Pacific Tigers Honor Dr. Moon's 28-Year Legacy

When a pharmacy educator dedicates nearly three decades to a single mission — training the next generation of pharmacists while simultaneously caring for the nation's veterans — the impact radiates far beyond the walls of any one classroom or clinic. That is the story of Dr. Yong S.K. Moon, an associate professor of pharmacy practice at the University of the Pacific (Pacific Tigers) who is preparing to retire in June 2026 after 28 years of service that have left an indelible mark on hundreds of future pharmacists.

Dr. Moon's career at Pacific, spent largely at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, represents the kind of deeply integrated, community-serving faculty role that defines the university's approach to professional education. As Pacific celebrates its 175th anniversary, her retirement offers a moment to reflect on the institution's broader philosophy: that meaningful education happens where theory meets practice, in real clinics serving real patients.

Who Is Dr. Yong S.K. Moon, and Why Does Her Career Matter?

Dr. Moon holds a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and has served as both an associate professor of pharmacy practice and the regional coordinator for Pacific's LA/Long Beach region. Since 1998, she has operated at the intersection of two demanding roles: clinical pharmacist at a major Veterans Affairs medical center and preceptor to third-year PharmD students navigating the critical final stage of their education before entering the profession.

Her work at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System is significant for several reasons. The VA healthcare network is one of the largest integrated health systems in the United States, serving millions of veterans with complex, often chronic medical needs. Pharmacists within the VA system routinely manage medication therapy, counsel patients on drug interactions, and collaborate with interdisciplinary care teams. For PharmD students, rotating through a VA facility under the guidance of a seasoned preceptor like Dr. Moon offers clinical exposure that is exceptionally rigorous and deeply human.

"One of the most rewarding aspects has been mentoring students and watching them grow into amazing professionals and leaders in their fields," Dr. Moon said in reflecting on her career. "Seeing their success and knowing I played a part in their journeys has been incredibly fulfilling." That sentiment, while personal, speaks to a structural truth about pharmacy education: the preceptor-student relationship during experiential rotations is often the most formative element of a PharmD curriculum.

What Makes Pacific's Pharmacy Program Distinctive?

Pacific's Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy holds the distinction of being one of the oldest and most respected pharmacy programs on the West Coast. The school has long emphasized experiential learning — the practice of embedding students in real clinical environments under faculty supervision — as a cornerstone of its curriculum. Dr. Moon's role as a regional coordinator for the LA/Long Beach area illustrates how Pacific extends its educational footprint well beyond its home campuses in Stockton and San Francisco, placing students in clinical settings across California.

This model of geographically distributed clinical education is not merely logistical; it is pedagogical. By embedding students in diverse healthcare environments — from urban VA hospitals in Long Beach to community clinics in the Central Valley — Pacific ensures that its graduates encounter the full spectrum of patient populations, disease states, and healthcare delivery systems they will face in practice. The university's multi-campus structure, with locations in Stockton, Sacramento, and San Francisco, further supports this approach, giving the institution a reach that few private universities in California can match.

Pacific's commitment to professional education extends across disciplines. The university was, in fact, the first medical school in the West, a historical distinction that underscores its deep roots in health sciences. Today, that legacy continues through the pharmacy school, the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, and a growing portfolio of health-related graduate programs.

How Does This Reflect Pacific's Broader Mission?

Dr. Moon's 28-year tenure is not simply a story about one faculty member's dedication. It is a case study in how universities create lasting impact through sustained community partnerships. The VA Long Beach Healthcare System has served as a training site for Pacific PharmD students for the entirety of Dr. Moon's career, a relationship that requires ongoing coordination, trust, and mutual investment between the university and the federal healthcare system.

This kind of long-term institutional partnership is increasingly recognized as essential in health professions education. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) standards require PharmD programs to provide extensive experiential learning, and the quality of those experiences depends heavily on the preceptors who supervise them. Faculty like Dr. Moon — who maintain active clinical practices while simultaneously teaching — ensure that the education students receive is grounded in current practice, not outdated textbook knowledge.

Pacific's institutional culture appears to support and value this model. The university's recognition of Dr. Moon through its Pharmacy Teacher of the Year designation and its public celebration of her career signals that experiential faculty — those who work primarily in clinical settings rather than research laboratories — are valued members of the academic community. That distinction matters in a profession where the gap between academic theory and clinical reality can be significant.

Why Does Veteran Healthcare Experience Matter for PharmD Students?

The decision to place PharmD students at a Veterans Affairs facility is deliberate and strategically important. VA patients often present with polypharmacy — the concurrent use of multiple medications — along with conditions such as PTSD, chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, and substance use disorders that require sophisticated pharmaceutical care. For students accustomed to textbook case studies, the VA clinical environment provides a level of complexity and urgency that accelerates professional development.

Moreover, the VA system operates under a unique formulary and prescribing framework, giving students exposure to a model of healthcare delivery that differs meaningfully from private-sector pharmacy practice. Understanding how a large, government-run health system manages medication access, cost containment, and patient safety prepares graduates to think critically about the broader systems in which they will work, regardless of whether they ultimately practice in a VA setting.

Dr. Moon's dual role — serving veterans while training students — meant that each cohort of Pacific PharmD students who rotated through her site received mentorship from someone who was simultaneously practicing what she taught. That alignment of teaching and practice is a hallmark of the best clinical education, and it is precisely what makes the loss of a retiring preceptor so consequential. Replacing 28 years of institutional knowledge, clinical relationships, and mentoring expertise is not a matter of simply hiring a new faculty member; it requires rebuilding a web of trust that spans decades.

What Comes Next for Pacific's Pharmacy Program?

As Dr. Moon steps into retirement in June 2026, Pacific faces the challenge that all strong programs eventually confront: succession planning for irreplaceable faculty. The university's ability to maintain its LA/Long Beach clinical partnerships and to recruit a regional coordinator who can sustain the depth of mentoring Dr. Moon provided will be a meaningful test of institutional resilience.

Yet the broader trajectory for Pacific's pharmacy program remains promising. The university continues to invest in health sciences education, and its leadership — including recently recognized Athletic Director Adam Tschuor and President Callahan — has demonstrated a commitment to elevating the institution's national profile across all dimensions, academic and athletic alike. During Pacific's 175th anniversary year, celebrating faculty like Dr. Moon is more than ceremonial; it is a reaffirmation of the values that have sustained the university since its founding.

For the hundreds of pharmacists who passed through Dr. Moon's clinical rotations at VA Long Beach over nearly three decades, her retirement marks the end of an era. For Pacific, it is a reminder that the institution's greatest asset has always been the people who commit their careers to its mission. If you count yourself among the Pacific faithful — alumni, students, or fans — there is no better time to wear that pride. The Tommy Tiger Mascot T-Shirt is a small but fitting way to carry that connection forward, wherever your own career takes you.

Dr. Moon's legacy is not measured in publications or grant dollars. It is measured in the pharmacists she trained, the veterans she served, and the standard of excellence she set for everyone who followed her through the doors of VA Long Beach. Pacific is stronger for her 28 years. The profession is richer for her dedication.