Page 35 - RxBound Winter 2020

Meds, Wisdom and Humor:

Rudolf “Rudy” Mireles, PharmD Retires

By Desiree Hickam

Rudolf “Rudy” Mireles, PharmD began his career at students in an average of 20 to 30 health fairs annually
WesternU just prior to the opening of the Patient Care throughout the region. He also developed an innovative
Center (PCC) now called WesternU Health, in 2009 as the travel health consultation service, fulfilling the medication
Director of Pharmacy. Working ten years in that role, his and vaccination needs of international travelers.
influence and impact made a difference to colleagues,
“Dr. Mireles, what a charming guy with a warm smile, a
patients and students campus wide.
knowing look and a twinkle in his eye. Rudy is always ready
In celebration of his work here, a retirement party was held to help. Doesn’t matter student, staff, patient, colleague or
for Dr. Mireles on October 24, 2019. Many colleagues came friend, he’s your guy. If you need to know the latest breaking
to share all the ways Dr. Mireles inspired them in their lives news or just need someone to confide in — Rudy’s got your
and in their jobs. Dr. Mireles remarked that this party was remedy. Queue intro song for TV show Cheers,” remarked
one of the most memorable moments of his career. “So many Dr. Robert Warren, Executive Director for Patient Care
people came and I was really surprised at how they were Services.
impacted in such a positive way.”
There was a great deal of collaboration on campus. He
“Rudy provided meds, wisdom and humor designed to worked one on one with practitioners in order to help the
educate and motivate his students and customers to want to patients. The pharmacy provided services that included
care about their health. He was a model in providing working with Podiatric Medicine, Veterinary Medicine,
compassionate and caring service, and he was loved and Optometry, Dental Medicine and Family Medicine.
respected by those who worked with him. He will be “Continuous communication and collaboration with
missed,” said Brenda Premo, Founding Director Center for practitioners is the key to providing successful patient care,”
Disability and Health Policy. said Dr. Mireles.

Dr. Mireles assisted with the Palomares Academy of Health He taught about pharmacology and compounding in
Sciences each year, hosting a hands-on workshop for tenth- Pharmacy, Optometry, Dentistry and the DO program at the
grade students. He took part in the National Community health fairs. In addition, he taught students how to have
Pharmacists Association’s TakeAway Environmental Return compassion towards their patients and responding to their
System which ensures that medications are discarded in an needs right away.
environmentally responsible way. He was a co-facilitator
“All students, regardless of discipline, who interacted with
with Dr. Mario Jimenez in the advanced elective in
Dr. Mireles, learned the importance of providing
Entrepreneurial Pharmacy Ownership. They participated
compassionate and timely care; lessons learned by observing
together in the Summer Health Professions Education
his daily interactions with others,” according to Daniel
Program (SHPEP), providing disadvantaged students with
Robinson, Dean College of Pharmacy. n
exposure to the pharmacy profession. Dr. Mireles supervised

WesternU, College of Pharmacy 33