When a patient suffering from burns is hospitalized, doctors often struggle to alleviate the patient’s pain and identify any infections that arise. David Hill, PharmD, is on a mission to enhance patient care in this area.
“I will solve this problem one day. I promise you,” he said.
As an associate professor in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy and the director of Burn Research for the Firefighters Burn Center at Regional One Health in Memphis, Dr. Hill has devoted his career to advancing burn care through innovative research – an area he believes needs more attention.
He didn’t always aspire to be a pharmacist or a researcher. Originally from Middle Tennessee, Dr. Hill played football throughout his youth, sparking an interest in nutrition and personal fitness. However, he did not think that would be the ideal path to support the large family he envisioned. He decided pharmacy was the best option to allow him to help improve people’s quality of life.
Dr. Hill began his higher education at the University of Memphis, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology in 2006. He stayed in Memphis for his pharmacy education at UT Health Science Center, drawn by the location, the college’s faculty, and the growth the pharmacy program was experiencing. In addition to receiving a quality education, Dr. Hill said the college provided him with lifelong relationships.
“I met my wife through pharmacy school, and two of the guys who were in my wedding were really good friends I met in pharmacy school,” he said. “And of course, the teachers – some of the teachers are a big reason I’m doing what I’m doing today.”
After earning his pharmacy degree in 2010, Dr. Hill completed a residency program at UT Health Science Center and Regional One, focusing on critical care and nutrition. This experience ignited his passion for burn research.
“Doing research is really meaningful because we get to uncover new answers to questions,” he said. “In burn, those questions were enormous. There’s very little research specifically dedicated to burn because there’s a lower incidence rate compared to other traumas or other disease states.”
Over the years, Dr. Hill’s research has primarily focused on two key areas – infection and pain management for burn patients. He has worked to develop better methods of identifying and treating infections, which can be difficult to detect in burn victims because burn symptoms often mask signs of infection. Additionally, he has made it his mission to find more effective pain relief solutions, noting that current treatments often fall short.
“As providers, it’s a tough job because we have few tools to do it, and the tools we have don’t work well,” Dr. Hill said. “Reaching out to places like the government to help fund studies is something that I’ve been able to do successfully, along with having great relationships with industry and having them support our work and help us find these answers for our patients,” Dr. Hill said.
“Seeing (students) grow and what they accomplish over time, there’s a sense of accomplishment and pleasure knowing I had a little bit of a hand in that.”
Dr. David Hill
Dr. Hill also highlighted the valuable resources provided by UT Health Science Center, including state-of-the-art laboratories, equipment, and leadership. Collaboration with other pharmacy researchers has further motivated Dr. Hill to continue his groundbreaking work.
“The relationships that we are able to maintain through our multidisciplinary teams and industry really drive our studies,” he said. “Those partnerships are sometimes avoided because of things like perceived conflicts of interest, but they can be mutually beneficial, and you can really help each other attain goals to help patients.”
Beyond the lab, Dr. Hill finds great fulfillment in mentoring the next generation of pharmacists. He views it as an opportunity to “pay it forward” by inspiring students to develop a passion for making a difference through pharmacy.
“That’s truly how I’ve always lived – you pass along what you’ve gained from others,” he said. “There’s a true appreciation when students are invested, and you can see it in their attitudes and their mentalities. Seeing them grow and what they accomplish over time, there’s a sense of accomplishment and pleasure knowing I had a little bit of a hand in that,” he said.
Through his impactful research and dedication to teaching, Dr. Hill continues to leave a lasting mark on the field of burn care and the lives of those he serves. “That’s why I got into the health care profession. I wanted to help people.”
This story was originally featured in the Fall 2024 issue of the College of Pharmacy Magazine.