American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE) Gateway to Research Award

Website: AFPE

Description
This scholarship is for pharmacy students currently enrolled in an ACPE accredited School of Pharmacy (Pharm.D. and undergraduate students). The primary goal of the Gateway to Research Scholarship program is to help students gain an understanding of the importance of research by enabling them to apply that knowledge to improve their clinical skills.
 
This scholarship provides a unique opportunity for talented Pharm.D. and baccalaureate degree students to participate in a faculty-mentored research project. The Gateway to Research Scholarship also encourages students who have the aptitude and desire to pursue a career in research to continue their education in a Ph.D. program. This award helps students to learn to identify relevant research problems, generate a research hypothesis, analyze data, learn how to interpret and use research results in practice, learn to effectively communicate research and clinical data to a broad audience, develop problem-solving skills, and sharpen critical thinking skills. Overall the exposure to and understanding of research enables them to improve their clinical skills to facilitate better communication with patients and medical team members, thus equipping them for the changing healthcare workforce.

The awards are given to individuals who, in the judgment of the scientific review panel, have met the following criteria:

  • Recommended by a faculty member
  • Demonstrated superior academic performance
  • Submitted a proposed research topic that is relevant
  • Provided a comprehensive mentoring plan
  • Submitted letters of recommendation
  • Have shown interest in scientific research

An additional Gateway award is offered each year specifically to a student who self-identifies as coming from a historically underrepresented racial minority in pharmacy. Students can select on the application whether they wish to be considered for this award.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must be:

  • a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident
  • a full-time student who is 
    • a.) enrolled in a Pharm.D. program
      • completed at least two years of college
      • enrolled in at least the first year of the professional pharmacy curriculum at an ACPE accredited School of Pharmacy

OR

  • b.) enrolled in a Baccalaureate degree program (undergraduate)
    • completed at least one year of the degree program in an ACPE accredited School of Pharmacy.
  • Enrolled for at least 1 full academic year after the initiation of the award
  • Nominated and mentored by a faculty member who is employed by either an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy OR any college awarding baccalaureate degrees, provided the faculty member is actively undertaking research in the pharmaceutical sciences. The nominating faculty must agree to mentor the student’s proposed research for the entire year of the award duration

Additionally:

  • Students enrolled in joint Pharm.D./Ph.D. programs may not apply.
  • No more than two applications per school, therefore school faculty and administrators must coordinate which two applications to put forward.

The Scholarship stipend may be used for research-related expenses in support of the research plan outlined in their application. Funds should not be used for indirect costs by the institution.

 

Student Type
  • junior
  • senior
  • graduate
Citizen Type
  • US Citizen
  • Permanent Resident
Procedure

Application opens in January at https://afpepharm.org/index.php/gateway-to-research-award/ 

Application Deadline is February 2023

Each application must include:

    • online application completed through Formsite completed jointly by the student and mentor
    • two recommendations, completed on Formsite by mentor and an additional faculty member
    • official current transcript sent by the registrar to AFPE, either electronically or by mail.

NOTE: Each recommendation form must have a unique login from the application form. If a recommender is recommending two students, they will need to create a unique login for each recommendation

Contact Information

AFPE
One Church Street, Suite 202
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Phone: 301-738-2160
Fax: 301-738-2161
E-mail: info@afpenet.org