Cynthia Anne Smith

We are saddened to learn that Anne passed away at a local hospital in Lafayette on November 20, 2005. Her mother and brother were at her side.

Anne will be remembered as a pioneer in the practice of nuclear pharmacy. She received a M.S. degree in Radiopharmacy from USC in September, 1973. Her residency in the M.S. program was at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. After a short stay in retail she returned to the College of Pharmacy in Albuquerque in January, 1974 to assume the responsibility of Chief Radiopharmacist, Instructor in Pharmacy until January, 1976. Anne was involved in the instruction of several students that were instrumental in the development of commercial centralized nuclear pharmacies.

In August, 1976 Anne joined Pharmatopes, Inc. as the Director of Nuclear Pharmacy Services in Oak Park, Michigan. She became the Pharmacy Manager in 1981. Soon after, Pharmatopes merged with several related companies and became Syncor, International. Anne worked as a manager and senior staff pharmacist for Syncor until she joined the faculty in the Division of Nuclear Pharmacy at Purdue University in 1989 as the Nuclear Pharmacy Program Director.

Throughout her career Anne was an instructor as well as a practitioner. She developed protocols and training programs for pharmacists, nuclear medicine technologists and nuclear medicine physicians that received instruction by personnel in centralized nuclear pharmacies. She managed a large operation for Syncor in Ferndale, Michigan that at peak dispensed 650-700 doses of radiopharmaceuticals per day.

Anne contributed significantly to the development of educational programs in nuclear pharmacy in the School of Pharmacy at Purdue. She brought a wealth of practical experience to the program adding several practice laboratories and lectures to classes for undergraduate pharmacy students and pharmacists participating in the Nuclear Pharmacy Certificate Program.

A large number of nuclear pharmacy practitioners today were touched by the teaching skills and dedication of Anne Smith. Though she is no longer with us her contributions will continue on for many years to come through pharmacists working in the specialty of nuclear pharmacy.

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