Department of Pharmacy Practice

Dr. Chad Kawakami is an Associate Professor at the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) and a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve with extensive command experience. A Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS), he earned his Pharm.D. from Oregon State University and Oregon Health and Science University and completed his residency at The Queen's Medical Center. His clinical practice is at Pali Momi Medical Center with the University of Hawaiʻi Family Medicine service.

A multiple-time DKICP Student Choice Award for Teaching winner, Dr. Kawakami’s instruction focuses on geriatrics, mental health, and disaster preparedness. He passionately advocates for interprofessional education, facilitating collaborative training for students across health disciplines. His scholarly work aims to improve care for older adults and has been supported by significant grant funding. He has served as Principal Investigator for Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Geriatric Academic Career Award (GACA) grants to enhance geriatric training and safe opioid prescribing, and was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar. His research is published in Military Medicine and the Hawaiʻi Journal of Health & Social Welfare journals.

In the Army Reserve, Dr. Kawakami has served as a Detachment Commander and is currently the hospital Deputy Commander. He has led soldiers on deployments for disaster preparedness and COVID-19 response. A decorated officer, his awards include multiple Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Humanitarian Service Medal. This unique military experience directly informs his teaching on public health emergencies, offering students a practical perspective.