For many Americans, the pharmacy is one of the most accessible places to receive health care. Nearly 9 in 10 people live within five miles of a pharmacy and a pharmacist, and patients visit their pharmacist twice as often as they visit their physician or primary care provider. That accessibility is just one part of how the profession is changing. Today, pharmacists help patients manage chronic conditions, navigate complex medication regimens, receive vaccinations and understand how medications interact. In many states, they also provide services ranging from contraception and HIV prevention to testing and treatment for certain common illnesses.
October is American Pharmacists Month, a time to recognize the professionals whose expertise reaches far beyond the prescription. At the University of Colorado Anschutz Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, that impact is visible every day in the work of faculty, alumni and students who care for patients, advance research, shape policy, educate future pharmacists and find new ways to improve health.
Together, their work reflects this year’s American Pharmacists Month theme, “Caring for Our Community.” And today, community extends far beyond the walls of a neighborhood pharmacy. From clinics and laboratories to rural communities, classrooms and global research collaborations, pharmacists are improving health wherever their expertise is needed—expanding access, solving complex health challenges and helping build healthier communities.
CU Anschutz Pharmacy Professor Connie Valdez, PharmD, brings her clinical expertise to patients at Denver Indian Health and Family Services and Sheridan Health Services. In this role, Dr. Valdez works with underserved communities, helping patients understand drug therapies for chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and asthma, as well as working to minimize adverse drug effects and improve patient outcomes.
Pharmacists can be especially important in communities where access to other health care providers is limited. There are 15.1% more pharmacy locations in low-income communities than physician practices, and pharmacies offer 95.7% more operating hours than physician practices. This dynamic creates opportunities for pharmacists to become trusted partners, pillars in their communities, and leaders in healthcare.
Senior Instructor Hilda Ndikum, PharmD, spends her time volunteering in her own community. She recently joined the Doguicimi Foundation's youth mentorship program, where more than 50 youth and their families came together for a day of learning, mentorship, and community. During the event, participants also took part in a hands-on pharmacy activity, giving them the opportunity to explore the profession of pharmacy and learn how pharmacists make a difference in their communities every day.
Pharmacists are also increasingly at the forefront of prevention. More than 500,000 pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are immunization-trained, and pharmacists administered more than 74% of vaccinations during the 2023–24 respiratory season. These numbers point to a broader transformation in the profession. The pharmacist's role is no longer limited to dispensing a prescription. Pharmacists are medication experts, educators, advocates and increasingly, direct health care providers.
Professor Wes Nuffer, PharmD, has been involved in immunizations, rural health and community outreach throughout his career. He spends many weekends each year helping at vaccine clinics alongside his students, working to improve access to preventive care across Colorado. He also serves as Assistant Director of the PharmD Experiential Program, building partnerships with pharmacists across Colorado and beyond to strengthen student education and prepare the next generation of pharmacists to provide care wherever their communities need them.
At CU Anschutz Pharmacy, that evolution is visible in the work of faculty, alumni and students who are caring for patients, advancing research, shaping policy, educating future pharmacists and finding new ways to improve health. From the clinic to the laboratory, from rural communities to global research collaborations, pharmacists are building careers that are as dynamic as the health care challenges they are helping solve. For today’s pharmacists, and the next generation, the possibilities extend far beyond filling a prescription. Wherever there is a community in need, there is an opportunity for pharmacists to make a difference