Karl Hess

Karl Hess is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Chapman University School of Pharmacy, specializing in travel medicine, vaccines, and community pharmacy innovation. He earned his PharmD from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences in 2005 and completed a PGY1 community pharmacy residency at the University of Southern California in 2006.

• Chapman University School of Pharmacy
• PharmD, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences
• PGY1 Residency, University of Southern California

His research focuses on expanding pharmacists' roles in travel health, including immunization delivery, prescription medication furnishing, and patient education on disease prevention. He investigates state laws governing pharmacist authority and outcomes of pharmacist-led travel clinics, emphasizing accessibility, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes like malaria prophylaxis adherence.

Hess's recent publications analyze trends in pharmacist-provided travel health services, including standardized competency frameworks, multidisciplinary education models, and regulatory advancements across U.S. jurisdictions. His work highlights the importance of pharmacist training programs like the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Certificate and the ISTM Certificate in Travel Health.

He collaborates with researchers such as Keri Hurley-Kim, Jeff Goad, and Sheila Seed on studies evaluating travel clinic operations, patient compliance, and evidence-based guidelines for vaccine and medication recommendations. His findings demonstrate pharmacists' effectiveness in improving pre-travel health preparedness and reducing disease risks.