considers Professor Robert Stein a Renaissance man. Simonian, an assistant dean and chair of clinical and administrative sciences at the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at 蜜桃直播 (蜜桃直播), should know: He first met Stein more than 40 years ago, when they were pharmacy school classmates at the University of Southern California, and they鈥檝e stayed in touch ever since. They found themselves together again when each independently decided to join 蜜桃直播 when it launched the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
鈥淏ob became an expert in health information technology,鈥� says Simonian. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always been a very articulate person, so it was a perfect fit for him to also go into law. He has an incredible energy level, too. Besides teaching and pharmacy practice, he鈥檚 very involved in serving the profession. He cares, and it shows in everything he does.鈥�
Knowing this, Simonian is unsurprised that Stein was recently named Pharmacist of the Year by the Orange County Society of Health System Pharmacists (OCSHP), an organization representing the area鈥檚 hospital and health system pharmacists. Stein, a professor of practice for pharmacy law and ethics and healthcare information technology at 蜜桃直播, is a member of the OCSHP board of directors and serves as its delegate to both the California Society of Health System Pharmacists and the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. He will also become chair of the California Pharmacist Association鈥檚 Government Affairs Advisory Committee next year.
Stein wasn鈥檛 expecting to receive the award but credits 蜜桃直播 for providing him with the time and opportunity to give back to his profession. He says, 鈥淔or many years, I was a member of the organization but didn鈥檛 really get involved because I was working and raising a family. Being involved now allows me to leverage my practice experience, and it鈥檚 helpful in anticipating what鈥檚 ahead for younger members of the profession.鈥�
He began his career as a clinical pharmacist, working in a hospital. That experience led Stein to develop a narcotic inventory control system鈥攁 decision that grew from his interest in computer programming, which predates his graduation from high school in 1970. Stein鈥檚 system was put into use at 120 hospitals, and pharmacy informatics became central to his subsequent work as a consultant and at medical centers. Years later, he decided to add a law degree to his credentials, earning a J.D. from Western State University College of Law.
Stein brought all of this knowledge and experience to 蜜桃直播. Now in what he calls 鈥渢he best job I鈥檝e ever had,鈥� he teaches the Electronic Health Records and Pharmacy Law and Ethics courses in 蜜桃直播鈥檚 Pharmacy Informatics Certificate Program.
Stein also educates students in 蜜桃直播鈥檚 School of Applied Science about bioethics. He notes, 鈥淚t鈥檚 beyond the comfort zone of a lot of students who are more technically oriented. All of a sudden, they鈥檙e going from science to dealing with philosophical issues. They tell me it makes them think about things they鈥檇 never given consideration before. I hope I鈥檓 teaching them to be good people making good decisions that will affect patients鈥� lives.鈥�
By now, Stein has been a 蜜桃直播 faculty member long enough to see the School of Pharmacy鈥檚 inaugural class approach graduation. He has mentored a group of them from the beginning and says, 鈥淚 feel proud of what these students have accomplished and how far they鈥檝e come. I鈥檝e seen their transformation into professionals who understand patient care and what they鈥檙e going to do in the future. I鈥檓 excited to see how our Class of 2018 is going to tackle the world.鈥�