Dr. Downs is the Dean Emeritus of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP) and Linwood F. Tice Professor of Pharmacy at Saint Joseph's University. Downs graduated from the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy with a B.S. in Pharmacy, and earned his Pharm.D. degree at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.
Downs served in the U.S. Public Health Service and was a senior resident in Hospital Pharmacy at the University of Arkansas Medical Center. He was involved with the Drug Systems Research group that developed the first Medication Error Research Program. He was assistant director of pharmacy and central supply at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and director of society services at the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. He has been on the faculty of Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia since 1972 and has taught at both Hahnemann University Hospital and the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Downs has served as president of the National Rho Chi Honor Society, and has been honored by the American College of Apothecaries for his support of community pharmacy. He is past-president of the Health Promotion Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania and serves on the Board of Directors of SARPH, the impaired pharmacists program in Pennsylvania and the Public Health Management Corporation.
He is actively involved in numerous professional associations, including the:
- American Pharmacists Association
- American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
