Faculty
Sarah Melton, PharmD, BCPP, BCACP, CGP, FASCP
Chair & Professor
- meltonst@etsu.edu
- 423-439-6571
- Building 7, Room 330
Sarah Tollison (Melton) Thomason is Professor and Chair of Pharmacy Practice at the Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University. She is the Clinical Pharmacist at ETSU Health Internal Medicine and the ETSU Center of Excellence for HIV/AIDS Care. Dr. Thomason received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (1991) and Doctor of Pharmacy (1994) degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy (VCU). She completed a Fellowship in Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice at VCU in 1996. She has been a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist (Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties) since 1997 and a board-certified ambulatory care pharmacist since 2011. She performs comprehensive medication management in the areas of psychiatric and neurologic pharmacy, substance use disorders, and other primary care disorders. Dr. Thomason serves on the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, the board of the Virginia Department of Health Professions, the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority (Vice Chair), the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and board of Overmountain Recovery, and the PAN Foundation.
Education, Degree, & Post Graduate Training:
Fellowship in Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice 1996, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy
Doctor of Pharmacy 1994 Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy
Bachelor of Science Pharmacy 1991 Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy
Additional Certifications:
Board of Pharmacy Specialties, Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist 2011- present
Board of Pharmacy Specialties, Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist, 1996- present
Fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, 2011 present
Career highlights:
2022:
APhA Operation Substance Use Disorders (advisor) First Place Award
2021:
Appointed to Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority by Governor Ralph Northam; reappointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin
APhA Operation Substance Use Disorders (advisor) First Runner-Up Award
ETSU Distinguished Faculty Award in Service
The Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Academic Leaders Fellows Program, Cohort 17
2020:
Appointed to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy by Governor Ralph Northam
2019:
Notable Women of ETSU Award
American Pharmacists Association Generation Rx Award (advisor) First Place Award
2018:
Pharmacy Today Provider Status Profile
ETSU Featured Teacher
Appointed to the Tennessee Commission on Pain and Addiction Medicine Education by Governor Bill Haslam
American Pharmacists Association Generation Rx Award (advisor) First Place Award
2017:
Appointed to the Governor’s Policy Council on Opioid and Substance Misuse by Governor-elect Ralph Northam
American Pharmacists Association Generation Rx Award of Excellence 2016: Lead Virginia, Class of 2016
Virginia Pharmacists Association Cardinal Foundation Generation Rx Award
American Pharmacists Association Generation Rx Award (advisor) First Place Award
2015:
The Business Journal of Tri-Cities Healthcare Hero Award Cup of Kindness Award for Community Service
American Pharmacists Association Generation Rx Award (advisor) First Place Award
Tennessee Pharmacists Association Cardinal Foundation Generation Rx Award
2014:
Appointed to Governor’s Task Force on Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse by Governor Terry McAuliffe
Cover of Pharmacy Today – Practitioner Profile
American Pharmacists Association Generation Rx Award (advisor) First Runner-Up Award
2013:
American Pharmacists Association Generation Rx Award (advisor) First Runner-Up Award
2010:
Appointed to the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Board of Director by Governor Bob McDonnell
2009:
College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists National Innovative Practice Award
Teaching specialty:
Pharmacotherapy of Psychiatric and Neurologic Illnesses, Addiction in AppalachiaClasses taught:
Pharmacotherapy of Psychiatric and Neurologic Illnesses
Substance Abuse and Addiction in Appalachia: Impacting the Community through a Vision of Change
Research Interests:
Stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorders, treatment of substance use disorders, naloxone reversal of opioid overdose
Selected Publications:
Thomason S. AAPP Pharmacist Toolkit: Xylazine [Internet]. Lincoln, NE: American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, 2023. [revised 2023 Aug 8]. Available from https://aapp.org/guideline/xylazine.
Melton ST, Kirkwood CK. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Pharmacotherapy Casebook: A Patient-focused Approach, 12th Edition. Eds. Schwinghammer T, Koehler J, et al. January 2023.
Melton ST, Kirkwood CK. Generalized Anxiety, Panic and Social Anxiety Disorders. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, 12th edition. Eds. Dipiro JT, Talbert RT, Yee GC, et al. January 2023.
Edens EL, Platt B, Bowe A, Drew S, Heimer R, Jordan A, Melton ST, Powell L, Roessler E, Tetrault JM, Zweben A. How is COVID-19 impacting addiction treatment? In Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers. Pooru Center for Teaching and Learning, Yale University. https://coursera.org/share/623b2cbb606f6f015762f341ea6f7d02. Published 2020.
Ventricelli D. Melton ST. Pharmacists as change agents on the front line: An untapped potential in addressing the opioid epidemic. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, September-October 2019; 59(5):627 – 628.
Melton SH. Melton ST. Current state of the problem: opioid overdose rates and deaths. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry; 2019 (6): 164. DOI 10.1007/s40501-019-00174-y.
O’Neil MG, Melton ST. Practicing dentistry in a world of pain, prescription drug misuse and medication diversion: introduction and overview. Journal of the California Dental Association; March 2019;153-160.
Melton ST. Checking the Data: Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and Opioid Overdose Rates. Medscape Ask the Experts. June 28, 2019. Available at https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/914931
Melton ST, Kirkwood CK. Generalized Anxiety, Panic and Social Anxiety Disorders. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, 11th edition. Eds. Dipiro JT, Talbert RT, Yee GC, et al. December 2019.
Melton ST, Kirkwood CK. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Pharmacotherapy Casebook: A Patient-focused Approach, 11th Edition. Eds. Schwinghammer T, Koehler J, et al. January 2020.
Melton ST, Norton M, O’Neil MG. The role of pharmacists in screening and caring for patients with substance use disorders. In: The Pharmacist’s Guide to Opioid Use Disorders. Ed. Norton, M. by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. November 2018.
O’Neil MG, Melton ST. Detection and deterrence of prescription medication misuse and diversion. In: The Pharmacist’s Guide to Opioid Use Disorders. Ed. Norton, M. by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. November 2018.
Saunders CW, Melton ST, O’Neil MG. Caring for the pregnant woman with opioid use disorder and infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome. In: The Pharmacist’s Guide to Opioid Use Disorders. Ed. Norton, M. by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. November 2018.
Melton ST. Engaging Student Pharmacists as Naloxone Trainers. CPNP Perspective. September 2017. Available at https://cpnp.org/perspective/2017/09/t1505481439
Melton ST. Stirring the pot: Potential drug interactions with marijuana. Medscape Ask the Experts. June 8, 2017. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/881059
Melton ST. Stopping the pain: Naltrexone for self-injurious behavior. Medscape Ask the Experts. April 10, 2017. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/878234
Lee M, Stidham A, Melton ST, Mullins C, Smith S. Interprofessional Team Development in Student-Led Clinics in Rural Northeast Tennessee. International Journal of Health Sciences Education; 2017:4(1). Available at https://dc.etsu.edu/ijhse/vol4/iss1/4
Melton ST. Chronic benzodiazepine pharmacotherapy: How difficult to discontinue? Medscape Ask the Experts. June 3, 2016. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/863906
LeBlanc B, Melton ST. Pharmacists, opioid safety, take-home naloxone, and preventing overdose. Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and the Substance Abuse and the Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for online web lesson. May 25, 2016. Available at https://www.powerpak.com/course/preamble/112666 .
Melton ST. Anxiety Disorders. College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacist Review Course for Board Certification in Psychiatric Pharmacy. January 2016.
Melton ST. $5 Insanity: A New Drug of Abuse. Medscape Ask the Experts. November 23, 2015. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/854616
Melton ST. Treatment Resistant Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Case of the Intolerable Adjunctive. In: Chavez B, Grady SE, McGuire JM, Nelson LA, editors. Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Case Series. Lincoln (NE): College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists; 2015. 32p. Available from http://cpnp.org/ed/case/2015/gad-3 .
Melton ST. What is the role of topiramate in the treatment of alcohol use disorders? Medscape Ask the Experts. October 1, 2015. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/851686
Melton ST, Orr R. Detection and Deterrence of Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse in Dental Practice. American Dental Association Practical Guide to Substance Use Disorders and Safe Prescribing, 1st edition. Ed. O’Neil M. July 2015.
Melton ST. Has gabapentin become a drug of abuse? Medscape Ask the Experts. July 14, 2014. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/826680 .
Thigpen J, Melton ST. Neonatal abstinence syndrome: a challenge for medical providers, mothers, and society. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2014 Jul;19(3):144-6.
Organizational Involvement/Membership:
American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists
Member of Continuous Professional Development Task Force (2023- present)
Board Member, Treasurer 2021-2023
Recertification Committee Chair 2010 - 2020
Review Course Author 2009 - 2012
Recertification Committee Vice-Chair 2009 - 2010
Recertification Committee Member 2007 - 2022
Reviewer, BCPP Review Course 2008
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy 2006 present
Chair 2014-2016 Substance Abuse Special Interest Group
Chair-elect, 2011-2014
American College of Clinical Pharmacy
American Pharmacists Association
American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
Fellow 2011 - present
Tennessee Pharmacists Association
Virginia Pharmacists Association