UHCOP Welcomes Karina Garza to Pharmacy Practice, Rio Grande Valley Pharm.D. Satellite Program

April 30 — UH College of Pharmacy recently welcomed Karina Garza, Pharm.D., to its Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research and the Rio Grande Valley Pharm.D. Satellite Program.

Garza is a graduate of The University of Texas College of Pharmacy/UT-Pan American (now UT Rio Grande Valley) Pharm.D. program. Before attending pharmacy school, Garza worked as a pharmacy technician at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen and De La Rosa Pharmacy in Mission.

Following graduation, Garza joined Knapp Regional Medical Center in Weslaco as a clinical pharmacist, where her activities included creating a IV pump drug library and helping implement electronic Medication Adherence Record, bedside scanning, and pharmacy automation. While in this position, Garza was recognized as a "Knapp Star" for her dedication and hard work to the organization. 

Two years later, Garza joined Prime Mission Regional Medical Center in Mission, where she served in clinical pharmacy and pharmacy management/leadership positions over eight years. Among her duties were creating and/or reinitiating a renal dosing program, IV-to-PO (Intravenous to Per Oral) conversion program, and medication laboratory monitoring; coordinating the antimicrobial stewardship program; and building and maintaining the electronic health record. 

Her past professional activities also include serving as president-elect/president of the Rio Grande Valley Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

In addition to her PPTR and RGV Pharm.D. Satellite Program posts, Garza serves as clinical pharmacist at Satellite Program partner DHRHealth in Edinburg.