June 23, 2021
The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy joined five other organizations this spring to sponsor the HU Diversity Symposium – a virtual professional development event for student pharmacists of color.
This event was co-hosted by the Hampton and Howard Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) chapters and included speakers, workshops, representation from various companies, networking events and an awards ceremony.
The event aimed to increase equal representation in the pharmaceutical industry. The workshops and guidance provided by the various speakers in attendance were designed to help student pharmacists be successful in transitioning into industry roles post-graduation. Discussion topics ranged from virtual interviewing tips, presentation skills, speed networking, and a Black pharmacists panel with reflection on their own personal experiences.
Sponsors of the event included AbbVie, AstraZeneca, GSK, Eli Lilly, and Merck. Supporting the event from the School included the Divisions of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics (DPET), Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy (DPOP), and Practice Advancement and Clinical Education (PACE).
“Overall, this was an extremely meaningful event for all involved and we sincerely appreciate the help of DPET, DPOP and PACE for supporting our participation in the event,” said Jo E. Rodgers, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCCP, FCCP, FHFSA, FAHA, CPP, who helped plan the School’s involvement with the event.
In addition to the School hosting a booth at the event, UNC current and past fellows along with several UNC fellowship industry sponsors, hosted informational breakout sessions on the pharmaceutical industry, specifically in the following areas:
- Regulatory Affairs: Eric Mui (2nd year UNC-GSK Global Regulatory Affairs (GRA) Fellow), Deanna Rubin (1st year UNC-GSK GRA Fellow), and Kwadwo Yeboah (past UNC-GSK Regulatory Affairs Fellow and current GSK Manager in Oncology GRAs)
- Health Economics and Outcomes Research: Sabree Burbage (UNC-Janssen-Pharmacy Quality Alliance Real World Evidence, Population Health, and Quality Research Fellow), Rachel Black (UNC-Aesara Market Access and Informatics Fellow), and Carter Chureen (Senior Director, RWE Alliance Strategy and Research Operations and Group Leader at Janssen Scientific Affairs).
- Kwadwo Yeboah also represented the ESOP and GSK on the Black Pharmacists Panel.
During the event’s closing Awards Ceremony, two UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy students were recognized:
- Tatiana Hines received the GSK Scholarship
- Ashley Gleaton received the Leap@Lilly Scholarship.
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