, build a shared vision, and connect with others through mutual trust, responsiveness, and sincerity. 

Learning – We encourage and support student-centered, ability-based learning; the mentoring of new faculty, graduate and undergraduate students; lifelong learning; and intellectual curiosity.

Professionalism – We foster, encourage, and expect the active demonstration of structural, attitudinal, and behavioral attributes of a profession and its members.  We believe that there are certain professional attributes that are fundamental to our functioning as learners, educators, researchers, scholars, and practitioners of pharmacy.  These attributes include a service orientation, one in which the needs of others are put above personal needs; caring; respect for others; accountability to our stakeholders and responsibility for one’s action; and integrity, honesty, and ethically sound decision making.

Social Responsibility – We value respect for the diversity of people with whom we work and those we serve; the importance we place on our local, state, national and global communities; and our concern for the welfare of humanity and the environment, as evidenced in the way we serve others.

VISION AND COMPREHENSIVE MISSION STATEMENT

Vision of the School of Pharmacy

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy will be internationally recognized for leadership and innovation in education, research, professional service, and delivery of patient-centered pharmacy services, to include various models of medication therapy management services that optimize therapeutic outcomes through improved medication use.   We will be pacesetters in student-centered pharmacy education, and continuously seek to improve our educational outcomes.  Our primary commitment will be to our students and post-graduate trainees to whom we will provide highest quality education and training that fosters life-long learning.  We will continuously assess and refine our curricula to ensure excellence and currency.  We will conduct world-class research, disseminate our findings in first-rate, peer-reviewed journals, and serve as a vital resource to research scientists and health care practitioners.  We will continue to pursue funding that will enhance our infrastructure and make our research programs even more competitive.  We will contribute to enhanced clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes through advancement of leading-edge patient-centered pharmacy services in urban and rural settings including underserved areas.  Through all our missions we will work to stimulate the economy of Mississippi.  We will be efficient and highly productive, and our work will be performed in an environment characterized by civility, cooperation, diversity, mentoring, nurturing, professionalism, collegiality, and accountability.   The Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners produced the Future Vision of Pharmacy Practice document containing directives for the profession to achieve by 2015.  The School endorses the document and will work to ensure the preferred future of pharmacy is achieved.

Comprehensive Mission Statement of the School of Pharmacy

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s commitment to excellence results from the synergistic combination of: talented and dedicated people (our faculty, staff, students, post-doctoral trainees, alumni, supporters, Mississippi’s pharmacy practitioners and a variety of decision makers); focused educational programs and scholarly endeavors; a recognition and promotion of the value of individual differences; and a clearly articulated vision and mission.
The mission of The School of Pharmacy is to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of our state citizens as well as those of the nation and the world:

Education Mission

The Education Mission of the School is to develop and provide the most comprehensive and highest quality education for pharmacy. The School recognizes and affirms diversities among learners, learning styles, and educators to optimize graduates’ contributions to society.

The following are essential components to this end:

I. Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences
On the baccalaureate level, the School shall foster an environment where students can learn and apply the principles and theories related to the pharmaceutical sciences and acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes in their chosen discipline such that each can enter and succeed in a professional career in the pharmaceutical sciences, or continue studies in areas including but not limited to, the Doctor of Pharmacy program or graduate studies in the pharmaceutical sciences.

II. Doctor of Pharmacy
On the professional level, the School shall foster an environment that enables graduates to acquire the abilities (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) necessary for licensure to enter the practice of pharmacy, provide patient-centered pharmacy services, and to improve the health, well being, and quality of life of those they serve or to continue studies in areas including but not limited to graduate studies, residencies, or fellowships. 

III. Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences
The School shall foster an environment that enables the graduate student to acquire the abilities in any of the basic pharmaceutical sciences sufficient to prepare them to enter any field where such abilities are requisite. The School shall also provide non-degree granting educational experiences that enhance abilities in the basic pharmaceutical sciences.

IV. Postgraduate Professional Experiences, Residencies and Fellowships
On the postgraduate professional level, the School shall foster continuing professional development and education experiences that enable practitioners to enhance their abilities to provide patient-centered pharmacy services. The School shall collaborate with practitioners to establish residencies that provide both opportunities for graduates to obtain postdoctoral experience in integrating pharmacy services with the comprehensive needs of individual practice settings, and in-depth experiences leading to advanced practice skills and knowledge. The School shall also create fellowships that will afford practitioners the opportunity to develop and advance research abilities.

Patient Care Mission

The Patient Care Mission of the School is to enhance the quality of life for patients who access the patient-centered pharmacy services of the School of Pharmacy’s pharmacy practice faculty and staff.

The School recognizes the following as essential components to this end:

I. Advancing Patient-Centered Pharmacy Services
A. Participating in patient care by promoting the practice of pharmacy in a manner that reflects the professional standards of practice and the general philosophy of pharmaceutical care.
B. Leading in the development of model practices for implementation in the community setting, including appropriate compensation mechanisms and provider status for pharmacy practitioners.

II. Improving Patient Outcomes
The School will advance patient care by:

A. Leading in the development of clinical skills, medication therapy management services, and administrative systems that provide a comprehensive, integrated approach to health care.
B. Leading in the development of methods for measuring the impact of pharmacotherapeutic decisions on patient outcomes.

III. Provision of Patient-Centered Pharmacy Services
The School of Pharmacy is committed to developing and providing contemporary patient-centered pharmacy services in all environments in which pharmacy services enhance patient outcomes. This goal will be accomplished by:

A. Collaborating with other health care providers
B. Participating in rational and cost-effective drug use decision making
C. Advancing and adopting standards for professional practice, patient education and monitoring patient outcomes.
D. Assisting in the implementation of quality medication therapy management programs in community settings

Research and Scholarship Mission

The Research and Scholarship Mission of the School is to conduct individual and collaborative, multidisciplinary, basic and applied research, and to widely disseminate the resulting knowledge.  These activities will enhance patient-centered pharmacy services, public health, economic development and quality of life.

The following are essential components to this end:

I. Conduct multidisciplinary research
A. Maintain and enhance an intellectual and physical environment that fosters independent, collaborative, multidisciplinary research, creativity, and scholarly productivity
B. Provide national and international leadership through the National Center for Natural Products Research and the Center for Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management
C. Provide national and international leadership in collaborative research in the pharmaceutical sciences to interface all aspects of discovery, development, clinical use, and marketing of pharmaceuticals
D. Identify emerging areas of excellence for conducting independent, collaborative, and multidisciplinary research to address important health-related problems

II. Disseminate knowledge to enhance local, regional, national, and global pharmaceutical education, patient-centered pharmacy services and public health through scholarly works in peer-reviewed scientific journals and other appropriate media; original scholarly works before peers at local, regional, national, and international scientific meetings; School-hosted or -sponsored local, regional, national, and international conferences; expert consultation and advice to external agencies and organizations; and technology transfer to enhance patient-centered pharmacy services and improve public health. 

III. Continue to provide an enriched academic environment wherein post-graduate scholars can grow in their understanding of multidisciplinary and independent research as valued enterprises to advance public health.

Service Mission

The Service Mission of the School is to provide leadership, assistance, and expertise to scientific disciplines, the institution, pharmacy and other health professions, and to the citizens of Mississippi and the world.  

The School recognizes the following as essential components to this end:

I. Scientific Disciplines
The School provides services to the scientific disciplines at the state, regional, national, and international levels through a variety of activities including: peer reviewing of grant applications, manuscripts, and scientific abstracts; serving on discipline-specific committees; assuming leadership roles in scientific organizations; consulting and providing expert opinion; serving on editorial boards and as journal editors; influencing through a cadre of other service activities, the direction, dynamics, and impact on these scientific disciplines.

II. The Institution
The School provides services to The University of Mississippi at the department, school, and institution level by: membership on and assuming leadership positions of committees; student recruiting, advising, and mentoring; reviewing and providing expert opinion on institutional issues and activities; and representing proudly the institution at a variety of local, national, and international events.

III. Pharmacy and Other Health Professions
The School provides services to the profession at the state and national levels by encouraging the advancement of quality patient-centered pharmacy services by: providing pharmacy and other health care practitioners with professional development opportunities; conducting and disseminating the results of research relevant to practice; creating educational and informational services; encouraging faculty leadership and participation in state and national professional organizations;  and providing advocacy for the profession of pharmacy within state and federal agencies as well as Congress and the Mississippi legislature.

IV. The Citizens of Mississippi and the World
The School provides services to the citizens of the state and beyond by: communicating professional and scientific knowledge to enhance learning, training, and education; defining new opportunities to improve health, well-being, and quality of life; assuming leadership positions; stimulating economic development; and serving as a knowledge resource.