Latimer family gift supports aspiring pharmacists, celebrates daughter’s distinguished career

Latimer family gift supports aspiring pharmacists, celebrates daughter's distinguished career

When Major Brittany Latimer looks back on her journey from Charlotte, North Carolina, to becoming a leader in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps, she sees more than a career path - she sees the steady hand of God guiding her steps.

Kim Chaudoin | 09/02/2025

That same faith now inspires her parents, Thomas and Dorothy Latimer, to help future students at Lipscomb University by establishing the Thomas and Dorothy B. Latimer Endowed Pharmacy Scholarship. The fund will benefit students enrolled in degree programs in Lipscomb's College of Pharmacy, honoring a program that helped launch Latimer into a career of service and leadership.

"Lipscomb has played such an important role in shaping who I am - both personally and professionally," Latimer said. "When I was a student, there weren't many scholarships available specifically for those pursuing professional degrees. I'm thankful my parents want to help bridge that gap and support the next generation of student pharmacists in pursuing their calling."

Finding her place at Lipscomb

Latimer's connection to Lipscomb began in high school, when she attended a summer program on campus. Drawn to the university's faith-based environment, she enrolled as a pre-pharmacy major in 2006, unaware that Lipscomb would soon open its own College of Pharmacy.

"I first visited Lipscomb as a high school student through their summer program. By my senior year, I had been accepted to five colleges, but I knew I wanted to attend a faith-based university," she explained. "When I began my undergraduate studies at Lipscomb, the College of Pharmacy hadn't been established yet. My original plan was to complete my pharmacy prerequisites there and transfer to another school for pharmacy school."

Her father, Tom Latimer, remembers the moment everything changed. "She called me one day and said, 'Dad, Lipscomb is opening a pharmacy school,'" he recalled. "It was like watching God open one door after another for her. She was able to start pharmacy school right there, surrounded by the community she loved."Latimer said that when she learned Lipscomb was opening its own College of Pharmacy, it felt like an answered prayer.

"I had already built strong friendships and loved the faith-based environment, so I was incredibly grateful to God for the opportunity to stay," she said.

The North Carolina native completed her undergraduate degree in just three years and became part of the College of Pharmacy's inaugural class, graduating with her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2012. She later received the college's first Outstanding Alumnus Award.

"It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be part of the first graduating class. As with anything new, there were moments of trial and error, but the LUCOP faculty was (and still is) phenomenal," reflected Latimer. "They built an excellent program from the ground up, and as a student, I appreciated the diverse pharmacy practice experiences they offered. Before attending Lipscomb, I had never even heard of Managed Care Pharmacy-but that exposure led me to pursue a Post Graduate Year 1 (PGY-1) residency in a managed care setting."

That residency with Express Scripts opened the door to an unexpected calling.

Answering the call to serve

When Latimer learned about the U.S. Army's Health Professions Loan Repayment Program, which helps health care professionals repay student loans, she initially thought she'd serve just a few years.

Twelve years later, she has built a distinguished military career that has taken her around the globe to assignments in Italy, the Republic of Korea and Kosovo, among others. She has served as chief of pharmacy departments at major military medical centers, and most recently was chief of the Department of Pharmacy at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, Texas. She is now serving in an administrative role, gaining broader experience in hospital operations, and has been recommended for promotion to lieutenant colonel.

Latimer counts among her proudest accomplishments helping develop the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Pharmacy (AOC 67E) pathway under the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), which allows active-duty soldiers with a 68-series Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) to attend pharmacy school and become pharmacists. (She notes that those interested in applying for this opportunity may speak to an AMEDD recruiter and reference MILPER 25-12). Living in Italy for three years was also one of her favorite experiences and one that she "absolutely treasures."

"No two days are the same," she said. "I'm constantly challenged, constantly learning about hospital operations, and I get to work with people from all walks of life. The Army has given me unique experiences and ever-evolving leadership opportunities that have helped me grow both personally and professionally."

Distinguished service and leadership

Since her commission in the Medical Service Corps, Latimer has taken on some of the Army's most demanding pharmacy leadership roles. She has managed multi-million-dollar budgets, overseen the dispensing of millions of prescriptions annually, and led teams of up to 200 military, civilian and contract personnel.

Her overseas assignments have included serving as chief of ancillary services at the U.S. Army Health Clinic in Vicenza, Italy, where she supervised pharmacy, laboratory and radiology operations, and as chief of pharmacy during a NATO mission in Kosovo, providing pharmaceutical care for troops from across the alliance.

In stateside roles, she has been assistant chief and later chief of the Department of Pharmacy at major medical centers including Womack Army Medical Center in North Carolina and Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. Her leadership has extended beyond pharmacy operations, influencing strategic planning, supply chain management, and clinical practice development across the Army's medical network.

Latimer is also a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and an Intermediate Level Education graduate, underscoring her dedication to professional excellence. In 2023, she was honored as the inaugural Alumni of the Year by Lipscomb's College of Pharmacy. Her military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the NATO Medal, among others - a reflection of both her skill and her commitment to service.

Latimer said that attending a faith-based College of Pharmacy had a profound impact on her life as she imagined it would years ago when she first searched for a university home for undergraduate studies.

"Life is full of challenges and uncertainty, and during pharmacy school, I experienced that firsthand. I remember one particularly difficult exam when our professor, Dr. (Scott) Akers, asked us to bring in our favorite Bible verse and share it with the class," recalls Latimer. "That moment reinforced for me the importance of leaning on faith through life's difficulties. Romans 8:28 reminds me that 'God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him'-and I've carried that truth with me ever since."

Paying it forward

For Tom and Dorothy Latimer, creating a scholarship in the College of Pharmacy is a way of giving back to the university that shaped their daughter's life - and to the God they believe orchestrated her journey.

"Brittany was able to earn her doctorate in six years instead of eight," said Tom Latimer. "That saved us two years of tuition, and we felt like this scholarship was a small way to pay forward what God did for Brittany and for us. We've been blessed, and we want to help another student pharmacist have that same opportunity."

Tom Campbell, dean of the College of Pharmacy, said Latimer's story is an inspiration for students and alumni alike.

"Major Brittany Latimer embodies the Christ-like character, integrity, academic excellence, compassion, and commitment to life-long learning that we desire for every alumnus and student pharmacist," Campbell said. "We are so thankful to the Latimer family for their generosity and commitment to helping others achieve their dreams through education."

For Latimer, the scholarship is a reflection not just of her parents' generosity, but of a community that prepared her to serve with excellence - whether in a pharmacy, a military hospital or across the world.

"Lipscomb has played such an important role in shaping who I am-both personally and professionally. I'm incredibly grateful for the generosity of my parents and their support not only for me, but also for Lipscomb and the College of Pharmacy," said Latimer. "God has ordered every step of my journey and Lipscomb was a huge part of that."

Learn more about Lipscomb's College of Pharmacy.