AU Health Pharmacy conference room named after longtime director

Mary Wallace Johnson, the director at what was then called the Medical College of Georgia Hospitals and Clinics (now Augusta University Medical Center) was honored on Monday, Jan. 25, during a special dedication.

Johnson had been invited to the event, but was unaware that the new conference room for AU Health’s pharmacy department would be named after her.

“Some of her notable accomplishments include establishing a residency program. We are in our 47th year of carrying it on,” said Richard Burrell, director of pharmacy for inpatient services. “Johnson laid the groundwork for that. She brought the concept of satellite pharmacies throughout the hospital, and brought clinical pharmacy services to MCG for the first time.”

At the ceremony, Burrell unveiled the plaque on the wall of the conference room bearing her name.

“This is dedicated to honor 33 years of excellence, leadership and service as director of pharmacy from 1965 to 1998, to be here forever,” he said.

Johnson was honored and pleasantly surprised to receive the dedication.

“I missed the people, I missed the work, I missed the profession. There’s no way you can know how much I appreciate that,” she said. “The pharmacy was just a major part of my life. People that I worked with through the years, you’ve been a major part of my life, and I still think of each of you all the time. This was certainly unexpected. Thank you all so very, very much. The opportunity to come back here today and meet so many is very, very special.”

Click through the slideshow above for photos from the dedication.