RICHARD BERTIN, PH.D.

As a high school student Richard Bertin worked at the only community pharmacy in Ben Avon, PA. The Pharmacists at Espy’s Pharmacy knew all the medical needs of their neighborhood clients. Bertin entered the University of Pittsburgh as a university scholar and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1965. While in school, he developed an interest in institutional pharmacy through his work at "Central Pharmacy," the University’s hospital pharmacy, which served the Women’s Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, the Eye and Ear Hospital, and the Western Psychiatric Hospital. Bertin received his Master’s degree in hospital pharmacy in 1967 and his Ph.D. in pharmacy administration in 1974 from the University of Minnesota. During this time he worked as a commissioned officer with the United States Public Health Service, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Indian Health Service, and the Food and Drug Administration. Bertin started a clinical practice at the Public Health Service in Fort Worth, TX. Later moves took him to Staten Island, NY, and to the central office of the United States Public Health Service in Washington, DC,


		As a high school student Richard Bertin worked at the only community pharmacy in Ben Avon, PA. The Pharmacists at Espy’s Pharmacy knew all the medical needs of their neighborhood clients. Bertin entered the University of Pittsburgh as a university scholar and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1965. While in school, he developed an interest in institutional pharmacy through his work at "Central Pharmacy," the University’s hospital pharmacy, which served the Women’s Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, the Eye and Ear Hospital, and the Western Psychiatric Hospital. Bertin received his Master’s degree in hospital pharmacy in 1967 and his Ph.D. in pharmacy administration in 1974 from the University of Minnesota. During this time he worked as a commissioned officer with the United States Public Health Service, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Indian Health Service, and the Food and Drug Administration. Bertin started a clinical practice at the Public Health Service in Fort Worth, TX. Later moves took him to Staten Island, NY, and to the central office of the United States Public Health Service in Washington, DC,		where he served in a variety of administrative positions including chief pharmacist officer, and assistant surgeon general under Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop and others. Bertin’s efforts with the FDA encouraged the development of orphan drug products through grant support to researchers, patent extensions, and exclusive marketing rights. One of these products was the Botox injection, a botulism toxin used to relax the muscles in the eye for the treatment of blepharospasm eye disease. In 1977, the School of Pharmacy honored Bertin with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Bertin retired from the United States Public Health Service in 1997. He is currently executive director of the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties where he identifies specialty practices in pharmacy and certifies pharmacists in specialties such as nuclear pharmacy, nutrition support pharmacy, pharmacotherapy, psychiatric pharmacy, and oncology pharmacy. Bertin, who has worked hard and prepared himself educationally, "thoroughly loves what he is doing." His advice to pharmacy students is "to always keep your eyes open and if you’re interested in something, go for it."


	RICHARD BERTIN, PH.D.