February 18, 2015
Dan Teitelbaum, MD, President of A.S.P.E.N. and Professor of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Michigan and C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, presents Dr. Michael Kraft his award. Photo courtesy of Jane Takagi, PharmD, FCSHP, FASHP.

Dr. Michael Kraft has been nominated and selected to receive the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) Excellence in Nutrition Support Education Award.

This award recognizes one nutrition support educator’s excellence in the delivery of professional education. The award is open to A.S.P.E.N. members who have teaching responsibilities in an academic, community, or other supervised training setting.

Dr. Kraft is currently Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy at the U-M College of Pharmacy, as well as Assistant Director-Education & Research at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). Dr. Kraft earned his PharmD from the U-M College of Pharmacy in 1999, and then completed a specialty residency in critical care and nutrition support at the University of Tennessee at Memphis before returning to U-M as a faculty member.   

Dr. Kraft supports the missions and goals of the College of Pharmacy and the University through his efforts in service, education, and research. Many of his efforts in support of the missions are related to education on nutrition support, and this supported his nomination and selection of the A.S.P.E.N. Excellence in Nutrition Support Education Award. At the College of Pharmacy Dr. Kraft provides didactic education on several topics, including parenteral nutrition, fluids and electrolyte disorders, acid-base disorders, and career and professional development. He also provides nutrition support education to professionals in other disciplines, including physicians, medical students, physician assistants, and nursing students at University Hospitals and Health System. He is also an invited speaker at local, regional, and national conferences on several topics particularly related to parenteral nutrition therapy.  Dr. Kraft is board certified nutrition support pharmacist. 

“Parenteral nutrition is a complex, high-risk medication therapy, and I have dedicated my efforts to improve the safety of parenteral nutrition use.  A key part of improving safety is education for all disciplines and healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients receiving this therapy. This award was first established in 2008, and since that time I will be the 4th pharmacist to receive the award; I think this speaks to the key role pharmacists have in nutrition support education. Like most aspects of patient care, my contributions to education around parenteral nutrition and nutrition support have certainly not been an individual effort, but really a reflection of working with great mentors and teams throughout my career. In particular, Imad Btaiche, PharmD, a former U-M faculty member and a great colleague and friend, was really the first mentor to expand my interest in parenteral nutrition and nutrition support and start me down my career path.  I also received great training from Rex Brown, PharmD and Roland (Rolly) Dickerson, PharmD during my residency. The support, guidance, and wisdom of these and other colleagues and mentors have had a significant contribution to my career,” adds Dr. Kraft.   

Dr. Kraft is an active member of the following organizations and has held many leadership positions within each.

“I was surprised, honored, and humbled to receive this award.  A.S.P.E.N. and its members represent the experts in nutrition support, and the past recipients of this award are among the leaders in the field.  To be recognized by and among them is a great honor,” states Dr. Kraft.

“I still recall when Mike, as P3 student, was assigned to follow up on a patient case in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. When he presented the case to me, he had one of the best methodic approaches with a most thorough presentation and analytical discussion that I have ever witnessed at the time by a student, despite the complexity of the case. His particular emphasis and inclusion of the patient’s nutrition support therapy in the pharmacotherapy plan was worth noting. One could tell then that Mike has all the assets to excel as a clinician, and that we have a ‘new recruit’ of a promising nutrition support and critical care pharmacist,” adds Imad Btaiche, PharmD, BCNSP, Professor and Interim Dean, Lebanese American University School of Pharmacy.

“Dr. Mike Kraft is an exceptional clinician, mentor, and respected colleague. He is known by his peers for giving scientifically sound clinical advice and by his trainees as an inspiring dynamic professor dedicated to promoting evidence-based nutrition practices for all disciplines, at all levels. Dr. Kraft speaks, publishes, and teaches about nutrition locally, regionally, and nationally, but his most enduring accomplishment is the transference of his passion for nutrition education to others. In this, he is preserving the love and art of nutrition therapy in the next generation of clinicians, which will benefit countless of our patients far into the future.  I am honored to work with and to have learned from Dr. Kraft. He truly epitomizes the best of nutrition educators and is wholeheartedly deserving of this award,” states Jill Cherry-Bukowiec , MD, MS, FACS, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School.   

“Dr. Kraft is truly passionate about nutrition support and the importance of educating healthcare professionals about nutrition.  This is exemplified through his teaching at the UM College of Pharmacy and training other pharmacists in the UMHS Department of Pharmacy Services, and also through his enthusiasm for educating other healthcare professionals including physicians, dietitians, nurses, physicians assistants and nurse practitioners at every opportunity he gets.  He is very deserving of this award,” adds Dr. Melissa Pleva, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist and Adjust Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy.

The award was presented to Dr. Kraft at the A.S.P.E.N. Clinical Nutrition Week 2015, which took place in Long Beach, CA from February 14-17, 2015.

Congratulations to Dr. Kraft on this outstanding accomplishment!

Read a short article from UMHS.