Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada announces new scholarship for Indigenous students
OTTAWA, ON, March 20, 2023 /CNW/ - The Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (IPPC), in partnership with the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA), is pleased to launch the first national scholarship for Indigenous Peoples pursuing a degree in pharmacy. The IPPC Indigenous Pharmacy Scholarship is now accepting applications for the 2023/2024 academic year, with a deadline of April 30, 2023.
"It is a myth that Indigenous Peoples receive free post-secondary tuition in Canada—we do not," says Jaris Swidrovich, Founder and Chair, IPPC. "One of the IPPC's key priorities is to encourage and support Indigenous youth pursuing a role in pharmacy. We are confident that this scholarship will help reduce financial barriers to accessing pharmacy education for all future recipients of IPPC scholarships and awards."
The IPPC Scholarship is open to any First Nations (status or non-status), Métis or Inuit individual enrolled or accepted in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD.) or pharmacy technician program in Canada. The IPPC and CPhA continue to seek additional funding to expand the Indigenous Pharmacy Scholarship in the years to come.
"We are dedicated to building a strong network of Indigenous pharmacy professionals, and we encourage all Indigenous Peoples currently enrolled or considering a career in pharmacy to apply," says Swidrovich. "We anticipate that this scholarship will grow over time and will assist with increasing visibility and belonging for Indigenous Peoples in pharmacy across Canada."
The IPPC Indigenous Pharmacy Scholarship is being offered as a national scholarship, not tied to a particular program or province/territory, to ensure that Indigenous Peoples applying for this scholarship can be considered no matter where they are, with no expectations of relocation to a specific city or province because of the scholarship.
"It is so important to increase representation in our pharmacy schools and to help make every faculty a safe and welcoming place for Indigenous students," says Shawn Bugden, CPhA Chair and Dean of the Memorial University of Newfoundland School of Pharmacy. "This scholarship is an important step forward in encouraging more Indigenous Peoples to consider a pharmacy career, and CPhA is proud to support the IPPC and their efforts to grow the Indigenous pharmacy community and enhance the pharmacy care provided to Indigenous patients."
The 2023/2024 application process is now open. Applicants will be required to provide verification of ancestry, proof of acceptance or registration in a PharmD. or pharmacy technician program in Canada and a letter of introduction outlining how the applicant anticipates that their education will effect change.
IPPC and CPhA thank our founding sponsors, Johnson & Johnson, Shoppers Drug Mart, Green Shield Canada and Sobeys National Pharmacy Group for their support of the IPPC Indigenous Pharmacy Scholarship. Please visit our website at www.pharmacists.ca/ippc for more information or to become a sponsor.
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About the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada
The Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (IPPC) is an Indigenous-led association that has been established to connect and support Indigenous pharmacy professionals and help all pharmacists provide better care to Indigenous patients by creating and promoting pharmacy practice models that respect the safety, equality, strengths and teachings of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. More information is available at www.pharmacists.ca/ippc.
About the Canadian Pharmacists Association
The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) is the uniting national voice of pharmacy and the pharmacist profession in Canada. As pharmacists undertake an enhanced role in the delivery of health care services, CPhA ensures that the profession is recognized as a national leader in health care, influencing the policies, programs, budgets and initiatives affecting the profession and the health of Canadians. More information is available at www.pharmacists.ca.
SOURCE Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada
Gezina Baehr, Chief Operating Officer, Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada, [email protected]; Tyler Gogo, Senior Manager, Communications, Canadian Pharmacists Association, [email protected]
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