Samford University pharmacy professor Dr. Valerie T. Prince has been named the 2012 recipient of the American Pharmacists Association’s (APhA) Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Distinguished Achievement Award in clinical/pharmacotherapeutic (C/P) practice.

The award recognizes achievements of an individual who has made a significant contribution or sustained contributions to the provision of pharmaceutical care in C/P practice.

Dr. Prince, who teaches pharmacy practice at Samford’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy, has consistently initiated or expanded existing clinical services at multiple practice sites since joining the Samford faculty 17 years ago.

In her current practice at St. Vincent’s East Family Medicine Residency program, she is the first pharmacist and only non-physician to serve as a member of the inpatient acute care “house” team. She leads continuing medical education (CME) conferences, precepts medical residents on rotation in pharmacology, and serves on a St. Vincent’s system-wide CME committee.

At an earlier site at Medical Center East Hospital, she developed a C/P practice in which she introduced comprehensive antibiotic surveillance, renal dosing, pharmacokinetic consult programs, inpatient anticoagulation consult services and other initiatives.

At those and other sites, Prince has been noted for paving the way for other pharmacists to expand their practices.

Prince has written on many clinical topics for a variety of scholarly publications, and has held national elected office or appointment in APhA since 1992, when she was a pharmacy student at Mercer University. She is also an active volunteer leader in Girl Scouts, church children’s ministries and community drug abuse education programs.

The Distinguished Achievement honor will be bestowed at the APhA annual meeting in New Orleans, La., in March.