Crystal M. Deas is an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy and completed a PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency with an emphasis in primary care at Grady Health System in Atlanta. Deas is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist and is actively engaged in research, education, and clinical practice.

Deas developed the ambulatory care clinical pharmacy practice at Cooper Green Mercy Health System Authority, where the clinical service remains a key component of patient care.

She is widely published, with research focusing on student pharmacist education, health literacy, and innovative treatments and health outcomes in HIV and diabetes care. A passionate advocate for improving healthcare outcomes, Deas is actively involved in national and local professional organizations and advisory boards.

Degrees and Certifications

• Doctor of Pharmacy (Summa Cum Laude), Xavier University of Louisiana
• Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS)
• APhA-Certified Pharmacist Immunizer
• Basic Life Support Provider

Awards and Honors

• Pharmacy Practice Teacher of the Year Award, Samford University—McWhorter School of Pharmacy (2023)
• Pharmacy Practice Teacher of the Year Award, Samford University—McWhorter School of Pharmacy (2022)
• Margaret Self Propst Teacher of the Year Award, Samford University—McWhorter School of Pharmacy (2022)
• McWhorter School of Pharmacy Scholar Award, Samford University—McWhorter School of Pharmacy (2020)

Involvement

• National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NAPLEX® and PCOA® Item Writer)
• Section Advisory Group Member, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Section of Pharmacy Educators
• Alabama Medicaid Drug Utilization Review Board, past chair (2023-2024)
• InPharmative Editorial Board, Alabama Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ALSHP)

Expertise

• Diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and hormonal contraception pharmacotherapy
• Social determinants of health
• Pharmacists’ patient care process (PPCP)
• Academic and clinical education strategies

Research

• Impact of social determinants on healthcare delivery
• Educational interventions in pharmacy training
• Diabetes care and injectable antidiabetic therapies
• HIV prevention and treatment innovations

Publications

• Deas C and Beall J. Impact of a case-based activity on student pharmacists' confidence in contraceptive prescribing at a school of pharmacy in the United States. Pharmacy Education. 2023: 23(1): 61-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2023.231.6166. Original research.
• Deas C and Manis, M. Evaluation of Perceived Stress and Lifestyle Choices at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Students at A School of Pharmacy in the United States. Health Professions Education. 2022: 9(1), Article 6. Available at: https://hpe.researchcommons.org/journal/vol9/iss1/6. Original research.
• Boot A and Deas C. What’s Trending on Twitter Regarding the Most Recently Approved Oral Agent for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)? Iip. 2022: 13(4), Article 3. doi: https://doi.org/10.24926/iip.v13i4.4794. Original research.
• Deas C, Clark S, and Freeman MK. Evaluation of Antidiabetic Injectable Technique: Is There an Association between Accuracy and Health Literacy or Duration of Diabetes? Iip. March 2020: 11(1), Article doi: https://doi.org/10.24926/iip.v11i1.2320. Original research.
• Skelley JW, Deas CM, Curren Z, and Ennis J. Use of cannabidiol in anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2019 Dec 19. pii: S1544-3191(10)30514-X.
• White CW, Kyle JA, Deas CM, and Campbell J. Noncarbapenems for the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Bacteria. South Med J. 2019; 112(8):438-443. Original research.
• Stockton K and Deas C. Evaluation of Outcomes of a Pharmacist-Run, Outpatient Insulin Titration Telepharmacy Service. iip. May 2019:10(2):Article 5. Original research.
• Deas C and White CW. Pilot Study to Assess Outcomes of a Drug Allergy Clarification Service on a General Medicine Floor at a Local Community Hospital. iip. Nov 2018;9(3):Article 10. Original research.
• Murphy PZ, Iranikhah M, Deas C, Freeman MK. Fracture Risk Following Discontinuation of Teriparatide: A review of the Literature. Consult Pharm. 2018;33(7):365-75.
• Crosby B and Deas CM. Repurposing medications for use in treating HIV infection: A focus on valproic acid as a latency‐reversing agent. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2018;00:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpt.12726
• Deas C, Thomason A, Riggs R, Thomas M, Kendrach M. Use of a Video Module to Improve Faculty Understanding of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process. iip. May 2018;9(2):Article 9. doi:10.24926/iip.v9i2.969. Original research.
• Iranikhah M, Deas C, Murphy P, Freeman MK. Effects of Denosumab After Treatment Discontinuation: A Review of the Literature. Consult Pharm. 2018 Mar 1;33(3):142-151.
• Sochovka E, Riles J, Deas C, Kyle J. Continuing Education: Psychotropic Drug Interactions: A Review. U.S. Pharmacist 2017 Nov. 38-45.
• Kahl C and Deas C. Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis (EIAn) in an Air Force Aviator taking a HMG-CoA reductase Inhibitor: A Case Report and Review of the Presentation, Diagnoses, and Treatment of EIAn. Military Medicine 2017. May:182(5): e1816-19.
• Deas C, Murphy P, Iranikhah, Freeman M. Retained skeletal effects of zoledronic acid following treatment discontinuation: a review of the literature. The Consultant Pharmacist 2017. March;32(3): 144-55.
• Deas C. and McCree DH. Pharmacists and HIV/AIDS prevention: review of the literature. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 2010. May-Jun;50(3):411-5.
• Calloway C., Jorgensen C., Saraiya, M., Tsui J. A Content Analysis of News Coverage of the HPV Vaccine by U.S. Newspapers, January 2002-June 2005. Journal of Women’s Health 2006. Vol. 15(7): 803-809.