CVS Health supports future of pharmacy through minority scholarship program

Each year, five outstanding underrepresented minority students who are entering or enrolled in a Doctor of Pharmacy program are selected to receive a CVS Health Minority Scholarship for Pharmacy Students.

In partnership with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the scholarships represent a commitment to an inclusive community and promoting diversity of thought, background, perspective and experience to advance pharmacy education and improve patient health. The scholarships are intended to promote and support a diverse population of student pharmacists who will care for an increasingly diverse population of patients as part of a healthcare team.

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“As the leading health solutions company, we are proud to serve millions of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures across the country,” said Prem Shah, executive vice president and chief pharmacy officer at CVS Health and co-president CVS Pharmacy. “Our pharmacists represent the diversity of those patients and understand their lives and experiences. In fact, pharmacists are among the most accessible and trusted healthcare professionals because of their closeness to their communities. Through our work with the AACP, we are proud to support pharmacy students from diverse communities, advancing the profession now and in the future.”

Selected awardees must demonstrate leadership, academic success and a commitment to advancing the profession of pharmacy and patient care. Applicants are asked to describe how their life experiences as a minority student influenced their decision to pursue a pharmacy career. They also select one aspect of their background or one characteristic about themselves and explain how it will contribute to their success in pharmacy and the well-being of future patients. Each recipient receives a single $8,000 scholarship to help with the cost of pursuing a PharmD degree.

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“We’re committed to working with the AACP not only on this initiative, but on fostering relationships with pharmacy schools nationwide. As an employer of more than 30,000 pharmacists across our company, it’s important to maintain an open relationship with pharmacy students as they represent the future of the profession that means so much to all of us and the communities we serve,” Shah said.

“We are delighted to partner with CVS Health to recognize and support a new cohort of well-deserving student pharmacists who embody the values of diversity and excellence,” said AACP executive vice president and CEO Lee Vermeulen. “This prestigious program reflects the mutual commitment that CVS Health and AACP have made to promoting a diverse workforce who can provide quality care to patients in communities that are too often underserved and suffer health disparities.”

To learn about the scholarship recipients or to apply for future scholarships, please visit here.