Professor and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
University of WIsconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy
Karen Kopacek MS, RPh is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy. She holds an affiliate appointment with the Department of Family Medicine to teach Physician Assistant students in the School of Medicine and Public Health. She currently teaches on various cardiac and critical care topics in both programs. Her clinical practice focuses on medication education with patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation through UW Health Preventive Cardiology and Fort Healthcare. She also works as a part-time acute care pharmacist at Fort Healthcare.
As Associate Dean, Karen oversees the Office of Student Services and coordinates professional development, co-curricular, and well-being activities with various student organizations and school committees. She has served on two separate AACP task forces on professional identity formation (PIF), advocating for the incorporation of PIF into pharmacy education, training, and practice. Karen has led multiple workshops on professional identity, encouraging students, faculty, preceptors, and practitioners to reflect on their various identities and explore the important role of mentors in supporting professional identity formation.