Collaboration highlights pharmacists’ critical roles in patient care
Today, ASHP (American Society of Health‑System Pharmacists) announced a new partnership with HOSA–Future Health Professionals focused on educating middle and high school students about pharmacy career paths and pharmacists’ roles as essential members of the patient care team.
The partnership builds on ASHP’s national public awareness campaign, We’re Your Pharmacist, which aims to increase understanding of hospital and health-system pharmacists’ direct patient care roles in ensuring safe, effective, and accessible medication use. By engaging students early in their healthcare career exploration, ASHP and HOSA seek to broaden awareness of pharmacy as a clinical, innovative, patient‑focused profession and support the future pharmacy workforce.
“HOSA students are already interested in healthcare, yet many have limited awareness of what pharmacists do in hospital and health‑system settings,” said ASHP Executive Vice President and CEO Samuel V. Calabrese, MBA, RPh, CPEL, FASHP. “This partnership allows us to share real‑world examples of pharmacy practice with students and highlight the innovative roles pharmacists have in improving patient care across healthcare settings.”
As an elite partner with HOSA, ASHP will provide students with personal, career, and leadership development opportunities designed to increase understanding of pharmacy practice and the range of roles available in hospitals and health systems.
ASHP will sponsor the pharmacy science competition at HOSA’s International Leadership Conference, where students qualify through local and state contests and complete written and skills-based components to earn scholarships.
ASHP will also host pharmacy career workshops during the conference, provide guidance and resources for student advisers, and participate in the conference exhibit program alongside The Pharmacy Technician Society. In addition, ASHP will develop on‑demand educational resources for classroom use, including videos, webinars, and interactive learning tools. These resources will introduce students to pharmacy career options and outline the education and training required to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree or a certified pharmacy technician credential.
“HOSA-Future Health Professionals is incredibly excited to partner with ASHP to promote the pharmacy profession,” said Bergen Morehouse, executive director of HOSA. “This collaboration provides HOSA members and advisers with access to the expertise and resources of health-system pharmacists, empowering the next generation of healthcare leaders to explore the diverse and impactful career pathways within pharmacy. Together, ASHP and HOSA are not just sharing information; we are inspiring future health professionals in their career journey!”
About ASHP
ASHP is the largest association of pharmacy professionals in the United States, representing over 65,000 pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians in all patient care settings, including hospitals, ambulatory clinics, and health-system community pharmacies. For over 80 years, ASHP has championed innovation in pharmacy practice, advanced education and professional development, and served as a steadfast advocate for members and patients. In addition, ASHP is an accrediting body for pharmacy residency and technician training programs and provides comprehensive resources to support pharmacy professionals through every stage of their careers. For more information, visit ashp.org and ASHP’s consumer website, SafeMedication.com. Learn more about ASHP’s public awareness campaign at yourpharmacist.org.
About HOSA-Future Health Professionals
HOSA-Future Health Professionals is a global student-led organization that provides a unique program of leadership development, technical skills training, and recognition exclusively for middle school, secondary, postsecondary, and collegiate students enrolled in health and biomedical sciences. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, HOSA empowers its members to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience. HOSA actively promotes career opportunities in the health industry and enhances the delivery of quality health care to all people. Current membership is over 370,000 representing all fifty states, its territories, and including China, Canada, South Korea, and Germany. For more information, go to hosa.org or contact [email protected].
