Mary Beth O'Connell

Mary Beth O'Connell is Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Wayne State University's Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences since 2017. She holds secondary appointments as Faculty Associate at the WSU Institute of Gerontology and serves on various graduate faculties. Her expertise spans geriatrics, women's health, cultural competence, and osteoporosis.

• Pharm.D., University of Minnesota (1982)
• B.S. in Pharmacy, Wayne State University (1979)

Her research focuses on geriatric pharmacotherapy, cultural competence in pharmacy education, and pharmacist-prescribed contraception. Recent publications analyze Medicare Part D plan switching, interprofessional education models, and cultural competency assessments in pharmacy curricula.

Key trends in her 15 most recent publications (2019-2024) include:

• Expanding pharmacist roles in reproductive healthcare
• Geriatric medication management
• Integrating cultural sensitivity into pharmacy education
• Bone health assessments in interprofessional settings

Notable awards include:

• 2024 Michigan Pharmacists Association Hall of Honor
• Multiple Lambda Kappa Sigma Chapter of the Year awards
• 2018 Fellow, American Geriatric Society
• 2014 American College of Clinical Pharmacy Education Award
• 2013 Building Michigan’s Health Care Workforce Award

She has mentored pharmacy students in interprofessional education initiatives and co-authored over 30 publications with students on medication reviews and cultural competency training. Her work appears in journals like Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning.