Michelle Farland, Pharm.D., a clinical professor and interim chair of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacy Education and Practice, has been named as a recipient of the 2025 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, or AACP, Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award.
“The past awardees include some of the most influential educators and education researchers in pharmacy education, and I am deeply honored to have been selected to join this prestigious group,” said Farland. “This recognition is a testament to the collaborative efforts of my mentors, colleagues and students, whose support and inspiration have been invaluable.”
According to the AACP, the award is designed to recognize the excellence of academic pharmacy faculty who are engaged in and/or supporting scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Recipients of the award are models for advancing the profession of pharmacy through education while guiding the academy in furthering scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
“We spend an immense amount of time focusing on teaching evidence-based medicine and ensuring patient care decisions we make are the most well informed as possible,” Farland said. “I feel strongly that we also need to engage in evidence-based education, whereby we focus on selecting learning approaches and course designs that have been demonstrated to have the best influence on learning.”
Farland joined the UF College of Pharmacy in 2015, focusing her research on the outcomes of team-based learning, personal and professional development and alternative grading approaches. She has earned multiple teaching honors from the AACP, as well as recognition from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy and the Team-Based Learning Collaborative.
“My curiosity in education research began early in my career. Since I’ve been at UF, I have been in a supportive environment where this type of scholarly activity was supported and encouraged,” Farland said. “This award recognizes the body of work I have been excited to be engaged in, and I’m honored to be seen across the pharmacy education academy as a leader in scholarly teaching, scholarship of teaching and learning and assisting others to pursue their own curiosity in these areas.”
Farland will be recognized during the AACP Annual Meeting in Chicago, which is scheduled for July 19-22.