The School of Pharmacy has named Jill Fitzgerald, Pharm.D., Director of Experiential Learning and Continuing Professional Development and Associate Clinical Professor, recipient of the 2021 Dean Robert L. McCarthy Faculty Service Award. This is an annual award presented to a full-time faculty member who has provided outstanding service to their department, school, the university, the profession of pharmacy, and the public. “Dr. Fitzgerald has taken on some monumental tasks by working collaboratively with the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT-DPH) to develop a training and certification program to expand the number of COVID-19 immunizers in our State,” says Phil Hritcko, Dean. “In addition, Dr. Fitzgerald was also implementing the training and certification of pharmacists and student pharmacists as immunizers and coordinated our students’ involvement in the CT-DPH contact tracing program.  All of this was done on top of her normal duties and responsibilities as Director for our Experiential Learning Program.”

Fitzgerald’s research interests include outcomes in Continuing Education and myDispense pharmacy practice simulations.

“It is an honor to receive this award and an honor to provide service to the people of Connecticut. Much of the work was around training other health professionals who did not have vaccine administration as part of their scope of practice to step in and volunteer as the supply of vaccines increased,” says  Fitzgerald on receiving the award. “This work is exponentially valuable and rewarding since a group of about 25 faculty, staff and students trained over 800 health professionals who will vaccinate thousands of Connecticut citizens. We are so happy to be part of the solution and part of the effort that has made Connecticut perform so well.”