Rana Zalmai, Pharm.D.

Rana Zalmai standing in front of ivy-covered wall

Graduate Student

Entry into the Program: Fall 2020

Pronouns: She/Her

Advising Professor(s): Dr. Carolyn Brown

Education

  • Pharm.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City
  • B.S. Chemistry, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Research Interests

  • Health Disparities/Health Equity, Health Policy & Regulation, Health Service Delivery & Process of Care, Pharmacy Practice/ Pharmacist Services, Social Determinants of Health

Publications

  • Zalmai R, Hill LG, Loera LJ, Mosgrove Q, Brown C. Independent community pharmacists' attitudes and intentions toward dispensing buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2023 Jun 16:S1544-3191(23)00190-5. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2023.06.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37331654.
  • Heidari E, Zalmai R, Richards K, Sakthisivabalan L, Brown C. Z-code documentation to identify social determinants of health among Medicaid beneficiaries. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2023 Jan;19(1):180-183. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.10.010. Epub 2022 Oct 29. PMID: 36333228.
  • Zalmai R, Bawa WA, Howard M, Rasu RS. Assessing coprescription of opioids with central nervous system depressants for nonmalignant chronic musculoskeletal pain management in the outpatient setting. J Opioid Manag. 2022 Mar-Apr;18(2):107-122. doi: 10.5055/jom.2022.0701. PMID: 35476880.
  • Kawakami J, Brooks D, Zalmai R, Hartson SD, Bouyain S, Geisbrecht ER. Complex protein interactions mediate Drosophila Lar function in muscle tissue. PLoS One. 2022 May 27;17(5):e0269037. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269037. PMID: 35622884; PMCID: PMC9140312.
  • Rasu, RS., Bordes, J., Zalmai, R., Karpes Matusevich, A., Rianon, N., MacFarland, N., and Cosgrove, D.; Polypharmacy and Medication Safety in Older Adults. In Healthy Aging Through The Social Determinants of Health; American Public Health Association. Washington, DC; 2021.
  • Rasu RS, Shrestha N, Karpes Matusevich AR, Zalmai R, Large S, Johnson L, O'Bryant SE. Polypharmacy and Cognition Function Among Rural Adults. J Alzheimers Dis. 2021;82(2):607-619. doi: 10.3233/JAD-200951. PMID: 34057144.
  • Rasu RS, Zalmai R, Karpes Matusevich AR, Hunt SL, Phadnis MA, Rianon N. Shorter length of hospital stay for hip fracture in those with dementia and without a known diagnosis of osteoporosis in the USA. BMC Geriatr. 2020 Dec 3;20(1):523. doi: 10.1186/s12877-020-01924-x. PMID: 33272213; PMCID: PMC7713172.
  • Zalmai R., Agbor Bawa W., Howard M., Rasu R.S.  Assessing Co-prescription of Opioids with Central Nervous System Depressants for Nonmalignant Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Management in the Outpatient Setting. Journal of Opioid Management. 2020 Nov 5.
  • Nikolaienko RM, Hammel M, Dubreuil V, Zalmai R, Hall DR, Mehzabeen N, Karuppan SJ, Harroch S, Stella SL, Bouyain S. Structural Basis for Interactions Between Contactin Family Members and Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type G in Neural Tissues. J Biol Chem. 2016 Oct 7;291(41):21335-21349. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M116.742163. Epub 2016 Aug 18. PMID: 27539848; PMCID: PMC5076805.

Presentations

  • Zalmai R, Hill LG, Loera LJ, Mosgrove Q, Brown C. Community Pharmacists’ Attitudes and Intentions Toward Dispensing Buprenorphine/Naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder. Texas Substance Use Symposium, San Antonio, TX, March 2023. 
  • Heidar E, Zalmai R, Baffoe J, Brown C. The Influence of Patient-Provider Communication on Colorectal Cancer Screening Uptake: Analysis of a National Survey in the United States. Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, March 2023. 
  • Zalmai R, Odonkor G, Reynolds T, Kang HA. Impact of COVID-19 Service Modifications on Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: A Scoping Review. Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus, National Harbor, MD, October 2022. 
  • Heidar E, Zalmai R, Brown CZ-Code Documentation to Identify Social Determinants of Health Among Medicaid Beneficiaries in Texas. The University of Texas at Austin Celebrating Pharmacy Research Excellence Day, Austin, TX, April 2022. 
  • Rana Zalmai, Rafia Rasu. Determinants of non-pharmacologic therapy, opioid, non-opioid/opioid combination, and non-opioid medications in outpatients with nonmalignant chronic pain using recent national survey. 2020 International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Virtual Meeting. May 2020.
  • Rana Zalmai, Rafia Rasu. Concomitant use of opioids and central nervous system depressants in patients with nonmalignant chronic pain and adherence to Food and Drug Administration warning. 2020 International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Virtual Meeting. May 2020.
  • Rana Zalmai, Tyler Craft, Michael Kallenberger, Megan Musselman. Evaluation of the impact of a stress ulcer prophylaxis protocol on intensive care unit patients at a Midwestern community hospital. 2019 Missouri Society of Health System Pharmacist Spring Meeting. Collinsville, Illinois. March 2019.
  • Connor Hayes, Rana Zalmai, Amanda Sullins. Impact of the Food and Drug Administration Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Changes on clinical practice.  2018 American Society of Health System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition. Anaheim, California. December 2018.
  • Rana Zalmai, Tyler Craft, Michael Kallenberger, Megan Musselman. Evaluation of stress ulcer prophylaxis therapy in intensive care unit patients at a Midwestern community hospital. 2018 American Society of Health System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition. Anaheim, California. December 2018. 

Internship/Graduate Research Assistantship

  • Medical Research Intern at Intercept Pharmaceuticals

Contact Information

Why UTCOP HOD?

  • I chose UTCOP HOD for its research-intensive program, the diverse group of graduate students and faculty, and the family-like environment.

What do you enjoy outside of school?

  • Outside of school, I like to try new restaurants and enjoy walks on the various trails in Austin.