Advanced Pharmacology: Infectious Disease, Psychiatry, Geriatric and Naturopathic Treatment Strategies

Jason Cota, PharmD, MS, is an associate professor and the vice chair of the pharmacy practice department at the University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy. He has over 10 years of experience practicing as an infectious diseases clinical pharmacist at the San Antonio Military Medical Center, where he is a credentialed provider with prescriptive authority. Dr. Cota completed a two-year Specialty Practice Residency in Pharmacotherapy at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio with an emphasis in both infectious diseases and nephrology. He is a member of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists and has given several presentations at national and international meetings. His research has focused on antimicrobial and antifungal drug dosing in patient populations that are subject to altered pharmacokinetics.

Stephanie L. Shafer, MSN, ANP-BC, PMHNP-BC, works in a large private practice in Lansing, MI, providing clinical services to children, adolescents, and adults with psychiatric disorders, including ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Obsessive-compulsive tendencies, Schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, PTSD, and Personality Disorders. She has achieved considerable success treating these conditions. This success has largely resulted from the development of a structured model of care that includes a significant focus on clinical and background histories, identifying psychosocial stressors, and evaluating prior medical and psychiatric diagnoses (and treatment regimens associated with these conditions). This approach and model of medical management is essential to the effective delivery of psychiatric medications to this population.

Steven Atkinson, PA-C, MS, is a board-certified Physician Assistant specializing in Geriatric Internal Medicine. He practices medicine in the greater Minneapolis area. In addition to his private practice, he has been on the faculty at the University of Utah since 1994 and has been involved in medicine for over 30 years. Steven is the co-founder of Twin Cities Physicians, which serves older adults at nearly all levels of their care. He has presented nationally for over 15 years, primarily speaking about geriatric-related syndromes.

Vanessa Ruiz, ND, RN-BSN is a dedicated Naturopathic Physician and Registered Nurse, renowned for her holistic approach to mental health and chronic diseases. With a doctorate from Sonoran University in Tempe, AZ, and honors in nursing from Stony Brook University in NY, Dr. Ruiz blends evidence-based practices with natural treatments to provide comprehensive care for her patients. Her multifaceted background includes clinical research and extensive training in therapeutic modalities such as Homeopathy, Neurofeedback, and Mayan Medicine.