Finding Your Future in Pharmacy: Inside a Discover Pharmacy Open House
For prospective students considering a future in pharmacy, choosing the right program goes beyond academics. It is about finding a place where they feel supported, challenged, and inspired to grow. At the University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, Discover Pharmacy Open House events are designed to help students take that first step with confidence.
Offered throughout the year, the open houses provide prospective students and their families with the opportunity to explore the Coit College of Pharmacy in a meaningful and interactive way. These events are not only to share information, but to create an experience that helps students better understand both the profession of pharmacy and the community they may soon become a part of.
According to LuzMaría Hernández, senior coordinator of recruitment, events and marketing, these events are designed to go beyond a traditional visit. “Discover Pharmacy Open Houses are designed to create a meaningful and immersive experience where prospective and newly admitted students can truly envision their future within our community,” Hernández said. “By engaging directly with faculty, students, and alumni, they gain an authentic understanding of what life in our programs looks and feels like.”
Each Discover Pharmacy event introduces attendees to the college’s academic programs, student resources, and diverse career pathways within pharmacy. From clinical practice to research and specialized fields, prospective students are able to see how a PharmD degree can open doors to a wide range of opportunities. This early exposure helps students begin to connect their personal interests with potential career paths, making the decision process more informed and intentional.
A key component of the experience is the opportunity to explore the college itself. Guided tours led by current student ambassadors allow attendees to visit classrooms, teaching laboratories, student spaces, and the college’s Coit Museum of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, offering a firsthand look at the environment where learning and professional development take place.
Beyond showcasing facilities, these tours let prospective students engage directly with current PharmD students, who share their experiences navigating coursework, building professional skills, and finding their place within the program. Through these conversations, visitors ask questions, hear honest perspectives, and begin to envision themselves as part of the college.
One panelist shared how these experiences can shape a student’s career direction. “I thought for sure I was going to work at Walgreens since that’s where I trained and interned, but one rotation completely changed my perspective. I realized there were so many different paths within pharmacy that I hadn’t even considered, and that experience helped me find something I truly enjoy.”
Another central element of Discover Pharmacy is the alumni and current student panel, where attendees gain insight into both the academic journey and life after graduation. Alumni speakers reflect on how their time at the College of Pharmacy shaped their careers, while current students provide real-time insight into what it is like to be in the program today.
These discussions help highlight the flexibility of a pharmacy degree and the many directions it can take. By hearing directly from those who have gone through the program, prospective students gain a clearer understanding of how their own goals and interests can align with different areas of the profession.
As another speaker emphasized, the profession offers far more variety than many students initially expect. “Pharmacy is an incredibly versatile field with more than 100 career paths, and opportunities like this help students start to see how their interests can fit into that bigger picture.”
In addition to structured programming, Discover Pharmacy places a strong emphasis on open dialogue and connection. Dedicated question-and-answer sessions create a space where prospective students can engage in more personal and meaningful conversations with current students. These interactions often provide some of the most valuable insight, as attendees ask honest questions and receive real responses about workload, expectations, and student life.
The event experience is intentionally designed to be welcoming and interactive, allowing prospective students to feel comfortable exploring their questions and uncertainties. This supportive environment helps reduce the intimidation that can often come with considering a professional program, replacing it with a sense of possibility and belonging.
Beyond the formal sessions, Discover Pharmacy also includes opportunities for informal networking and continued conversation. During these moments, attendees can connect one-on-one with faculty, students, and alumni, building relationships that extend beyond the event itself. "Students leave these events with more than just information,” Hernández said. “They gain confidence, clarity, and a sense of belonging, along with valuable connections that help them better understand their path forward in pharmacy.”
A faculty member also highlighted the importance of personal growth throughout the journey. “Going through the PharmD program is incredibly rewarding, but it’s important to understand your ‘why.’ When students have that sense of purpose and are supported in exploring who they are beyond just their GPA, it really helps them grow and stand out.”
Through Discover Pharmacy, the College of Pharmacy demonstrates its commitment to supporting students not only after they enroll, but from the very beginning of their journey. By providing early exposure to the profession and creating opportunities for meaningful interaction, the college helps prospective students build confidence in their decision to pursue pharmacy.
These events also reflect the broader values of the College of Pharmacy, including mentorship, collaboration, and student-centered learning. By connecting prospective students with those who are already part of the community, Discover Pharmacy helps create a sense of continuity and belonging that extends from recruitment through professional practice.
For many attendees, Discover Pharmacy is more than just an introduction to a program. It is an opportunity to see themselves in a future they may not have fully imagined before. Through connection, conversation, and shared experience, the event helps transform curiosity into clarity and interest into direction.