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Rear Admiral Robert E. Pittman, RPh, MPH, is the Chief Pharmacy Officer of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) and the Director of the Division of Health Professions Support for the Indian Health Service (IHS). As the Chief Pharmacy Officer, RADM Pittman is responsible for providing leadership and coordination of PHS pharmacy programs and professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services. He also provides guidance and advice to the PHS Pharmacy Professional Advisory Committee on matters such as recruitment, retention and career development for over 1200 PHS pharmacists.
RADM Pittman received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Arizona in 1984 and a Master of Public Health degree in Health Policy and Management from Johns Hopkins University in 1999. In 2003, RADM Pittman completed the GlaxoSmithKline Executive Management Program for Pharmacy Leaders from the Wharton School and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics of the University of Pennsylvania.
A career officer in the PHS Commissioned Corps, RADM Pittman has served in uniform 24 years, beginning with clinical pharmacist assignments in the IHS. He served as a Health Care Personnel Recruitment Specialist in the National Health Service Corps in the Health Resources and Services Administration working to recruit and retain health professionals in underserved areas. From 2000 to 2007, RADM Pittman served as the Principal Pharmacy Consultant for the IHS responsible for providing pharmacy related performance improvement, risk management, cost containment, and professional pharmacy coordination, analysis, consultation, and collaboration with and for IHS, Tribal and Urban components nationwide. He provided leadership for over 600 IHS, Tribal and Urban Program pharmacists at 237 practice sites. In August 2007, RADM Pittman became the Director of the Division of Division of Health Professions Support for the IHS. In this role he is responsible for the coordination and development of IHS activities related to the recruitment, selection, and retention of health care professionals and managers. He provides leadership, guidance and direction for IHS programs and directs three IHS Branches: Scholarship Program, Loan Repayment Program and Health Professions Support (recruitment).
RADM Pittman is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including seventeen PHS Unit Commendation Medals, four PHS Outstanding Unit Citation Medals, two Crisis Response Service Awards, two PHS Citation Medals, two PHS Achievement Medals, two PHS Commendation Medals, the Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Medal, the U.S. Public Health Service George F. Archambault Award for Career Achievement in Pharmacy, the Public Health Service Pharmacist of the Year Award, and the American Indian Alaska Native Commissioned Officers Advisory Committee Leadership Award. In 2006, he was honored by his alma mater with the University of Arizona Alumni Association Professional Achievement Award and the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Jack R. Cole, PhD, Distinguished Alumnus Award.
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