The UI College of Pharmacy is excited to be part of a new, collaborative UI Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) launching next summer. The UI recently received a $415,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to host the program, and is one of 13 schools where the program will be offered. The UI College of Pharmacy, along with the Colleges of Public Health, Dentistry, and Medicine, will participate in this six-week program and is only the fifth school to offer a pharmacy track. 

The program’s main goal is to help prepare underrepresented students who are interested in entering a health care field. At the UI, the program will be offered to 80 freshman and sophomore college students from across the nation who are interested in entering the fields of dentistry, medicine, public health, or pharmacy. While each student will select a specific track to focus on, all students will receive exposure to the four fields through universal topics such as basic science, writing and communications, and health and society. In addition, the program will offer training in interprofessional skills, opportunities for networking, and UI faculty guest speakers.

Students interested in pharmacy will receive additional education and support, including assistance with the PharmD application process and mentorship opportunities with current PharmD students and faculty. All students in the program will receive an invitation to interview for the UI College of Pharmacy PharmD program.

Richard Barajas, director of admissions, is helping coordinate the UI College of Pharmacy’s involvement in the program. He comments, "SHPEP is a great way to expose students to a variety of health professions. We are very excited about participating in the program and showcasing the UI College of Pharmacy to students both from Iowa and across the country.”

The program is free for students and includes the cost of housing, travel, food, and a weekly living stipend. For more information about the Summer Health Professions Education Program, please visit: www.shpep.org, or click here to read a recent article in the Daily Iowan.