Author: [AUTHOR] Published on 5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM

Deanna L. Kroetz, PhD, Professor, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

What Does Receiving The Rawls Palmer Progress In Medicine Award Mean To You?
I am honored to receive the Rawls Palmer Progress in Medicine Award and to be included in a long list of exemplary clinical pharmacologists who were previous recipients. Since I was a pharmacy student, I have always been intrigued by the large degree of interindividual variability in the response to drugs and have spent a lot of my career using pharmacogenomics to better understand this variability. It means a lot that ASCPT recognizes the critical contributions of basic and translational research in advancing our goal of more precise use of medications in patients.

What Professional Accomplishment Are You Most Proud Of?
I am most proud of my mentoring efforts during my career. It is so rewarding to help trainees develop into critical thinkers who can address complex pharmacological questions and learn the soft skills needed for success in their careers. The uniqueness of each individual trainee makes it both challenging and interesting for the mentor and pushes me to grow along with them.

What Has Been The Greatest Challenge In Your Career?
Balancing all the different responsibilities of faculty and still finding time for my family has always been a challenge. I made a pact with myself when my first son was born that I would not miss important events in their lives for my career. I’ve tried hard to keep that pact and have learned to accept that impact of family on productivity is not something to feel guilty about.

What Is Your Favorite Society Memory?
I worked on two strategic plans during my time as an ASCPT member. I loved the opportunity to meet colleagues with diverse backgrounds and to think creatively about the future of the profession.

When You Aren’t Working, How Do You Spend Your Free Time?
I love the mountains and like to spend time with my family hiking, backpacking, and skiing. Closer to home, I like to bike and walk. During the pandemic, we were on a quest to walk all the streets in our town!

Dr. Kroetz has been a member of ASCPT since 1994.