(235) Increasing Access, Measuring Impact: 4 years of a Pre-Pharmacy Pathway Program for Racially Minoritized Students

Objective : Considering the ever-growing diversity of the U.S. population, healthcare must employ a diverse workforce. Nevertheless, racially minoritized students are largely underrepresented in colleges of pharmacy. The Project Engage Pharmacy Program Camp at the University of Texas at Austin COP provides an opportunity for first-generation and underrepresented undergraduate students interested in health professions to gain a deeper understanding about pharmacy.

Methods: From 2019-2023 (not including 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic), undergraduate students participated in the annual camp. Campers visited different pharmacy practice environments, were provided informational sessions from practicing pharmacists, and received professional guidance regarding interviewing skills and resume/CV writing. At the end of each camp, participants completed a survey to assess their familiarity and interest in pharmacy school, confidence in applying to pharmacy school and ability to become a pharmacist. We also conducted follow up surveys to assess their application and acceptance into pharmacy programs. Descriptive statistics and qualitative themes of the data were examined and will be presented.

Results: Examining post-camp survey results from 4 years of PEPP camp, we found that all participants (43) felt more knowledgeable about pharmacy graduate programs and gained increased familiarity with different aspects of pharmacy they were not aware of prior to the camp. Of the 43 participants, 18 (41.8%) applied to pharmacy school. A total of 29 (67.4%) applied to pharmacy or health profession program. Of the 18 that applied to pharmacy school, 16 (88%) were accepted to pharmacy programs.

Conclusions: Our findings support an evidence-based example of the usefulness of the Project Engage Pharmacy Program (PEPP) Camp in increasing knowledge of pharmacy and recruiting a diverse student body.