Development of a Prepharmacy Underrepresented Mentorship Program for Undergraduate Students

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Pharmacy Education
• Mentorship Programs

Background:

• Addressing health disparities requires a diverse healthcare workforce committed to serving underrepresented communities.
• Prepharmacy students aiming to serve these populations need targeted guidance and support through the admissions process.
• Innovative mentorship programs are crucial for fostering diversity in pharmacy schools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the development and implementation of the Prepharmacy Underrepresented Mentorship Program (PUMP).
• To offer guidance and support to prepharmacy students committed to serving underrepresented populations.
• To enhance the application and matriculation process for students focused on health equity.

Main Methods:

• Delivered three virtual PUMP workshops per admissions cycle for prepharmacy students.
• Provided comprehensive guidance on applications, interviews, and program selection.
• Collected data on workshop attendance, acceptance, and matriculation rates; utilized pre/post surveys for insights.

Main Results:

• 189 prepharmacy students participated in 8 PUMP workshops over three admissions cycles.
• Observed increased annual participation and a 34% average matriculation rate.
• Attendees committed to serving diverse communities, including Latinx, Black/African American, and LGBTQ+ populations; 96% reported positive impressions of the school.

Conclusions:

• A pilot prepharmacy mentorship program (PUMP) was successfully developed and implemented.
• Demonstrated growth in program participation and matriculation of students committed to underserved communities.
• The program shows promise in increasing diversity within the pharmacy profession.