Award recognizes outstanding research that has made sustained contributions to the quality of patient outcomes.

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) will recognize Professor Betty Chewning in the Social and Administrative Sciences Division at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy, for her innovative and impactful research in the areas of social determinants of health, patient communications, and the medication use experience.

She will receive the Paul R. Dawson Award for Excellence in Patient Care Research on July 20, during the Science Plenary at the AACP Annual Meeting in Long Beach, Calif.

“I am very honored to receive this special award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, an organization I literally revere. My studies have been from the heart, always hoping to improve the lives of patients and contribute to the quality of their care and self-management,” said Chewning. “To have my work recognized is very meaningful, and I’m grateful to the researchers who made this possible.”

Chewning is a nationally recognized scholar and researcher, previously inducted as a fellow of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Pharmaceutical Research & Science (APhA-APRS) and the Academy of Communication in Healthcare (ACH). She has served as a past chair of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Social Administrative Sciences Division. Chewning is a recipient of APhA’s Wiederholt Prize for the best published paper in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (JAPhA) that describes original investigation in economic, social, or administrative sciences related to pharmacy. She also has received the Best Paper Award among articles published in the journal Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy (RSAP).

“Dr. Chewning’s commitment to patient care and improved outcomes is evident in her impressive research achievements and innovative initiatives,” said Steven Swanson, dean of the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. “She was a founding member of the NIH-funded ICTR Community Academic Partnership steering committee. During her tenure as director of the School’s Sonderegger Research Center, she established the Pharmacy Practice Enhancement and Action Research Link (PearlRx), an ongoing collaborative partnership with pharmacists across Wisconsin. She’s an outstanding example of the Wisconsin Idea.”

Chewning has earned more than $5.4 million in research funding as principal investigator and collaborated on other studies awarded more than $4.5 million as a co-investigator.

“Dr. Chewning is a successful researcher and teacher in the Social and Administrative Sciences Division at the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. The communications course she teaches for our third-year pharmacy students is consistent with her commitment to patient care and the spirit of the Dawson Award as the course teaches our students to be effective communicators with patients, and ultimately, better providers of patient care,” said David Mott, chair of the Social and Administrative Sciences Division and William S. Apple Professor.

The Paul R. Dawson Award for Excellence in Patient Care Research—endowed by Amgen in honor of its former vice president of marketing and sales—recognizes an active scientist within the ranks of pharmacy education as a leader in the broad range of research health services delivery directly affecting patient outcomes, including basic, clinical, translational and health services research. The award includes a $5,000 prize.

“AACP’s most prestigious award recipients are a reflection of the commitment to excellence in education, research and community service, as well as the diversity of talent in AACP’s membership,” said AACP Executive Vice President and CEO Lucinda L. Maine. “Their contributions include a resounding passion for pharmacy education and student learning, transformative research in drug absorption, disposition and toxicity, improving patient outcomes and reducing caregiver burden, and aiding the student-practitioner transition. Drs. Brazeau, Brouwer, Chewning, Kolar and Janke represent the ‘best of’ pharmacy education.”