Dr. Shawn Bugden has been reappointed to the role of dean of the School of Pharmacy for a second five-year term.

The Board of Regents approved the recommendation at its March meeting. The appointment is effective April 1, 2023, until March 31, 2028.

“Dr. Bugden has advanced numerous significant initiatives during his first term as dean of the School of Pharmacy,” said Dr. Jennifer Lokash, acting provost and vice-president (academic). “I would like to express my thanks to the members of the review committee for their work and commitment to the process and to the members of the university community who provided input for the review. I am confident that Dr. Bugden will continue to have a positive impact on pharmacy education, research and engagement at Memorial.”

Notable accomplishments include achieving full accreditation in spring 2022 with the Canadian Council for Accreditation in Pharmacy Programs for the doctor of pharmacy degree (PharmD) program; continued growth of pharmacy research reaching a milestone of $1 million in annual research funding; and the establishment of the Tommy Ricketts Award to support experiential education in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and the School of Pharmacy Endowment Fund.

During his tenure, the first cohort of PharmD graduates completed the program. The unit saw an increase of 50 per cent in weighted undergraduate enrolments.

Dr. Bugden is nationally recognized for his leadership in pharmacy and was elected president of the Canadian Pharmacists Association Board in 2022. He also served on the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health – National Advisory Panel for Pan-Canadian Formulary.