Retired professor Kennerly Patrick leaves living legacy

Students in Kennerly Patrick’s classroom were treated to the unforgettable. It might be tales from the original Woodstock or pictures of snakes he found on hiking trips. Or it might be something about his research into drug metabolism or psychostimulants, subjects he brought to vivid life in lectures that piqued wonder and appreciation in his students.

Patrick, professor of drug discovery and biomedical medicine at the MUSC College of Pharmacy, passed away on October 25.

His expertise was in areas that could easily have been inaccessible for students – his last paper, published the year he retired (2019), was titled “Potential for Underestimation of d-Methylphenidate Bioavailability Using Chiral Derivatization-Gas Chromatography.” But he was able to translate subjects into digestible portions, using both his skill as an educator and his distinct personality. His commitment to students made him welcome heavy teaching loads, in which he was regularly evaluated as outstanding. He also contributed significantly to the college through service as a committee member, leader, and mentor.

A native of Boston, Patrick earned a B.S. in pharmacy from the University of North Carolina (UNC) in 1974 and a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry from the University of Iowa in 1978. After a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropharmacology at the Biological Sciences Research Center at the UNC School of Medicine, he joined the University of Tennessee in 1984. In 1989, he joined the MUSC College of Pharmacy and served as chair of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department from 1995-2000.

A seven-time honoree of the student-selected “Teacher of the Year Award,” he received multiple regional and national recognitions during a career spanning some four decades.

“Through his many years of service, Dr. Patrick helped shape the college and prepare generations of pharmacists,” said Philip Hall, dean of the MUSC College of Pharmacy. “He was equally adept at connecting to students just beginning their pharmacy education journeys and the graduate students putting the finishing touches on theirs. He leaves quite a legacy through the many lives he touched.”

The family appreciates privacy at this time. Those wishing to send tribute or memorial gifts, please send to the South Carolina Nature Conservancy. 

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