This coming fall, the Howard University College of Pharmacy will participate in an innovative exchange program with their counterparts from the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy. The Health Equity Leadership Program aims to challenge students from both institutions to learn “outside of their comfort zones” about both urban and rural healthcare access and equity issues.
The initiative is funded by the 23rd Annual National Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation Scholarship Program. The NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program was established in 1997 to fund prospective projects that have the potential to significantly advance patient care. Since then, nearly $4 million in scholarships has been provided to support pharmacy education programs.
Students in the doctoral programs in pharmacy at the two institutions will participate in the nine-month program beginning in fall 2018. As a part of the program they will tour Washington, D.C., to evaluate inner-city healthcare systems, visit professional associations and meet congressional leaders. They will also tour Wyoming to evaluate rural critical access hospitals and rural healthcare systems.
Toyin Tofade, dean of Howard University College of Pharmacy, stated that “traditionally, diversity challenges and health disparities are focused on trying to explore differences through classroom case integration. The partnership gives students from both regions an opportunity to learn lessons from each other’s environment and to be better educated about how to serve and care for various types of communities.”
Before becoming dean at Howard University, Dr. Tofade held the position of assistant dean of the Experiential Learning Program and associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore. She is a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria. Dr. Tofade earned a master’s degree in pharmacy practice and a doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
