The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy is expanding into new territory with the launch of a sports pharmacy education program designed to train pharmacists to meet the growing needs of athletes and fitness-focused individuals.
The program, expected to debut in Spring 2026, builds on an elective course created by retired professor Marvin Wilson and is funded in part by a gift from Wilson and his wife, Becky.
Wilson, a former pharmacology professor and associate dean, developed the course Drugs and Human Performance in 2014 to explore how medications and supplements affect physical, cognitive, and sexual performance.
“Pharmacists a lot of times get these kinds of questions from young folks, parents or whoever it may be,” Wilson said.
After retiring in 2017, Wilson continued to pursue the subject, coauthoring Sports Pharmacy: Performance Enhancing Drugs and the Athlete, published by the American Pharmacists Association in 2019.
Formalizing an Emerging Discipline
The upcoming certification program aims to formalize sports pharmacy as a distinct area of practice, according to Donna Strum, dean of the School of Pharmacy.
“Thanks to the Wilsons’ generosity and vision, we are poised to lead the field of sports pharmacy, equipping our students with specialized knowledge in medication management for athletes, performance-enhancing drugs, dietary supplements, and regulatory and practice considerations in sports pharmacy,” Strum said.
The program is being developed with guidance from experts in supplement use, injury recovery, and athlete wellness.
Shannon Singletary, executive associate athletics director and director of health and sports performance for Ole Miss Athletics, has collaborated on the project since the course’s inception.
“Elite athletes represent a distinct patient population, facing unique physical demands that set them apart from sedentary or recreational athletes,” Singletary said. “With strict regulations governing the medications and supplements they can use, this emerging subspecialty in pharmacy is essential.”
Meeting Growing Demand
Wilson believes the timing is ideal as public interest in fitness, supplementation, and performance optimization continues to grow.
“Sports pharmacy is more than participating in anti-doping activities,” he said. “It also includes counseling on the safe and effective use of supplements and medication by athletes and those striving for increased fitness.”
The new initiative will further integrate the School of Pharmacy’s expertise with the university’s strong athletics culture, positioning Ole Miss as one of the few institutions in the United States advancing education in this rapidly growing field.
