A professor at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is one of the first two pharmacists in the world to be made a Fellow of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM).
Larry Goodyer, Pharmacy Practice Professor, has been recognised for his expertise in the growing field of travel medicine.
This is the second 'first' for Professor Goodyer in 2016, having also become the first pharmacist chair of the British Global and Travel Health Association.
Professor Goodyer is delighted. He said: "The main thing is being recognised by your peers.
"The decision is made by a group of eminent people in their field, who consider the work you have done is worthy."
Travel medicine has its academic foundations in the late 1980s and Professor Goodyer was one of the founders of the discipline. Around the same time he set up Nomad - a national group of travel medicine clinics that kit out the more adventurous traveller.
In the past 10 years the field has grown massively, with changes in legislation allowing pharmacies to offer travel vaccines and malaria tablets, which before were only available on prescription.
Professor Goodyer said: "I am involved in fostering and growing the service worldwide."
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Along with a pharmacy colleague from the USA, he will be formally welcomed as a Fellow of the ISTM at a ceremony in Barcelona.
The society promotes healthy travel worldwide and has been funding a DMU Pharmacy student each summer to work with Professor Goodyer, which this year benefited Kerrianne Clinton. Her placement involved researching the quality of medicines and standards of pharmacy practice all over the world.
She said: "Travel health and pharmacy is an emerging market and it's great that DMU wants to make a difference."
Pharmacy students can also elect to take a Travel Medicine and Global Health module in their final-year, to gain skills needed for this developing industry.
"Many pharmacies are now offering travel medicine services and wanting to develop expertise," added Professor Goodyer, whose areas of research include the medication and first aid needs of travellers, carrying medicines across borders and insect bite avoidance.
"Everyone recognises it as one of the fastest-growing areas in pharmacy."
Posted on Friday 28 October 2016