Students launch SMMP program

On January 21, 2023, the College of Pharmacy kicked off the 2023 Student Mentors for Minorities in Pharmacy (SMMP) program by inducting 36 high school and college students.

SMMP is a mentoring program designed to assist minority students as they explore pharmacy as a career path, with the goal of ultimately increasing the number of minority students who successfully gain entrance into the healthcare field.

"Increasing diversity in the pharmacy workforce starts with increasing diversity in pharmacy education," said Philip D. Hall, dean of the MUSC College of Pharmacy. "For the past few decades and with increased urgency in recent years, the college has put DEI objectives at the forefront of our strategic plans. This kind of student-to-student mentorship can be the difference in whether a minority student chooses pharmacy or something else. It is vital to the future of the profession."

While the SMMP is focused on providing a new resource for students to enter healthcare generally, the MUSC College of Pharmacy has established a number of resources for students interested in pursuing a pharmacy career specifically at MUSC. College resources include:

• SNPhA (Student National Pharmaceutical Association)
• URM (Underrepresented Minority) Support Group
• SMMP (Student Mentors for Minorities in Pharmacy)
• Pharmacy Alumni Action Network

The college has also established several minority scholarships in recent years and offers other resources.