NCPA names 3 finalists for 2016 GNP NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competiton

ALEXANDRIA, Va.– The National Community Pharmacists Association on Monday announced that three teams of pharmacy students have been named finalists in the 2016 Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competiton.



Teams of pharmacy students from University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy and University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy will present their business plans in a live competition at NCPA’s Annual Convention in New Orleans. 



“Congratulations to the three finalists of this year’s competition,” stated Bradley Arthur, NCPA president. “Their impressive entries stood out among a very competitive field. I look forward to their live presentation in October and wish them luck on it," he said. "I also want to commend everyone who competed this year. I encourage all of the students to contact community pharmacists in their area and to continue to pursue their dream of independent community pharmacy ownership.”



This year’s competition drew submissions from 46 schools and colleges of pharmacy, and over 200 student and advisor participants.



The goal of the competition is to motivate pharmacy students to create a business model for buying an existing independent community pharmacy or opening a new pharmacy. Through this competition, NCPA is better able to prepare tomorrow’s pharmacy entrepreneurs for a successful future. The Business Plan Competition is the first national competition of its kind in the pharmacy profession and honors two great champions of independent community pharmacy, the late Neil Pruitt, Sr., and the late H. Joseph Schutte. The competition is supported by Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Pharmacists Mutual Companies and the NCPA Foundation.

Pictured are one of last year's finalists from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy.