Eugene Makela, PharmD, BCPP
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, Mental Health
Asheville VA Medical Center
Asheville, NC

Eugene H. Makela, PharmD, BCPP, lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and is Clinical Pharmacist Specialist in Mental Health at the Charles George VA Medical Center. He maintains a practice in the outpatient mental health clinic, teaches tobacco cessation classes, and provides electronic consultation services. He mentors ambulatory care pharmacy residents as advisor on research projects on mental health topics.

Dr. Makela received his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Florida in 1976 and his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1986. He served as Director of Pharmacy at the Blue Ridge Hospital division of the University of Virginia Hospitals and the Thomas B. Finan Center, State of Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Between 1989 and 2009 he was Assistant and Associate Professor, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy. He developed and was training director for the Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency program at the School. He provided training for pharmacy and medical students, psychiatry residents, and PhD candidates. In 2009 he was inducted into the Academy of Excellence in Teaching and Learning at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center. He is author and co-author of many articles and of two book chapters. He has conducted research in schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and psychotropic medication utilization.

Dr. Makela has been a member of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists for over 30 years. He is a founding member of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists and has served as a member of the Board of Directors and the Board of Advisors. Currently he is a member of the board of the CPNP Foundation. From 1996 to 1999 he served as a member and later chair of the Specialty Council on Psychiatric Practice, Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties. In 2017 he will begin to serve another term on the Specialty Council.

Dr. Makela's acceptance remarks are available here via recording.