Abstract
“A New Path for OSU Pharmacy”
September 7, 2015
Location: Collaborative Life Sciences Building, Portland, Oregon. Watch Video | Download Transcript (PDF)
In the interview, McGregor discusses her upbringing as the daughter of Indian immigrants, the roots of her early interest in science, and her decision to attend Oregon State University. From there, she shares her memories of her early impressions of the university, her extracurricular involvement in the OSU Marching Band and Residence Hall Association, and her academic progression both as a Microbiology major and in pursuit of her second bachelor's degree in International Studies. She likewise describes the year that she spent studying abroad in Germany and reflects upon her involvement in the University Honors College during its earliest years. Her discussion of her undergraduate experience is rounded out with the sharing of further details of her honors thesis, campus climate in the late 1990s, and her engagement with Corvallis while a student.
From there, McGregor turns her attention to her doctoral candidacy, commenting on the work that she conducted while in the Epidemiology program at the University of Maryland - Baltimore; noting the adjustments required by her location to Baltimore from Oregon; reflecting on her earliest experiences with teaching; and providing an overview of her post-doctoral year at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The remainder of the session is devoted to McGregor's years as a faculty member in the OSU College of Pharmacy. In this, she describes the circumstances by which she returned to her alma mater and began settling in as a new faculty member. McGregor then outlines the major themes of her research program, including the improvement of antibiotic utilization to optimize patient care; the imperative to limit the spread of antibiotic resistance; and further study of patient care during transitions between healthcare settings. She also discusses her level of concern about the future of antibiotic resistance.
As the interview nears its conclusion, McGregor shares her perspective on the growth of the health sciences campus on Portland's South Waterfront, and speaks to the ways in which the Collaborative Life Sciences Building and the Portland location have impacted her work as well as learning opportunities for OSU Pharmacy students. The session winds up with McGregor's memories of being on the tenure track; notes on balancing work and family; and thoughts on the forward progression of the College of Pharmacy and, more broadly, OSU itself.