Giving Back to the Next Generation of Pharmacists

As clinical coordinator of Saint Luke’s pharmacy residency program, Mark Woods, PharmD, has devoted his career to developing the next generation of pharmacists. Over a quarter-century, he has helped build a program that now offers clinical rotations to nearly 150 pharmacy students annually and provides training to several residents.

In addition to the clinical training they provide, a key component of the program is giving students and residents exposure to the broader professional world through seminars and conferences.

"We worked with Saint Luke’s Foundation to develop a mechanism to support professional development,” said Dr. Woods.

He helped establish a fund with the Foundation to provide the financial backing for such activities, and he makes personal donations, as well. 

"I see this as investing in our future and the future of health care," Dr. Woods said. "The lion's share of that money goes to support young people who might be going to their very first seminar or presenting their very first paper. Once you get people started on the right path, it’s much easier to keep them going in that direction.”

His work has paid off. Projects completed by Saint Luke’s pharmacy residents have led to improvements in patient care and cost reductions, and many graduates stay on with Saint Luke’s after graduation. In addition, the program has given Saint Luke’s an edge in attracting staff.

"In part because of our commitment to teaching, we’ve been able to recruit top-flight pharmacists from across the country,” Dr. Woods said.

He noted that Saint Luke’s pharmacy team exceeds national averages in board certification and specialty residency training, and Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City was recently named a center of excellence in Medication-Use Safety and Pharmacy Practice, the highest designation available.

After entering part-time retirement in 2023, Dr. Woods is now working to generate more funding to strengthen and improve the pharmacy residency program. By raising awareness of the pharmacy department’s accomplishments among Saint Luke’s staff and program alumni, he believes they will be inclined to offer support as well.

"When you see rounding teams, everyone thinks it’s doctors and nurses, but there’s often a pharmacist in that mix. We’re one of the best-kept secrets in the hospital for the success of our patient-care teams,” Dr. Woods said.

The benefits from Dr. Woods’ philanthropy and his longtime work for Saint Luke’s are invaluable. Thank you, Dr. Woods!

Learn more about how you can support Saint Luke's Foundation.