Pharmacy Students Serve on National Advisory and Diversity Teams

September 1, 2020

Diana Tran, Maya Watford and Jeffrey Clark will serve on different advisory groups and task forces within the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). 

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Two PCOM Georgia Doctor of Pharmacy students were recently appointed to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists - Pharmacy Student Forum. As advisory group members, Diana Tran (PharmD ‘21) and Maya Watford (PharmD ’22) are tasked with providing suggestions and feedback to the ASHP Executive Committee regarding member benefits and services.

In addition, Jeffrey Clark (PharmD ’21) who currently serves as the chair of the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum Executive Committee has been tapped for the 18-member ASHP Task Force on Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to advise ASHP on steps to further address such areas.

Tran will serve on the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum Residency Preparation Advisory Group, and Watford will serve on the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum Community and eCommunications Advisory Group.

About the appointment, Tran said, “I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with other group leaders and further my development as a future leader in pharmacy.” Having graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia in Athens with a degree in food science, Tran, who was raised in Suwanee, said her passion to help others led her to the PCOM School of Pharmacy.

An active volunteer while at PCOM, Tran has served as the vice president of the PCOM Georgia ASHP - Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists, as president of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, and as the secretary of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. In addition, she was recently inducted into the Rho Chi pharmacy honor society. She also serves on the board of directors for Georgia First Generation Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides mentorship for first generation students to become the next generation of college students.

Watford, who serves as the president of the PCOM School of Pharmacy ASHP-SSHP, said, “I am excited to start my new role as an ASHP advisory group member, along with other student leaders to make an impact nationally.”

Watford grew up in Norcross, Georgia, and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Georgia State University in Atlanta. In addition to her position with the ASHP student society, Watford is an active member of Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternity, and was recently inducted into Rho Chi.

In other news, the ASHP Board of Directors approved the creation of a Task force on Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in June. As part of the task force, student-pharmacist Clark, from Kennesaw, Georgia, also a member of PCOM Georgia’s ASHP-SSHP, and the team is charged with taking inventory of ASHP’s efforts in the areas of racial diversity, equity and inclusion as they relate to issues facing Black Americans. The task force is also responsible for making related recommendations on new or enhanced efforts ASHP may undertake in the areas of governance, education, research, advocacy, publications, and marketing and communications.

Shawn Spencer, PhD, RPh, dean and chief academic officer of the PCOM School of Pharmacy said, “We are very proud of our students for their willingness to serve in these very important positions for ASHP, an organization comprised of close to 55,000 members including pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The students bring a great deal of talent to the organization, as well as distinction to the PCOM School of Pharmacy as they serve in these roles.”

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