Steven Chen, PharmD, associate dean for clinical affairs and the William A. and Josephine A. Heeres Chair in Community Pharmacy, has been promoted to professor in the Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy with the USC School of Pharmacy.
A three-time recipient of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Pinnacle Award, Chen was co-investigator on a three-year, $12 million Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation grant that placed clinical pharmacy teams in safety-net clinics throughout Los Angeles, aiming to improve medication use as well as safety and access to primary care among underserved populations in Southern California.
Over the past 22 years as a faculty member at the USC School of Pharmacy, Chen has received multiple teaching awards including Preceptor of the Year, Professor of the Year, Faculty Adviser of the Year and Distinguished Faculty Fellow of the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching. Serving as the associate dean for clinical affairs, he leads the school’s experiential teaching program along with residency and fellowship training programs.
“Dr. Chen has made significant contributions to our clinical teaching program while building a strong pharmacy practice program in ambulatory care and contributing to national service organizations,” said Paul Beringer PharmD, chair of the Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy. “He is an accomplished primary care practitioner, valued colleague, scholar and mentor who has attained national recognition as a practice leader.”
A national leader on expanding the scope of pharmacy practice to improve patient outcomes and save health care dollars, Chen has received honorary fellowships from the California Society of Health System Pharmacists (CSHP), the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the National Association of Practitioners. He is the recipient of the ASHP Best Practice Award, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Inaugural Community Transformative Award, CSHP Pharmacist of the Year and the American Heart Association (AHA) Multicultural Initiatives Award.
In 2018, he founded the California Right Meds Collaborative (CRMC), a consortium of Southern California health plans, pharmacists, health systems, academic and professional organizations to deliver high-impact comprehensive medication management services through a sustainable, value-based payment model.