Dr. May Mak (she/her/hers)

Dr. May Mak graduated with a Pharm.D. degree from University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in 1990.  After a year of fellowship in the biotechnology / immunology program at UCSF, she completed an ambulatory care residency at University of Southern California (USC), earning the resident of the year award.  

Dr. Mak joined the clinical faculty at USC in 1992, practicing in a spectrum of settings including the campus pharmacy, county hospital clinics, and private physician offices.  Dr. Mak was one of the first practitioners who demonstrated success in receiving reimbursement for patient care services through collaborative practice agreements with physician groups.  She is a board certified geriatric pharmacist and a certified diabetes educator.  Her patient populations included those receiving therapies for thrombotic diseases, heart failure, diabetes, and HIV.  Dr. Mak’s clinical practice is largely inter-professional, working with physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dietitians, physical / occupational therapists, and social workers.  After she joins the faculty at Chapman University School of Pharmacy in 2018, she hopes to continue working with the elderly population at the affiliated clinical sites, in order to optimize their cardiovascular health and manage other geriatric syndromes. 

Dr. Mak’s didactic teaching has focused on the topics of angiotensin aldosterone system, pulmonary hypertension, anticoagulation, diabetes, and HIV.  During her tenure at USC, she was the preceptor for numerous students during their ambulatory care clerkships.  Many of her students have also successfully completed residencies and became pharmacy leaders in different practice settings.  In addition, many of the pharmacy residents trained with Dr. Mak have become pillars in education and are faculty at various schools of pharmacy.  In 2017, she was nominated Preceptor of the Year by the residency class.  Her priority at Chapman University is to contribute as a clinical educator who can influence students to become patient-centered, effective health advocates through rational medical therapies. 

Personal Interests

Dr. Mak enjoys classical music; her favorite instruments are piano, oboe, and cello.  She also loves classical ballet and will travel far to attend her favorite ballerinas’ performances.

Research Interests

Dr. Mak’s current research has focused on pharmacogenetics of anticoagulant therapies, studying the differences in various ethnicities in Southern California.  Other areas of research interests include differential cardiovascular outcomes in the elderly; inter-professional education; and layered curriculum involving residents, APPE, and IPPE students.