New Faculty Focus: Amanda Margolis

Name: Amanda Margolis

Title: Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy

Hometown: Verona, WI

Educational/professional background: PharmD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy; MS in Clinical Investigation through the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at UW–Madison; MS in Social and Administrative Sciences at UW–Madison School of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Residency at and also clinical pharmacist at the William S Middleton Memorial Veteran’s Hospital in Madison, 2009-2010; pharmacist editor for the Journal of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin; Lecturer, UW–Madison School of Pharmacy.

How did you get into your field of research? My dad is also a pharmacist and faculty at the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. I have always looked up to him and have a tendency to follow in his footsteps. While our paths are certainly different, there is even some overlap in the post-graduate training and residencies I completed. Following my clinical training, I found myself drawn to the research aspect of pharmacy. I find the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy allows a nice mix with expectations related to research and scholarship supporting their faculty to pursue innovating practice.

What attracted you to UW–Madison? In addition to being a fantastic School of Pharmacy, I was born a Badger. Both of my parents are UW–Madison alumni and working here has always been a dream of mine.

What was your first visit to campus like? I remember visiting campus as a child with my dad. I would watch the students from his office window and remember how busy and important everything seemed. Of course the trip to Babcock for ice cream after stopping at his office never hurt!

Favorite place on campus? Lakeshore path and Allen Centennial Garden (I don’t get out there often enough – but love their Instagram feed)

What are you most enjoying so far about working here? I enjoy working with students and finding opportunities to further expand their experience. I love taking students to my clinical practice early in their career so they can observe what pharmacists can do and help them make connections to what they are learning in the classroom.

Do you feel your work relates in any way to the Wisconsin Idea? If so, please describe how. My research focuses on preceptor development and how we can encourage our preceptors to create more meaningful teaching opportunities for their pharmacy students on rotation. The rotation sites and preceptors are located across the state of Wisconsin. By strengthening our preceptors’ teaching, we will create a stronger pharmacy profession to serve the medication needs of state.

What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter at parties? A common medication to prevent strokes is named after the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation: warfarin.

Hobbies/other interests: Baking and jogging with a good podcast