UT Tyler Fisch College of Pharmacy Professor Elected as AACP Chair

January 9, 2024 | Elizabeth Wingfield

Dr. Pamella Ochoa, associate dean of experiential education at The University of Texas at Tyler Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy, has been elected the Experiential Education Section chair for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Experiential education is the part of the curriculum that occurs outside of the classroom, where students apply what they’ve learned and work alongside a practicing pharmacist in a clinical setting.

Ochoa received a majority vote from the 4,921 members of the AACP, which include deans, associate deans, professors and preceptors from pharmacy schools across the nation.

“We are all very proud of her,” said Dr. Amy Schwartz, Fisch College of Pharmacy dean. “The honor is well deserved and demonstrates confidence in her leadership from peers from across the country.”

As chair, Ochoa will work with the other AACP chairs as well as 10 experiential education committees, comprising over 1,347 members. She will assume her position as chair in July 2024.

“I am grateful for the outpouring of support from AACP members throughout the U.S. and the Fisch College of Pharmacy,” said Ochoa. “Taking on this role holds great significance for me, and the excitement from my colleagues makes it all the more meaningful.”

This position will give her the opportunity to represent the Fisch College of Pharmacy and learn the best practices for experiential education from colleges of pharmacy throughout the nation, she added.

Ochoa received a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry with a double-major in genetics from Texas A&M University. She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, followed by a pharmacy residency at the UT Tyler Health Science Center. In addition to her other roles, she serves as the chair of the AACP Experiential Education Section Resolutions Committee and a facilitator for the AACP Leadership Development SIG Leadership Circles Program.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.