Michael McKenzie, PhD
Associate Dean
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Michael McKenzie was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. He graduated as valedictorian of his senior class and was named All-State in basketball and baseball. He was granted a basketball scholarship to attend Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. While in the School of Pharmacy at Samford University he lettered in basketball, served as President of the Beta Beta Chapter of Rho Chi Honorary Pharmaceutical Society, was selected as a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, and listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. He received his B.S. in Pharmacy degree from Samford University in 1969 and then completed an ASHP accredited hospital pharmacy residency at the University of Alabama Hospitals and Clinics.
He was admitted to the graduate school at the University of Florida in 1970 to pursue a Master of Science in Hospital Pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy. While in the graduate program he worked under the supervision of Mr. Ronald Stewart and Dr. Leighton Cluff on a FDA supported study on the epidemiology of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized pediatric patients at the Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. After receiving his M.S. in Hospital Pharmacy degree in 1972 he continued his work as a researcher on the FDA study until he accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida in September 1972. He assumed clinical pharmacy responsibilities in the Pediatric Department of Shands Teaching Hospital, coordinated the clinical pharmacy clerkship program, lectured in the Therapeutics course, and coordinated an Introductory Pharmacology course for nursing students.
In 1977 he was promoted to Associate Professor and decided to take a two year leave of absence to complete requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in clinical pharmacy at Purdue University. After receiving the Ph.D. degree he returned to the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and assumed clinical pharmacy responsibilities in the Pediatric Ambulatory Clinic and coordinated the Therapeutics course. He was selected Teacher of the Year in the College of Pharmacy in 1981. He accepted the position as Coordinator of the Post-baccalaureate Doctor of Pharmacy program in 1981.
In 1984 he was appointed as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs responsible for recruitment, prepharmacy counseling, financial aid, awards, academic performance, registration, examination scheduling, classroom scheduling, and faculty advisement. In 1989 he was promoted to Professor of Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and as Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
In 1995 he was promoted to Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. He was given the responsibility over curriculum development and faculty development in addition to student affairs responsibilities. He worked with the College’s Curriculum Task Force and the Curriculum Committee to assist in the planning, organization, implementation, and evaluation of a new Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.
In 1999 he was promoted to Associate Dean for Professional Affairs with administrative responsibilities in student affairs, academic affairs, and the clinical experiential program. He also was given responsibilities as the College’s Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. In 2005 he was promoted to Senior Associate Dean for Professioanl Affairs in the College of Pharmacy.
As an administrator in the College of Pharmacy he has implemented programs and events that have enhanced the services to students and faculty in the College. These include the peer advisor program, early academic warning program, People Awareness Week program, Parents and Family Day event, computer databases for applications and admissions, and financial aid orientations. He has been instrumental in the creation of joint degree programs for pharmacy students to obtain the Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Physician Assistant degrees, Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Public Health degrees, Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration degrees, Doctor of Pharmacy and Juris Doctorate, and Doctor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. He has implemented a special program for foreign pharmacists to obtain the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and served on the Task Force to implement the Working Professional Pharm.D. program for post-baccalaureate pharmacists.
As a faculty member, he was one of the first pharmacists in the country to develop a pediatric clinical clerkship site, a pediatric pharmacy course, publish data about child abuse and neglect to draw pharmacists' attention to this problem, and develop innovative, self-instructional, competency-based, multi-media modules on medication interviewing, patient counseling, and medication therapy monitoring. He was selected twice to be a recipient of the AACP Lyman Award for the best article in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. He has published over 80 articles and chapters in the professional literature, made numerous presentations at continuing education and professional meetings, and displayed many exhibits at the American Association Colleges of Pharmacy annual meetings.
He is a member of the American Pharmacists Association, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Florida Pharmaceutical Association, and the Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists.. He is also a member of Rho Chi Honorary Pharmaceutical Society and Phi Lambda Sigma National Leadership Society. He served as national President of Phi Lambda Sigma from 1990-1991. He has served as a Florida Pharmacy Association delegate to the House of Delegates for APhA. He has represented the College of Pharmacy as ex-offico to the Florida Pharmacy Association Executive Council and has served as faculty delegate to the FPA House of Delegates on many occasions. In AACP he has served as chairman of the Student Personnel Special Interest Group, chairman of the PCAT Advisory Group, and as a member of the Nominations Committee, Lyman Award Committee, PharmCAS Advisory Panel, and the Constitution and By-Laws Committee. He served on the APhA/ASP-AACP Council of Deans Task Force on Professionalism. He currently es on the AACP Advisory Group on background checks for pharmacy students.
He is a registered pharmacist in Florida.
His service to the community has included volunteer work for the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and the March of Dimes. He has served on the Citizen's Advisory Board for County Mental Health Association. He served for several years as the College of Pharmacy coordinator for the United Way Giving Program on the University campus. He has served as a member of the Annual Giving campaign, usher, and Sunday school teacher for his church. He and his wife are members of the Eastside High School baseball boosters organization.
He and his wife, Lynda, have two children, Amanda and Mark. Lynda is a registered nurse with a B.S. in Nursing degree and Masters of Health Education degree from the University of Florida. She has been a researcher on numerous studies in the colleges of medicine and pharmacy, and she has coordinated the professional communication laboratory course in the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.
INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
Michael W. McKenzie is Senior Associate Dean for Professional Affairs and Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.
He obtained his B.S. in Pharmacy degree from Samford University, his M.S. in Hospital Pharmacy from the University of Florida, and Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmacy from Purdue University. He completed an ASHP accredited hospital pharmacy residency at the University of Alabama Hospitals and Clinics in Birmingham, Alabama.
His pharmacy practice specialty is in pediatric pharmacy. He taught an elective course in pediatric pharmacy and supervised pharmacy students in a pediatric pharmacy clerkship for many years prior to assuming his present administrative position in the College of Pharmacy. He presently coordinates a seminar course, In Search of Magic Bullets, for freshman and sophomore students in the Honors Program at the University of Florida.
He is a registered pharmacist in Florida.
