The University of Florida College of Pharmacy has named Michael Ujhelyi, Pharm.D., FCCP, as the associate dean for the Orlando campus in Lake Nona, effective Dec. 9.
Associate Dean for Orlando Campus
UF College of Pharmacy
As the academic and administrative leader in Orlando, Ujhelyi will support the college’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, facilitate research and graduate education, provide guidance for the Center for Quality Medication Management and build community partnerships in the area.
Ujhelyi possesses more than 30 years of experience working in academic pharmacy and the medical device industry. He joins UF from Boston Scientific, where he served as a senior regional medical director helping bring medical innovations to market. He has also served as vice president of research and scientific affairs at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and worked in various research roles at Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company.
“I always find myself attracted to building programs and rallying a team around a common vision,” Ujhelyi said. “Being associate dean offers an incredible opportunity to grow the clinical practice footprint, expand our research programs and explore many untapped collaborations within Orlando’s health care community.”
Prior to working in industry, Ujhelyi enjoyed a successful career in academic pharmacy. He earned tenure and promotion at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy in 1998 and held faculty positions at the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy and University of Connecticut College of Pharmacy. Formally trained in cardiovascular research, his more recent research has focused on pain management.
“Michael Ujhelyi will be a dynamic leader for our Orlando campus, as his academic, research and industry experience positions him well to serve our faculty, staff, students and community partners in Lake Nona,” said Julie Johnson, Pharm.D., dean and distinguished professor at the UF College of Pharmacy. “We are excited to welcome him and his family home to Florida and look forward to the visionary leadership he will provide the college.”
Ujhelyi has lifelong ties to Florida. He grew up in Coral Springs and earned a B.S. in Pharmacy from UF in 1987. His wife, Paula, graduated from the UF College of Pharmacy in 1989 and his daughter currently attends UF as an undergraduate student. Ujhelyi continued his education and received a Pharm.D. from the University of North Carolina and completed a fellowship in cardiovascular therapeutics at Hartford Hospital and the University of Connecticut. Early in his academic career, he set his sights on becoming a dean – a career goal that is finally coming to fruition years later.
“I made a leap of faith when I left academic pharmacy to join Medtronic, as the allure of working on a concept to shape pharmacy and impact millions of patients was too exciting to pass up,” Ujhelyi said. “More than two decades later, I’m finally returning to my roots in Florida and academic pharmacy, and I am excited to join the UF College of Pharmacy in this leadership role.”