Paul Abramowitz, PharmD, is currently the Chief Executive Officer for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Prior to joining ASHP, Dr. Abramowitz had worked in hospitals and health-systems for 34 years, most recently as associate hospital director for professional services and chief pharmacy officer at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He also served as professor and assistant dean at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. He was previously the director of pharmacy and a faculty member at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals and the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics.

Dr. Abramowitz has actively combined practice, teaching, and research throughout his career. He has lectured and published extensively focusing on the effect that quality pharmaceutical care can have on improving outcomes of care and reducing costs, reduction of adverse drug events, developing new care models, and redesign of pharmacy services.

In addition to serving as treasurer of ASHP from 2007-10 and as ASHP president in 1993-94, he also chaired the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, the Board of Directors of the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center, the ASHP Research and Education Foundation Board, and the UHC Pharmacy Council. He currently serves on the Board of the American Nurses Foundation.

He was a recipient of the John W. Webb Lecture Award in 2000 and the Harvey A.K. Whitney Lecture Award in 2009, health-system pharmacy’s highest honor. In 1990 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy, and in 2010 he received the Alumni Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. Most recently, he was awarded the 2012 Honorary Alumni Award from UI College of Pharmacy and the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy in 2013.

Dr. Abramowitz received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Toledo, his PharmD from the University of Michigan, and completed his residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center.