A Pharmacy Legacy that will Echo for Generations

Health-system pharmacy leader’s impact continues in perpetuity through endowed scholarship

Story by Kelly Collins | Published September 10, 2022

Jim McAllister III, RPh ’71, MS ’76, was a visionary leader and a lifelong advocate for patient care and the profession of pharmacy. Jim passed away in December 2021 at the age of 73, a loss that was felt deeply by so many within our Carolina pharmacy community.

Jim celebrated a long and successful career in health-system pharmacy where he precepted hundreds of student pharmacists and advanced pharmacy practice in a variety of ways including intravenous admixture services, home health care, pharmacy informatics, and professional education and residency training.

In reflecting upon his legacy, his son said, “While he held numerous titles, earned countless accolades, and served as a catalyst for many tangible advances in the profession, none of this is what drove him. Dad’s motivation was people. We are saddened that his booming voice and infectious laugh will no longer be heard, but we find comfort knowing it will echo through this profession for generations to come simply by the sheer number of people Pop helped.”

During his lifetime, Jim established the James C. McAllister III Scholarship Fund at the UNC Pharmacy Foundation to provide scholarship support to PharmD students interested in health system pharmacy careers. This year, to honor Jim’s memory and pharmacy legacy, his wife, Anita Groves McAllister, made a generous planned gift commitment to expand the impact of his scholarship fund.