CVS Health and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) have continued their partnership to award the 2024 CVS Health / AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award to 21 outstanding first year pharmacy students across the United States. Each recipient will receive a $20,000 scholarship to support their education as they work to become advocates for patients in underserved communities.
“Due to the generosity and support of the CVS Health Foundation, we were able to offer this record amount of funds to student pharmacists since the program’s inception in 2019,” says Lee Vermeulen, executive vice president and CEO of AACP. “We are grateful for our partnership with CVS Health and for their help in meeting the financial needs of students who will provide quality care to patients in communities that are too often underserved and suffer health disparities.”
The scholarship program has grown significantly since it began, expanding from the initial award of five scholarships worth $8,000 each in 2019 to 21 scholarships of $20,000 each today. The award is given to student pharmacists who face financial barriers and have demonstrated leadership, academic success, and a commitment to advocating for health equity.
“We know that often the biggest barrier to education is financial,” says Susan Vos, senior director of student affairs at AACP. “Our aim is to provide resources to students with the greatest financial need who also have an interest in advocating for health equity and the wellbeing of patients in underserved communities.”
CVS Health and AACP are committed to supporting the next generation of pharmacists in their efforts to improve healthcare for underserved populations and continue to expand this program to ensure more students have access to resources that help them achieve these goals.
