Painter Leads PEP Division as New Director

By Ben Boulden

Painter is an associate professor in the College’s Department of Pharmacy Practice and has been  a member of PEP division faculty since 2012. Since April 2019, he has served as associate director of operations at the Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) in North Little Rock. He also has been a research health scientist and core investigator at CAVHS since 2012.

“Dr. Painter has shown outstanding leadership and research skills in his work in evaluation and policy,” said College of Pharmacy Dean Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D. “That experience equips him to ensure continuity in the division’s endeavors, and builds upon current collaborations both on campus and across the country. I and the faculty are confident Dr. Painter is the right person to continue to build on PEP’s achievements and expand on them in the future.”

Painter earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2009 from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, his master’s degree in business administration in 2009 from the University of Kentucky, Gatton College of Business and Economics, and, with a focus on pharmaceutical outcomes and policy, his doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences in 2012 from the University of Kentucky Graduate School, all colleges in Lexington.

The Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy was established in 2005 to contribute to medication use and health policy development that benefits society. Its faculty provide national, statewide and campus leadership in observational research methods and data analytics. The division also offers master’s and doctoral-level education and contributes to the college’s curriculum in core professional program courses.

“Jacob brings a unique vision and leadership style to the division,” said Amy Franks, Pharm.D., associate professor and chair of the UAMS College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacy Practice. “He is focused on enhancing the division’s research and educational missions and has the right skills and experiences to successfully pursue new collective goals for the Division. He’s a terrific fit as director of the program.”