Title: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Company: The University of Chicago Medical Center
Education: MBA, University of Illinois Chicago (2024); PharmD, College of Pharmacy, Touro University California (2017); BS in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley (2009)
Career History: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, The University of Chicago Medical Center (2024-Present); Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, Touro University California (2020-Present); Clinical Pharmacist, The University of Chicago Medical Center (2020-2024); Pharmacist, The University of Chicago Medical Center (2018-2024); Pharmacy Resident, Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana-Champaign Area, IL (2017-2018); Inpatient Pharmacy Intern, Kaiser Permanente, Roseville, CA (2014-2017); Staff Research Associate II, University of California, San Francisco, CA (2010-2013); Junior Specialist, University of California, Berkeley (2009-2010)
Nan Li, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the University of Chicago Medical Center, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of clinical pharmacy.
Upon earning a bachelor’s degree in cell and molecular biology from UC Berkeley in 2009, and working as a staff research associate, Dr. Li was drawn to pharmacy because of its distinct role in health care. Unlike physicians or physician assistants, who approach patients primarily from a diagnostic perspective, her interest was sparked by pharmacists’ focus on treatment and ultimately oncology and the rapid evolution of cancer care. She subsequently pursued her Doctor of Pharmacy at Touro University California’s College of Pharmacy, during which time she gained hands-on experience as an inpatient pharmacy intern at Kaiser Permanente and resident at Carle Foundation Hospital, before graduating in 2017.
Dr. Li then began her career at the University of Chicago Medical Center, balancing roles as a pharmacist and a clinical pharmacist between 2018 and 2024. Prior to transitioning into clinical practice, she worked in a brain cancer research laboratory, studying cancer at the cellular level and developing new drugs. Experiencing the full pipeline of therapy development—from creating molecules to testing in cancer cells, advancing to animal studies, and moving into clinical trials—provided her with a unique foundation for building her career in this dynamic and continually advancing specialty.
Since 2024, she’s been active as a clinical pharmacy specialist. In this capacity, she serves in a consultant role within the clinic, ensuring all treatments are safe effective for patients; collaborates closely with an interdisciplinary medical team that includes attending physicians, fellows, medical students, nurse navigators, and pharmacists; and ensures that chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments for thoracic and genitourinary cancers are both safe and effective for each patient’s current disease state. She also evaluates the appropriateness of therapies, confirming they correspond to the correct line of treatment and reflect current oncology standards and serves as a medication expert and resource for the team, addressing questions related to cancer therapies and supportive care medications. This year, she wrote “The July Spike in Ordering Errors: A Call for Proactive Pharmacy Involvement” for the Pharmacy Times.
In addition, Dr. Li’s found success as an adjunct clinical assistant professor at her alma mater, Touro University California, since 2020. As an instructor and mentor, she’s observed that students often become absorbed in the minutiae of their work, which, although a strength, can narrow their overall vision. She believes cultivating the ability to maintain both detailed precision and a broad strategic outlook early in one’s career can be highly beneficial. She also advised that aspiring clinical educators establish a solid foundation of knowledge before entering the clinical setting, which includes understanding current guidelines, treatment options, and the theoretical basis for practice.
Looking ahead, Dr. Li aims to continue growing within her oncology specialty while expanding the scope of her practice. She’s particularly interested in integrating artificial intelligence into clinical pharmacy to enhance patient care and support medical decision-making, recognizing it as an emerging trend in health care.