Women Pharmacist Day will be observed on October 12, 2021. October was chosen for this special recognition because it also serves as National Pharmacist Month. The 12th day of the month was selected in honor of the legendary first female pharmacist in the United States, Elizabeth Gooking Greenleaf, who had 12 children and is an inspiring role model for thousands of women who dream of becoming a pharmacist. Women currently occupy 75% of the pharmacist workforce vs. 8% in the 1960s. Approximately 61% of the 14,000 PharmDs earned in the United States in 2016 were earned by women.
Join the UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences in celebrating the women that make up our team of faculty– they pursued careers in pharmacy, honor the trailblazers who have made such progress possible and educate future generations of pharmacists, every day, to deliver quality care to patients nationwide.
Jan Hirsch, BS Pharm, PhD
Founding Dean of UCI’s School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Pharmacy is a highly flexible profession for anyone. It offers so many opportunities for possible practice types and sites for an individual to pursue as they grow professionally over their career – each with the potential to positively impact patients, their families, and communities.
Keri Hurley, PharmD, MPH, BCACP, APh
Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor
Being a female pharmacist means being part of a growing tradition of strong women driving a major field in healthcare. As the proportion of women in pharmacy increased over the last half-century, the public’s trust in pharmacists have as well – I don’t think that is a coincidence. Women are the foundation of pharmacy, so the profession’s future will depend heavily on women becoming more involved in leadership, advocacy, and professional service.
Melanie Joe, PharmD, MPA, FCSHP
Chief Pharmacy Officer, UCI Health
Associate Director and Founding Associate Dean for Pharmacy Professional Affairs
Women have unique experiences and skills and often process things differently than their male counterparts. Women can play an integral role in driving innovation in Pharmacy and healthcare by drawing upon their strengths. I encourage female pharmacists to recognize their value and stay focused on goals.
Nana Entsuah, PharmD
Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor
I join with my female colleagues in the profession to celebrate all the wonderful women who have contributed to making pharmacy the highly impactful and respected career that it is today. I am inspired by female pharmacist pioneers such as Anna Louise James and Amanda Gray Hilyer. I am honored to be a woman in pharmacy and I endeavor to continue the good work started by those before me. I encourage all aspiring female pharmacists to believe in themselves and trust that they have what it takes to make a positive impact through pharmacy!
Christine Cadiz, PharmD, MA, BCPS, APh
Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor
Aspiring pharmacists will discover that there are so many opportunities to find an area of practice that aligns with their goals, strengths, and desire to make positive contributions within health care. It is incredibly rewarding to be part of a network of pharmacy professionals whose strength, knowledge, and impact on the community continue to inspire us each day.
Joyce Lee, PharmD, APh, FCCP, BCPS, BCACP
Health Sciences Clinical Professor
Pharmacy is a family-friendly profession especially for women who wish to provide for their family and still being able to spend quality time with their loved ones. It also provides a medium for women to excel and lead in the areas of practice, research, health policy and administration, just to name a few. Ultimately, pharmacy is a fulfilling career that allows for lifelong learning, and personal growth and development.
Sarah McBane, PharmD, CDCES, BCPS, FCCP, FCPhA, FCSHP, APh
Associate Dean of Pharmacy Education
Pharmacy is an amazing profession for everyone, and particularly for women. Many of the pharmacists I admire most are women – they hold positions as deans, CEOs, pharmacy owners, chief pharmacists and more. Pharmacy offers flexibility and opportunity for every female pharmacist to develop her own path within the profession.
Mahtab Jafari, PharmD
Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Equity Advisor for UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
My doctorate in pharmacy opened many doors for me. As an educator, scientist, and clinician, I feel that my primary job is to develop and dispense evidence-based knowledge with the goal of creating healthy communities. I feel very privileged to be part of a profession that is highly trusted by the public and aims to promote healthy communities. I also like to serve as an advocate for equity, inclusion and diversity in educational, scientific and clinical settings. I hope to inspire the next generation of female pharmacists to reach for the moon and land on the moon.