PharmD student Diyana Ahmad Joins 2024 AACP Aspiring Academics Program
Diyana Ahmad, a P3 PharmD candidate with the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, was recently selected to participate in the 2024 AACP Aspiring Academics Program. One of 28 students in the cohort, Ahmad will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and learn more about the career paths available in academic pharmacy over the course of a year with the assistance of AACP and University of Arizona Mentors.
The AACP Aspiring Academics program, which runs from August 2024 to June 2025, is designed to inform and inspire students from diverse backgrounds who are interested in pursuing an academic pharmacy career. Ahmad, who received her BS in Physiology from the College of Medicine, Tucson in 2013, is a third-year PharmD student and aims to help vulnerable populations around the world. She participated in the Coit College of Pharmacy Student and Older Adult Relationship (SOAR) program in 2023, an experience that reaffirmed her desire to go out into the community and make a difference through education and service. In the Aspiring Academics program, she will have the opportunity to deepen her understanding of how pharmacy academics impact health sciences education, research, and community engagement.
Students in the program dedicate at least two hours a month in the 2024-2025 school year to AACP activities, including asynchronous learning modules, mentorship, networking, a group project, and involvement with AACP. The program concludes next summer with the AACP Annual Meeting and Teacher’s Seminar, at which point all students in the cohort have developed a network of peers and mentors interested in academia and can discuss contemporary areas of interest regarding pharmacy education.
Ahmad is guided by two mentors throughout the program – one by the AACP, and one Coit College of Pharmacy faculty member. She and her Home Mentor, Jeannie Lee, PharmD, will attend the seminar next summer to reaffirm the objectives of the program and celebrate the accomplishments of the cohort.
“I am truly honored to be selected for the 2024 AACP Aspiring Academics Program,” Ahmad said. “This program provides an incredible opportunity for my personal and professional growth as an academic, allowing me to connect with peers who share my interests and gain valuable insights into the field of pharmacy. Working with Dr. Lee as my Home Mentor has been a significant source of inspiration. Her guidance has greatly influenced my academic journey and has encouraged me to pursue my passion for teaching and research with greater confidence. Being part of AACP and striving to become a future leader in academia continually reminds me of the positive impact I can make as a student within the broader community. I am excited to embrace this experience and contribute to the advancement of my profession.”
We want to extend our warmest congratulations to Diyana Ahmad for her acceptance into the program. For more information on the Aspiring Academics objectives and requirements, visit the AACP website. You can read more about the other students in the cohort here.