On his second day as a pharmacist, Ranjit “Rolly” Singh Kali-Rai ’92, PharmD, MBA, CPPS, associate clinical professor of pharmacy practice, called a patient’s physician to discuss a lab value he found concerningly high. Unbeknownst to him, the person on the other end of the line was the physician overseeing the hospital. Rather than being dismissive, the physician offered a formative piece of advice: treat the patient, not the lab value. He encouraged Dr. Kali-Rai to speak directly with the patient to get a better understanding of how they were responding to the course of treatment. After Dr. Kali-Rai reported back, adjustments were made to the patient’s medications.

The clinical knowledge and confidence he gained as a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) student at Pacific emboldened him to make that career-defining phone call. The lesson Dr. Kali-Rai learned that day is the mindset he now strives to impart to his PharmD students.

“Health care is human care,” said Dr. Kali-Rai.

He is passionate about helping people understand they are truly valuable and that they matter. His commitment to forging authentic, meaningful connections resonated with the Class of 2026, who selected Dr. Kali-Rai as the Runner-Up Pharmacy Teacher of the Year.

“To be recognized by the students is very meaningful,” he said. “To know I’ve made an impact in their lives, and at a vital time here at the university as students, that is touching to me.”

He described the Class of 2026 as inquisitive and motivated to make a mark on their profession.

“In this class, I saw a level of diversity — of thought, of being, of individuals, of capacity and viewpoints — that I had not seen before. And it brought me great hope. They have a genuine care and compassion that is going to lead to success. They are going to be able to succeed no matter what they do or no matter where they practice pharmacy,” he added.

The idea of a career in pharmacy was first introduced by a close family friend, Gurpartap “Gary” Basrai ’77, PharmD. Prior to academia, Dr. Kali-Rai’s career touched many aspects of pharmacy practice, including clinical pharmacy, drug information specialist, pharmacoeconomics and risk management. He joined the Pacific pharmacy faculty in 2023.

“I am very grateful for the lifechanging impact Pacific has had for me and my family,” he said. “Pacific gave me a path, a future that simply didn’t exist before I got here. It was where I met so many people who are vital in my life who gave me the support and direction I needed.”