Ivann Agapito, a student pharmacist in the UC Irvine School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, participated in the inaugural American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Aspiring Academics Program. He was one of only 20 student pharmacists (from universities throughout the US) who were selected.
The AACP Aspiring Academics Program gave the chosen student pharmacists the opportunity to learn more about careers in academic pharmacy through lessons, networking with other student pharmacists in the program, and mentorship. Students learned about academic pharmacy career pathways and expectations and collaborated with their fellow program participants on a research project.
Each of the selected student pharmacists were supported by a home mentor — someone from their university — as well as a mentor from AACP. Dr. Alexandre Chan served as Agapito’s home mentor, and Dr. Kevin Fuji provided mentorship from AACP.
Agapito shared, “Dr. Chan helped me understand the various roles of pharmacists in academia and encouraged me to pursue post-graduate training, through residency, as a crucial step within the career path to academia. Dr. Fuji helped navigate discussions and provided feedback on our career plan mock-ups. As my AACP mentor, he allowed me to learn about academic issues from a perspective outside UCI.”
As part of the program, the 20 student pharmacists were able to attend AACP’s Pharmacy Education 2024 event in Boston, including the Teachers’ Seminar.
“I enjoyed experiencing the Teachers’ Seminar from a student perspective,” said Agapito. “The seminar is typically catered to practicing academics, but as students, we were exposed to perspectives on how academics navigate finding optimal practices in elevating student performance, clinically and academically.”
Reflecting on his experience, Agapito encouraged student pharmacists who are interested in careers in academia to look into the AACP Aspiring Academics Program.
“It has been an honor to take part in the inaugural AACP Aspiring Academics Program. I am humbled to have been a part of it,” he said. “This program gave me an opportunity to network with academics and students from across the nation. If you have interest in academia at all, you will find being an Aspiring Academic a pivotal step in your journey!”
