The RX Games

Pharmily Feud is a fast-paced, interactive game played just like Family Feud, with a pharmacy twist.

Two teams compete against each other by answering pharmacy-related questions. Each question is based on popular survey responses, and the goal is to guess the most common answers. Teams take turns sending one player to the front to “face off.” The first player to buzz in with the top answer gets control of the board.

MedMIX comprises a case study integrating a laboratory activity with a counseling component to evaluate participants' compounding and patient-centered care skills. Players are guided through the process of creating troches for a patient and subsequently explaining the procedure to them. Evaluation criteria encompass both the successful creation of the troches and the demonstration of soft skills throughout the interaction.

Amanda Alvarez Lopez

Amanda Alvarez Lopez is a first-year Pharm.D. (P1) student and former RX Games participant with a strong foundation in pre-health education and pharmacy practice. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida International University, where she was actively engaged in academic support and enrichment initiatives, including serving as a Learning Assistant. Her undergraduate training was complemented by participation in MedX Medical Enhancement Programs and a medical mission trip, reflecting a sustained commitment to service and experiential learning.

Ms. Alvarez Lopez has pursued extensive clinical and professional exposure through shadowing experiences at Horwitz Dermatology and hands-on pharmacy practice as a Certified Pharmacy Technician and Immunizer at Publix Pharmacy. These roles provided early immersion in patient care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and immunization services. She is also a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta, a national pre-health honor society, recognizing her academic achievement and dedication to healthcare professions.

Her academic preparation, combined with practical experience and early engagement in pharmacy-focused leadership activities, reflects a strong trajectory toward professional growth and service within the field of pharmacy.

 

Isabel Arniella

Isabel Arniella is a first-year Pharm.D. (P1) student and former RX Games participant with a strong background in clinical patient care and pre-health education. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts and Science at Florida International University, where she began her undergraduate studies in January 2019.

Ms. Arniella has gained extensive hands-on healthcare experience across multiple clinical settings. Her professional background includes shadowing at Leon Medical Center, serving as a Clinical Medical Assistant at IMO Cosmetic Dermatology, and working as a Patient Care Technician at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Through these roles, she developed practical skills in patient interaction, clinical workflows, and interdisciplinary healthcare delivery.

In addition to her clinical experience, Ms. Arniella holds certifications in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Phlebotomy, further demonstrating her preparedness for patient-facing responsibilities and acute care environments. Her early engagement in pharmacy-focused enrichment activities, combined with a robust clinical foundation, reflects a strong commitment to patient care and professional development within the field of pharmacy.

 

Lissette Pham

Lissette Pham is a first-year Pharm.D. (P1) student and former RX Games participant with a demonstrated interest in pharmacy education and early professional engagement. She completed an Associate of Arts degree at Miami Dade College, where she established a strong academic foundation in preparation for advanced study in the health sciences.

Ms. Pham actively participated in experiential learning opportunities through Nova Southeastern University’s Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy, completing the NSU Shark for a Day Shadow Program on two occasions (October 23, 2023, and September 30, 2024). These immersive shadowing experiences provided her with early exposure to pharmacy practice, academic expectations, and professional pathways within the Pharm.D. curriculum.

Her repeated participation in structured shadowing programs reflects a sustained commitment to exploring the pharmacy profession and making informed career decisions. Ms. Pham’s academic preparation, combined with proactive engagement in pharmacy-focused experiential opportunities, demonstrates strong motivation, early professional maturity, and readiness for continued development within the field of pharmacy.

 

Arianna White

Arianna White is a first-year Pharm.D. (P1) student and former RX Games participant with a strong academic and clinical foundation in the biological sciences. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Florida International University, where she was recognized for academic excellence through placement on the Dean’s List. Her academic achievements were further supported by competitive merit-based awards, including the FIU RaiseMe Scholarship and the Florida Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholars Award.

Ms. White’s professional experience includes serving as a Manager and Medical Assistant at IMO Dermatology, where she developed leadership skills while gaining extensive hands-on experience in clinical operations, patient care coordination, and medical assisting responsibilities. This role provided meaningful exposure to interdisciplinary healthcare environments and reinforced her commitment to patient-centered care.

In addition to her academic and professional experience, Ms. White holds certifications in Phlebotomy, OSHA 10, and HIPAA compliance, demonstrating preparedness for clinical practice and adherence to healthcare safety and regulatory standards. Her combined academic achievement, leadership experience, and clinical training reflect strong professional readiness and a clear commitment to advancement within the field of pharmacy.

 

Nicky Jones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dana Holger, Pharm.D., M.P.H., AAHIVP, CPh

Assistant Professor

Dana Holger, Pharm.D., M.P.H., AAHIVP, CPh, earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Nova Southeastern University and her Master of Public Health degree from Wayne State University. She completed a general medicine pharmacy practice residency at Memorial Hospital West in Florida and a two-year infectious diseases research fellowship in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and health outcomes at Wayne State University. She is a licensed consultant pharmacist in Florida and has served as assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at NSU’s Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy since 2022. She also directs the Infectious Diseases Health Outcomes Research Fellowship.

Holger’s research focuses on multidrug-resistant infections, antimicrobial pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and health outcomes. She currently leads an internal grant studying phage-antibiotic combination failure in resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed manuscripts and delivered more than 50 national and international presentations. Her work integrates clinical outcomes research, electronic health record analysis, and advanced in vitro modeling to evaluate resistance development and optimize antimicrobial therapy.

 

David Gazze, Ph.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor

David Gazze, Ph.D., received his Doctorate in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 1987. Following graduation, he became a faculty member at Southeastern College of Pharmacy, currently known as Nova Southeastern University’s Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy (NSU-COP). Gazze is primarily an instructor at NSU-COP and has had a hand in teaching members of every graduating class in the college since its inception. He has been selected as Teacher of the Year by his students 10 times. Gazze’s research involves eliciting the mechanism of action of agents used in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He also is interested in drug development utilizing molecular graphics.

 

Robert Speth, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Professor

Robert Speth, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., has dedicated his career to advancing scientific knowledge in human health while mentoring and training the next generation of scholars and researchers. He teaches bioethics and pharmacology with a focus on neuropharmacology and cardiovascular pharmacology.

Speth’s research centers on the pathophysiological mechanisms of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and its impact on human physiology. He has contributed to several landmark discoveries, including the first report of AT1 and AT2 receptor subtype distribution in the brain, development of radioligands and cultured cells used to clone the AT2 receptor, the first receptor autoradiography of the AT4 receptor subtype, characterization of the mas protein as the angiotensin (1-7) receptor, and identification of neurolysin as an additional binding site for angiotensin peptides.

Speth’s laboratory currently investigates metabolic pathways of the RAS and its role in cognitive function. He has coauthored more than 180 peer-reviewed publications, accessible via PubMed (search: Speth R).

Additional academic interests include ethical issues in dietary supplement and drug misrepresentation, advocacy for humane animal research practices, and the integration of the arts into the sciences.

Robert McGory, Pharm.D.

Associate Dean, Professional Program/Associate Professor

Robert McGory, Pharm.D., began his career in microbiology by earning a B.S. from Cornell University, followed by an M.S. in Microbiology and a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Kentucky, and a Pharm.D. from the University of Minnesota. He built patient-centered pharmacy services in multiple teaching hospitals while teaching therapeutics in pharmacy and medical programs.

He has practiced in medical, surgical, and critical care settings and established pharmacokinetic monitoring and nutrition support services. At the University of Virginia, he developed a transplant pharmacology research program, leading groundbreaking work on Hepatitis B Immune Globulin in liver transplant recipients. This research helped prevent posttransplant reinfection and resulted in an endowed chair in transplantation pharmacology.

McGory has held faculty appointments at North Dakota State University, Western University of Health Sciences, and Northeast Ohio Medical University, and helped establish ASHP-accredited PGY1 residencies. He later served in senior administrative roles, guiding accreditation, curriculum development, and pharmacy practice expansion.

 

Denise Elia, Pharm.D.

Director, Preceptor Development/Assistant Professor

Denise Elia, Pharm.D., earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Nova Southeastern University. She began her career in retail pharmacy but has spent most of her professional experience in hospital pharmacy, serving in clinical, operational, and administrative roles.

At JFK (HCA) Medical Center in Atlantis, Florida, she practiced as a clinical pharmacist across multiple service lines, including adult intensive care, internal medicine, surgery, and oncology. She later served as lead pharmacist/manager with key focus areas in infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, oncology, and medication safety. She also advanced hospital pharmacy technology to enhance safe medication dispensing and administration.

Most recently, Elia served as clinical pharmacy manager at Bethesda East and West Hospitals, overseeing adult, pediatric, and neonatal services. She has chaired and contributed to numerous interdisciplinary committees and led quality improvement and regulatory compliance initiatives. She also serves as an adjunct faculty preceptor for IPPE and APPE students in advanced hospital practice and infectious diseases.

 

Jaleh Barar, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Professor

Jaleh Barar, Pharm.D., Ph.D., joined Nova Southeastern University’s College of Pharmacy in November 2022. She earned her Ph.D. degree from Cardiff University (Cardiff, UK) in 2004 and Pharm.D. degree from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (TUOMS) (Tabriz, Iran) in 1994.

Barar also acts as the editor-in-chief of the Bioimpacts journal. During her academic career, she has trained many students at the undergraduate and graduate levels and supervised 40+ Pharm.D. and 20+ Ph.D. students.

Her research line focuses on the development of multifunctional drug delivery systems and the evaluation of their impacts in cell-based models. Barar authored more than 230 research and review articles and contributed to 17 book chapters with the H-index of 49 and i10-index of 138. She has been awarded several national and international honors and listed as top 1 percent worldwide scientists by the WoS-ESI ranking system since 2020.

See her publication record at Google Scholar, PubMed, or Scopus.

 

Norma Ortiz

P3 Student

Norma E. Ortiz earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with a minor in classics from Florida State University. Throughout her academic journey, she demonstrated perseverance and steady academic growth, completing 135 undergraduate credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.17. Notably, she strengthened her scientific foundation through postbaccalaureate coursework, earning a 3.48 GPA in advanced science classes, reflecting her renewed focus and readiness for rigorous professional study.

Professionally, Ortiz served as a lab technician II at Beta Analytic, where she gained hands-on laboratory experience, analytical proficiency, and a strong understanding of scientific methodology and data integrity. Her role required precision, regulatory awareness, and collaboration within a technical team environment.

In addition to her academic and professional experience, Ortiz held leadership positions, including serving as a resident assistant at Florida State University, where she mentored students and fostered community engagement. She was also actively involved in service and professional organizations, demonstrating her commitment to leadership, advocacy, and healthcare-related initiatives.

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I-95 or Florida's Turnpike

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