November 6, 2023
Written by Sean O’Connor, class of 2024 Pharm.D. candidate
Ama Boamah, Pharm.D. candidate class of 2027, was selected as one of five underrepresented minority students to receive the 2023 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) CVS Health Minority Scholarship.
Boamah’s desire to help diverse patient populations began in Ghana. “In Ghana, there is a wide gap between rich and poor,” said Boamah. “My interest in pharmacy stems from being from Ghana and wanting to bridge the gaps in disparities to prevent at-risk people from struggling.”
The AACP CVS Health Minority Scholarship aims to recognize students entering a Doctor of Pharmacy program for their leadership, academic success and commitment to advancing patient care of diverse patient populations. The purpose of the program is to reduce financial barriers for underrepresented students who are obtaining a Pharm.D.
Boamah’s journey to the U.S. started in 2017, when she moved to New York. She attended Smith College for her undergraduate studies, majoring in chemistry and biology. At Smith College, Boamah became heavily involved in research, looking specifically at drug delivery systems for the treatment of cancer. Boamah credits her mentors and academic coaches for notifying her of the various opportunities and resources that existed at the time of applying for scholarships, which lead her to apply for the AACP CVS Minority Scholarship.
While still early in her pharmacy journey, Boamah’s initial goal while at the School is to pursue a career concentrated in infectious disease.
“Being from Ghana, infectious disease has become neglected in Africa,” she said. “On the global stage, infectious disease is seen as a problem of developing nations and only gains attention when industrialized nations are affected by those diseases. The scholarship means so much to me because it will help my long-term goal of bridging the disparities in marginalized communities to increase access to health care.”
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