As a new graduate 28 years ago, Mary Worthington was fortunate to be offered a pharmacy residency at a children’s hospital. It was there that she discovered her professional passion—pediatrics.  For Worthington, providing care for patients with unique needs in respect to medication use and safety was both challenging and rewarding. As her career progressed, she was blessed to become a faculty member at McWhorter School of Pharmacy where she shares her passion for pediatric pharmacy with students in a community that values both transforming the lives of students and the patients they serve, including the youngest ones.

Degrees and Certifications

• PharmD, Ohio State University
• BS, pharmacy, Ohio State University 
• Hospital Pharmacy Residency, Columbus Children's Hospital
• Pediatric Pharmacotherapy and Home Care Residency, The University of Tennessee Memphis
• Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist, Board of Pharmacy Specialties 

Expertise

Pediatric pharmacy, asthma management, pharmacy education

Awards and Honors

• Excellence in Teaching Award, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, 1999
• Sergi Stagno M.D. Friend of the Housestaff Award, Children's of Alabama, 1999

Publications

• Williams A, Worthington M, Cates M. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In: Todd T, Eiland L, eds. Advanced Pediatric Therapeutics. Memphis, TN: Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group, 2015
• Worthington MA. Cerebral palsy. In: Benavides S, Nahata MC, Phan H, eds. Pediatric Pharmacotherapy Self-Assessment. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. 2015.
• Worthington M. Cerebral palsy. In: Pediatric Pharmacotherapy. Benavides S, Nahata M, eds. American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 2013.
• Tofil NM, Benner KW, Worthington MA, Zinkan L, White ML. Use of simulation to enhance learning in a pediatric elective. Am J Pharm Educ. 2010; 74 (2) Article 21.
• Bryant ML, Worthington MA, Parsons K. Treatment of osteoporosis/osteopenia in pediatric leukemia/lymphoma. Ann Pharmacother. 2009; 43(4):714-720.

Presentations

• Let’s Go Nuts: A Food Allergy Update for Pharmacists. McWhorter School of Pharmacy Continuing Education Program. Birmingham, AL. November 2015.
• Pediatric pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics Noon Conference. October 2014
• Complex pediatric asthma case. American Society of Health-Sytem Pharmacists. Pharmacotherapy Specialty Review Course. Orlando, FL. December 2013.
• ADHD: A focus on drug therapy. Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama Annual Conference, Birmingham, AL September 2013.

Research

Simulation in pediatric pharmacy education

Involvement

• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Pediatric Special Interest Group, chair-elect
• Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group, past-member, board of directors
• American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Pediatric Practice Research Network, past-president
• Association of Asthma Educators, member