The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy and Pharmacy Initiative Leaders, Inc (PILs) have formed a collaboration to target underrepresented minorities and first-generation high school and undergraduate students to further engage and retain them in the STEM field of Pharmacy. With such a diverse population, it is imperative to promote the increase of diversity within the healthcare community. Therefore, PILs has joined UT Austin COP to promote this vision through two programs:
PILs x PEPP – The Project Engage Pharmacy Program
- Program: 3-day/3-night overnight stay program that will engage undergraduate students in pharmacy tours, pharmacy presentations, CV review, mock interviewing, fun activities and pharmacy student connections. The students will also be assigned a mentor at the end of the weekend.
- PILs Role: Our Ambassador Community will serve as a panel of pharmacists discussing what it is like to be a pharmacist, past failures and successes and offer words of encouragement. They will also serve as a resource for the students enrolled in the programs.
PILs x K16 – The Scaffolding Success for Future Scientists K16 Program
- Program: targets minority high school students and their families to provide an understanding of the field of pharmacy. This program is important to the families of these high schools students so that they also have the tools and the knowledge in helping their student get to the next step in the STEM field of pharmacy.
- PILs Role: Our Ambassador Community will serve as a panel of pharmacists and speak to various leadership topics in addition to various roles of a pharmacist.
PILs is present and ready to assist At Every Stage and we are very excited for this partnership with UT Austin COP!
By: Onye Ononogbu, PharmD, BCOP.
Image: https://online.alvernia.edu/articles/types-of-partnerships/
