Volunteer Opportunities

Become an Admissions MMI Interviewer: We are looking for alumni who would be excited to interview our prospective Pharm.D. applicants. Alumni conduct the interviews and provide assessments on specific attributes/characteristics from an established rubric. We provide interviewer training in a user-friendly interview platform (Kira Talent).

Time Commitment: Late October to early March; fall interview days are Sundays in late October and early November; spring interview days are Saturdays in mid-February to early March

Criteria

• Pharm.D. or equivalent.
• Open availability for two or more interview shifts. Each interview shift is around 90 minutes.
  • Interview days start around 7:30 a.m. and end around 5 p.m., with five shifts per day

For more information, please contact greg.caldera@austin.utexas.edu

Become an Admissions Committee Member: Duties include (but are not limited to):

• Review applicant files and select individuals for interview with recommendation to the Voting Committee regarding admissions. (September through February)
• Assist the Director of Admissions and Student Services in designing and executing the admissions interview process. (October/November and February/March)
• Make recommendations to the dean regarding admissions policies and procedures. (October/November and February/March)

Time Commitment: September through March is the main time crunch, with most of the work done September through mid-November and January through February, up to five hours of work per week.

Criteria: 

• Pharm.D. or equivalent.
• Alumni willing to commit to five hours per week during the peak admissions cycle.

For more information, please contact greg.caldera@austin.utexas.edu

Serve on the Alumni Panel during Admitted Students Day: Admitted Students Day is an open house for newly admitted Pharm.D. students and is held every April on the same date as the Texas Football Orange-White Game. Featuring a college tour along with a student, faculty and alumni Q&A panel, this event helps us to strengthen the commitment of fall matriculating students. Alumni are also invited to join us for breakfast and to mingle with our newly-admitted students. 

Time Commitment: April – usually held the same day as the Texas Football Orange-White Game

Criteria: 

• Two to three alumni, preferably in different areas of pharmacy (community and health-systems preferred)
• Be open to sharing your perspective on the following topics:
  • Why Texas Pharmacy?
  • Your experience as a student
  • Your career since earning your Pharmacy degree
  • How Texas Pharmacy prepared you for your career

For more information, please contact alumni@pharmacy.utexas.edu

The College of Pharmacy offers a variety of opportunities for employers and recruiters to connect with students throughout the school year. Learn more about our annual employer engagement opportunities, or reach out to phrcareers@pharmacy.utexas.edu to learn about additional ways to engage.

Become an NCPA (National Community Pharmacy Association) Volunteer: We have several opportunities to reach students in a group setting:

1. Workshops:
   Organized workshops, led by a pharmacy owner, focusing on a specific aspect of ownership (personnel management, financial decision-making or regulatory challenges). Owners can share insights on the topic and how they handle it in their own pharmacies. These workshops offer students a unique and valuable perspective on what it means to own and operate a pharmacy.
2. Panel Discussions:
   By participating in a panel discussion with multiple pharmacy owners, the panelist could share their journey and insights into ownership, followed by a Q&A session with either prepared questions or opening the floor to interested students.
3. Guest Speaking Engagements: 
   Owners could be invited to speak at an NCPA student chapter meeting or as a guest lecturer for a Community Pharmacy Management elective course (to be scheduled by the course instructor).

Time Commitment: Year-round 

Criteria: 

• Independent pharmacy owners.
• Alumni willing to give their time, either through in-person or virtual gatherings, to provide advice to students interested in community pharmacy and pharmacy ownership.

For more information, please contact alumni@pharmacy.utexas.edu

Become an NCPA (National Community Pharmacy Association) Volunteer: We have two main opportunities to reach students in small group or personal settings:

1. Mentoring:
   Becoming a formal or informal mentor to students interested in pharmacy ownership.
2. NCPA Business Plan Reviewer:
   Reviewing a hypothetical business plan created by a group of students participating in the Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan competition during the Spring semester. The Reviewer would utilize their real-world context to provide feedback on various aspects of the business plan before students submit the plan for evaluation.

Time Commitment: Year-round – variety of opportunities; mentoring and reviewing business plans

Criteria: 

• Alumni/friends who are independent pharmacy owners.
• Alumni/friends willing to give their time, either through in-person or virtual gatherings, to provide advice to students interested in community pharmacy.

For more information, please contact alumni@pharmacy.utexas.edu

Pharm.D. Financial Aid Working Group – Review Pharm.D. financial aid applications and award scholarships and tuition waivers.

Duties include (but are not limited to):

• Make policy recommendations to the dean for awarding scholarships to Pharm.D. students
• Review professional pharmacy student applications for financial aid
• Award available scholarships and tuition waivers.

Time Commitment: April through mid-June is the main time crunch, with most of the work being done mid-April to late May.

Criteria: 

• Pharm.D. or equivalent.
• Alumni willing to provide their time to review and discuss awarding of financial aid based on applications, policies and procedures. 

For more information, please contact alumni@pharmacy.utexas.edu

Become a PEPP Volunteer: This three-day camp explores the diverse fields of pharmacy and all the college has to offer. This includes visits to pharmacy practice environments, receiving hands-on and behind-the-scenes tours of College of Pharmacy facilities and learning from practicing pharmacists and current pharmacy students. Faculty and staff provide peer-to-peer mentorship and skill-building opportunities including admissions processes and requirements sessions, resume and CV review seminars and an “Interview Day” simulation.

Time Commitment: Late May – four-day program

Criteria: 

• Alumni who are interested in creating opportunities for individuals from first-generation and/or low-income communities.
• Pharm.D alumni who own or manage pharmacies in Austin, Texas, and are open to a tour of their facility (60-90 mins) to highlight their pharmacy’s specialties (compounding, innovation, specialty drugs, etc.)
• Pharm.D alumni with diverse career pathways who could serve on an evening-time virtual panel
• Pharm.D alumni who would like to come in person to offer a one-hour workshop or interactive session that exposes students to the pharmacy field

For more information, please contact alumni@pharmacy.utexas.edu

Become a LEADER Volunteer: The LEADER program at The UT Austin College of Pharmacy provides rising junior or senior undergraduate students from Texas’ historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic serving institutions (HSIs) the opportunity to receive on-site high-quality “hands on” laboratory experiences and technique instruction to gain fundamental research skills during a nine-week on-campus experience.

Time Commitment: Early June to early August – nine-week program

Criteria: 

• Every Wednesday between noon and 1 p.m., we do a “lunch and learn” session and invite alumni who can speak about a variety of different career paths (government, industry, academia etc.).
• Alumni who are interested in creating opportunities for individuals from first-generation and/or low-income communities.
• Pharmaceutical Science Ph.D. alumni willing to serve on a 60 minute panel and speak about their career path experiences in government and industry.

For more information, please contact alumni@pharmacy.utexas.edu

Become an Event Preceptor: Student groups organize immunization clinics, screenings, information sessions and other services to benefit public health among the community. Students work with other groups to schedule these events but need a pharmacy preceptor on site to provide the services. Each P1 – P3 student will do two hours per semester of Public Health Community Service in these forums. Student organizations include (but are not limited to) APhA, NCPA, ASHP, AMCP, etc.

• Time Commitment: Year-round – based on student organization needs at their events. Usually a 3 to 4-hour commitment 

Criteria:

• Be a licensed pharmacist
• Registered as a preceptor with the State of Texas (if you hold a Texas License)
• You can also participate if you are currently or are becoming an IPPE/APPE preceptor

For more information, please contact PharmExperiential@austin.utexas.edu 

Become an IPPE/APPE Preceptor: As a preceptor, you will have one or more students on rotation for their Introductory or Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. This is a more traditional preceptor role. The Regional Director closest to your place of practice provides you with more information and details on the application process. We seek variety in the pharmacy industry sites and those with unique pharmacy specialties. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive a preceptor appointment with the college and have access to library resources. 

Time Commitment: Year-round – based on student needs and placements.

Criteria: 

• Complete a short application form and CV detailing your training
• Licensed pharmacist
• Registered as a preceptor with the State of Texas (if you hold a Texas License)
• Depending on the rotation, time commitment is anywhere from 30 hours during a semester to six weeks for an APPE rotation. 

For more information, please contact PharmExperiential@austin.utexas.edu