Erica Karas, Pharm.D., BCPP

Business Address Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

Inpatient Pharmacy

**** ******* ******

Baltimore, Maryland 21224

Home Address **** ****** ****

Halethorpe, Maryland 21227

(410) 737 - 6968

Education & Training

Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice Residency Western Missouri Mental Health

Center/

(ASHP Accredited) University of Missouri at Kansas

City

Kansas City, Missouri

Roger Sommi, Pharm.D., BCPP,

Preceptor

Patricia Marken, Pharm.D., BCPP

(Residency Director)

July 1, 1998 - June 30, 1999

Doctor of Pharmacy School of Pharmacy at the

University of MD

Baltimore, Maryland

September 1994 - May 1998

University of Maryland at Baltimore

County

Catonsville, Maryland

Pre-Pharmacy

September 1993 - May 1994

Associate of Arts Baltimore City Community College

Baltimore, Maryland

Biotechnology/ Pre-Pharmacy

September 1991 - May 1993

Professional/ Work Experience

Senior Clinical Pharmacist/ Psychiatric Pharmacy Specialist, April 22, 2002

- Present

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

4940 Eastern Avenue

Baltimore, Maryland 21224

Responsibilities. Review all adverse drug reactions (ADRs) for the

hospital, assessing trends and implementing interventions to decrease ADRs.

Encouraged the implementation of a pharmacy pain management service due to

the high number of opiate related ADRs in our institution. My

recommendation and analysis resulted in creating a pain management

pharmacist position. I analyze patients profiles to determine if

respiratory depression, excessive sedation and unresponsiveness, etc. are

due to opiate dosing or additive effect with other agents, such as

benzodiazepines and neuroleptics. Suggested making some changes in our

pain management protocols, such as decreasing the initial opiate dose for

elderly patients (especially patients that are > 70 years old as this

patient population has the greatest number of opiate related ADRs.

Recommended avoiding the usage of opiate polypharmacy.

Inpatient anticoagulation services were initiated in 2006 because I

consistently reported & expressed concern for warfarin related ADRs, which

were the number one ADR in our institution.

Provide psychiatric pharmacy care to patients on the acute psychiatric

unit, chemical substance abuse unit, and the Center for Pregnancy &

Addiction. Teach medication education classes for patients at the Center

for Pregnancy & Addiction. Perform DISCU & Modified Simpson Angus on

psychiatric patients to assess for TD and EPS, respectively. Serve as

psychiatric pharmacy consultant for pharmacists, nurses and physicians.

Monitor all clozapine patients within the hospital. Present new

psychotropic drugs & antiepileptic drugs to the P&T Committee. Conduct

prospective studies for new psychotropic drugs and provide inservices to

nurses, physicians and pharmacists. Responsibilities also include providing

pharmaceutical care on the neuroscience and neuroscience critical care

units, the surgery unit, BURN unit, surgical intensive care unit, medical

intensive care unit, cardiac intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care

unit and internal medicine unit as needed. Example of services provided

include: recommending adjustments in antibiotic and other drug therapy

regimens when warranted; monitor labs for adult & pediatric patients with

various medical conditions; help physicians with antibiotic & renal dosing.

Also, frequently, recommend pharmaceutical cost saving strategies to the

Director of Pharmacy.

Regional Clinical Pharmacist, November 2001 - April 2002

Secure Pharmacy Plus/ Prison Health Services

Maryland Division of Corrections

Responsibilities: Duties included serving as clinical pharmacist consultant

for physicians within the Prison Health Services system. Duties also

included overseeing the management of HIV patient care, which entailed

evaluating and approving all antiretroviral regimens prescribed for HIV

patients; counseling HIV patients about the importance of being compliant

with antiretroviral agents to prevent the emergence of virologic

resistance; coordinating the activities of the Antiretroviral Drug Therapy

Adherence Committee, & making certain that appropriate labs were drawn in a

timely manner. Duties also included overseeing the utilization of epoetin,

i.e., ensuring that appropriate labs were evaluated as recommended by

established guidelines, ensuring that patients were on epoetin

appropriately, etc. Duties also included serving as primary

psychopharmacology consultant; coordinating P&T meetings for the entire

Maryland Division of Corrections; performing monthly medication audits for

Baltimore Correctional Institutions & Jessup Correctional Institutions.

Analyzing drug expenditure and implementing cost containment strategies

were a substantial part of my daily duties.

Clinical Pharmacist/Psychiatric Pharmacy Specialist, July 1999 - November

2001.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

4940 Eastern Avenue

Baltimore, Maryland 21224

Responsibilities: Duties included performing psychiatric pharmacy practice

skills on an acute psychiatric unit & chemical substance abuse unit;

serving as psychopharmacist consultant for pharmacists, nurses and

physicians; performing DISCU & Modified Simpson Angus on Psychiatric

patients to for assess TD and EPS, respectively; Monitoring all clozapine

patients within the hospital. Responsibilities also included providing

pharmaceutical care on the neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric unit,

and surgery unit. Also provided pharmaceutical care on the internal

medicine units as needed. Example of duties included: making certain that

neonatal and pediatric patients were given the correct dose; recommended &

monitored drug therapy and labs for adult patients with various medical

conditions; assisted physicians with antibiotic and renal dosing. Assisted

providers with adjusting continuous conscious sedation regimens.

Pharmacy Technician, March 1998 - May 1998

Hospice Pharmacia, Inc.

Glenn Burnie, Maryland

Calvin Alt, R.P.h., Supervisor

Responsibilities: Duties included compounding prescriptions, entering new

prescriptions in the computer system, and filling unit dose and multiple

dose prescriptions.

Pharmacy Technician, June 1995 - September 1995

Out-Patient Pharmacy

Veterans Hospital

Baltimore, Maryland

Ben Goldberg, R.Ph., Supervisor

Responsibilities: Duties included filling prescriptions and entering new

prescriptions in the computer system.

Organic Chemistry I Lab Instructor, Summer 1993

Baltimore City Community College

Baltimore, Maryland

Dr. Donald Hoster, Ph.D., Chairman of Chemistry Dept., Supervisor

Responsibilities: Duties included instructing students how to conduct

various experiments such as thin layer chromatography, purification by

recrystillation, and steam distillation and extractions. Duties also

included evaluating students' performance.

Organic Chemistry I Lab Instructor, Summer 1992

Baltimore City Community College

Baltimore, Maryland

Dr. Donald Hoster, Ph.D., Chairman of Chemistry Dept., Supervisor

Responsibilities: Same as above

Microbiology Assistant Internship, 1992

Food and Drug Administration

Baltimore, Maryland

Tom Koluwoski, Supervisor

Responsibilities: Duties included analyzing various food products, such as

seafood, for the presence of microorganisms such as Escherichia coli,

Salmonella, and Listeria monocyogenes.

Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice Preceptor

General Pharmacy Practice Residency ((ASHP accredited)

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

4940 Eastern Avenue

Baltimore, Maryland 21124

Preceptor for Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice Rotation (elective), October

2001 - present

Committees

Joint Committee of Psychiatric Practice, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center, April 2002 - Present.

Founder and Chairman of the Antiretroviral Drug Therapy Adherence Committee

at the Baltimore Region Correctional Institutions, January 2002 - April

2002.

Chairman of the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee for the Maryland Division

of Corrections: Baltimore Region Correctional Institutions, Jessup Region

Correctional Institutions, Western Correctional Institutions and Eastern

Correctional Institutions, November 2001 - April 2002.

Member of Corporate Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, Prison Health

Services, November 2001 - April 2002.

Honors & Awards

Rho Chi Recognition Certificate (high scholastic achievement for the

academic year) Spring 1997

National Dean's List 1993

Harry Bard Memorial Award; class valedictorian, 1993.

American Chemical Society Student Achievement Award for Outstanding

Achievement in Chemistry (highest GPA in Organic Chemistry I and II), 1993.

Biotechnology Award (Biotechnology Major with the highest GPA), 1992 - 1993

CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award (highest GPA in General

Chemistry I and II), 1992

Presentations

Karas EP. New FDA indications for Duloxetine: Treatment of Fibromyalgia and

Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Presented to the P&T Committee at the Johns

Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. January 2010.

Karas EP. "Formulary Review of Acamprosate". Presented to the P&T Committee

at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. October 2007.

Karas EP. "Formulary Review of Paliperidone (Invega)". Presented to the P &

T Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. September 2007.

Karas EP. "Pregabalin for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain: Formulary

Review" Presented to the P&T Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center. April 2007.

Karas EP. "Duloxetine for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain & Depression:

Formulary Review" Presented to the P&T Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview

Medical Center. December 2006.

Karas EP. "Levetiracetam for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain: Formulary

Review" Presented to the P&T Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center. August 2006.

Karas EP. "Treatment of Schizophrenia" Presented at Therapeutic Conference

for interns and residents at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

September 2005 & October 2006.

Karas EP. "Zyprexa Intramuscular Injection in the Management of acute

agitation associated with Schizophrenia". Presented to psychiatric interns,

psychiatric nurses,

emergency room physicians and nurses at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center. September 2004

Karas EP. "Formulary Review of Risperidone Intramuscular Injection".

Presented to

P & T Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. August 2004.

Karas EP. "Formulary Review of Olanzapine Intramuscular Injection".

Presented to

P & T Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. August 2004.

Russell EP. "Abilify the Newest Atypical Antipsychotic". Presented to the

psychiatric nursing staff at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. May

2003.

Russell EP. "Lexapro (Escitalopram) the S-isomer of Celexa". Presented to

Psychiatric interns and nurses at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

February 2003.

Russell EP. "Formulary Review of Ziprasidone Intramuscular Injection & oral

Formulation". Presented to psychiatric interns, psychiatric nurses,

emergency room physicians and nurses at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center. February 2003.

Russell EP. Developed "Guidelines for the Usage of Ziprasidone

Intramuscular Injection". Presented these guidelines to psychiatric

attendings, residents, interns and nurses at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center. Also presented guidelines to emergency room physicians and nurses

at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. February 2003.

Russell EP. "Formulary Review of Ziprasidone Intramuscular Injection".

Presented to

P & T Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. February 2003.

Russell EP. "Cost Analysis of Atypical Antipsychotics". Presented to P & T

Committee at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. February 2003.

Russell EP. "Review of the Treatment of Essential Hypertension". Presented

to chemical substance abuse nurses at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center. January 2003.

Russell EP. Developed "Maryland Division of Corrections

SchizophreniaTreatment of Schizophrenia Algorithm". Presented at Prison

Health Services Corporate P & T Committee. February 28, 2002.

Russell EP. Developed "Antiretroviral Drug Therapy Adherence Policy".

Presented at Prison Health Services Corporate P & T Committee. February 28,

2002.

Russell EP. "SSRIs in the Treatment of Depressive Disorders". Presented to

the Baltimore Region Correctional Institutions nursing staff. February 13,

2002.

Russell EP. "Management of Clozapine Side Effects". Presented to attending

psychiatrist, inters and residents at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

June 2001.

Russell EP. Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Project. "Pattern Analysis of

Trazodone Use". Presented to P & T Committee at Western Missouri Mental

Health Center. Kansas City, MO. June 8, 1999.

Russell EP. "New Advances in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease".

Presented at Grand Rounds to psychiatrists, nurses, pharmacists, and social

workers at Western Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, MO. April

29, 1999.

Russell EP. Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Project. "Pattern Analysis of

Trazodone Use". Presented at the Annual Midwest Residency Pharmacy

Conference. St. Louis, MO. April 16, 1999.

Russell EP. "Sleep Panic Attacks: Is This an Unusual Phenomenon?" Presented

at Grand Rounds to psychiatrists, pharmacists, nurses, and social workers

at Western Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, MO. November, 1998.

Russell EP. "Psychotropics Made Simple." Presented to medical students and

pharmacy

students various psychiatric illnesses and current treatment

recommendations at Western Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, MO.

July 1998 - June 1999.

Russsell EP. "Psychopharmacology: Medication Management." Presented as part

of series of lectures in a psychiatric aide course at Missouri Mental

Health Center. Kansas City, MO. July 1998.

Russell EP. "Anorexia Nervosa". Senior Colloquium. Presented to faculty

and pharmacy students at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy,

Baltimore, MD. March 1998.

Russell EP. "Allergic Rhinitis". Presented to physicians at the University

of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. October 1997.

Projects

Prospective study on aripiprazole usage at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical

Center. June 2004.

Review of formulary psychotropic medications to determine which ones can be

removed from the hospital formulary based upon cost analysis, clinical

efficacy & safety at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. November 2004..

Prospective study analyzing the correlation of hyperglycemia and atypical

neuroleptic treatment. December 2004.

Prospective study on the Utilization of Ziprasidone Intramuscular Injection

at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. December 2004.

Collaborated with Meditech Computer Specialist to create and enter into

meditech system predefined order sets for the acute psychiatric unit and

the chemical substance abuse unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

July 1, 2003 - September 2003.

Publications

Karas, EP, Completed a Christian book called "The Holy One of Israel",

which was released on 10/21/2009.

Russell EP. Drug Therapy in the Treatment of Childhood Nocturnal Enuresis.

Medicine Matters. Western Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, MO,

April 1999.

Russell EP. Current Strategies in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Medicine Matters. Western Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, MO,

February 1999.

Russell EP. Augmentation of Antidepressants. Medicine Matters. Western

Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, Missouri, December 1998.

Russell EP. Remeron : a new addition to the formulary. Nursing Newsletter.

Western Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, Missouri, December

1998.

Russell EP. Insomnia in Patients with Schizophrenia. Medicine Matters.

Western Missouri Mental Health Center. Kansas City, Missouri, October 1998.

Russell EP. Highlights of JNC VI. Spring Grove Hospital Center Newsletter.

Catonsville, Maryland, 1998

Russell EP. The Treatment of Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. Spring Grove

Hospital Center Newsletter. Catonsville, Maryland, 1998.

Russell EP. "She's my Mother: Part I". Dickinson Studies: Higginson

Literary Journal. D-H Press, Washington, D.C., 1993; p. 47.

Professional & Civic Activities

Certified by the Red Cross to give CPR and emergency first aide, November

2001.

Tutored inner city elementary school students in arithmetic and English,

1995 - 1996.

Tutored Pre-Calculus at the University of Maryland at Baltimore County,

1993 - 1994.

Tutored Organic Chemistry I & II at the Baltimore City Community College,

1992 - 1993.

Professional Organizations

American Society of Health -System Pharmacists, 1998 - Present

Pharmacy Licensure

Maryland

License# 14974

References

Available upon request

Contact this candidate