Rebecca “Becky” Jayakumar, PharmD, BCIDP, BCPA

Senior Director of Educator Academy for Faculty Affairs & Learning Innovation; Associate Professor of Basic Sciences and Adjunct Faculty, College of Pharmacy

EDUCATION:

  • Fellowship – Hartford Hospital
  • Residency – University Medical Center of Southern Nevada
  • PharmD – Doctor of Pharmacy, North Dakota State University
  • BS – Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Dakota State University

BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Jayakumar is serving as the Senior Director of Educator Academy and an Associate Professor in the Department of Basic Sciences. Her primary responsibilites include developing a myriad of professional development resources and the Educatory Academy, which is a collaborative hub for faculty development to produce exceptional healthcare professionals. She brings over 15 years’ experience in clinical practice as well as clinical and academic teaching and learning. Additionally, she has been honored with awards for Faculty Educator of the Year (2012 & 2013) and Residency Preceptor of the Year (2021-2022 & 2022-2023).

She is passionate about health equity, patient advocacy, and clinician wellness. Her recent work has focused on the intersections of disability, social determinants of health, and health disparities. Dr. Jayakumar frequently advocates for local, state, and national legislation that positively affect those with disabilities and/or improve healthcare access. Additionally, she serves as the president of the National Federation of the Blind, Southern Nevada Chapter, is a member of the diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) task force for the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and co-owns a local yoga studio.

TEACHING AREAS:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacokinetics

RESEARCH AREAS:

  • Disability Health
  • Health Equity
  • Clinician Wellness
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

SERVICE TO PROFESSION:

  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Access Task Force Member, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 2021 – Present
  • Infectious Disease Standard Setting Panel, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 2019 – Present
  • FPGEE/PCOA Review Committee Member, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, 2018 – Present
  • Vice-Chair, Chair, Past-Chair of the Publications Committee, Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacy, 2016 – 2019

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY:

  • Co-Chair of Health Day, Leadership Las Vegas, 2022 – Present
  • President, National Federation of the Blind Southern Nevada Chapter, 2023 – Present
  • Washington Seminar Representative for the National Federation of the Blind, 2023

SELECTED PEER-REVIEW PUBLICATIONS:

  1. Scott C, Zhu E, Jayakumar RA, Shan G, Viswesh V. Efficacy of Eravacycline versus best previously available therapy for adults with pneumonia due to difficult to treat resistant (DTR) Acinetobacter baumannii. Ann Pharmacother. 2022;56(12):1299-1307.
  2. Luu Q, Vitale K, Shan G, Jayakumar RA, Viswesh V. Evaluation of guidelines recommendations for dual anti-pseudomonal therapy in hospitalized adults with pneumonia using combination antibiograms. Pharmacotherapy. 2020;40(11):1089-1098.
  3. Covington EW, Wingler MJB, Jayakumar RA, White CWW. Strategies for clarifying antibiotic allergies when skin testing is not an option. Pharmacy. 2019;7(69):1-11.
  4. Wiskirchen DE, Keel-Jayakumar RA, Nicolau DP. Chapter 3: Antibiotics Continuous Infusions and Intermittent Infusions. In Cohen H, ed. Casebook in Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Drug Dosing. 1st ed. McGraw-Hill Medical; 2015.
  5. Bhalodi AA, Keel RA, Quintliani R, Lodise TP, Nicolau DP, Kuti JL. Pharmacokinetics of doripenem in infected patients treated in- and outside the intensive care unit. Ann Pharmacother. 2013;47(5):617-27.
  6. Kiratisin P, Keel RA, Nicolau DP. Pharmacodynamic profiling of doripenem, imipenem and meropenem against prevalent Gram-negative organisms in the Asia-Pacific region. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2013;41(1):47-51.
  7. Keel RA, Crandon JL, Nicolau DP. Comparative efficacy of human simulated exposures of torezolid and linezolid against Staphylococcus aureus in the murine thigh model. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012;56(8):4403-7.
  8. Keel RA, Tessier PR, Crandon JL, Nicolau DP. Pharmacokinetics and pulmonary disposition of tedizolid and linezolid in a murine pneumonia model under variable conditions. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012;56(6):3420-2.
  9. Tessier PR, Keel RA, Hagihara M, Crandon JL, Nicolau DP. Comparative in vivo efficacies of epithelial lining fluid exposures of tedizolid, linezolid, and vancomycin for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a mouse pneumonia model. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012;56(5):2342-6.
  10. Housman ST, Keel RA, Crandon JL, Nicolau DP. Efficacy of human simulated exposures of ceftaroline against phenotypically diverse Enterobacteriaceae isolates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012;56(5):2576-80.

Last updated: 10/05/2023