Tyler Marie Kiles, PharmD, BCADM, an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, was recently named the Young Pharmacist of the Year by the National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA). Dr. Kiles serves as chapter adviser for the UTHSC chapter of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) across all College of Pharmacy campuses.
The Young Pharmacist of the Year Award is presented annually to one pharmacist in the country for individual excellence and outstanding contributions in NPhA activities, community affairs, and professional practice. Dr. Kiles was formally recognized with the honor during NPhA’s 2021 virtual Annual Convention. “I’m extremely honored to receive this award,” she said. “For me, this honor signifies everything coming full circle from student to professional.”
Established in 1947, the NPhA represents minority pharmacists and serves as a resource for health equity and advancing the standards of pharmaceutical care. Dr. Kiles became involved in the organization as a pharmacy student at the University of Houston. She credits her former adviser for not only her continuous involvement in the organization but inspiring her career in academia and becoming an adviser and advocate herself.
“My former adviser, Dr. Louis Williams, is amazing and a trailblazer for minority pharmacists,” she said. “He always encouraged my involvement in the organization and pushed me to pursue anything I wanted. The fact that he looked like me was a bonus but most of all, he made me feel like I mattered. That’s how I want my students to feel. I want them to know that they are valued and much needed in their communities.”
Dr. Kiles has been with UTHSC since 2019. She is also the clinical coordinator for the community-based pharmacy residency program at UTHSC. Under Dr. Kiles’ leadership, the UTHSC SNPhA chapter won the 2020 National Large Chapter of the Year and Overall Chapter of the Year. During the Annual Convention that year, Dr. Kiles gave a presentation titled, “The Importance of Minority Faculty in Pharmacy Academia.”
“Dr. Kiles is a hardworking and very thoughtful faculty member of the College of Pharmacy,” said Marie Chisholm-Burns, PharmD, MPH, MBA, FCCP FASHP, FAST, dean of the UTHSC College of Pharmacy. “She is well-deserving of this award.”
Additionally, Dr. Kiles serves as a member of the College of Pharmacy’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Council, creating and hosting programming for students. She also facilitated three Black alumni networking sessions via Zoom for students to meet and socialize with 20 different alumni and NPhA members despite the ongoing pandemic. Other accolades include receiving the college’s 2019-2020 Preceptor of the Year Award and the 2020-2021 Student Government Association Executive Council Excellence in Teaching Award, a top honor for UTHSC faculty. Dr. Kiles also achieved national recognition as a member of the 2020 cohort of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation Faculty Scholars Program.