OAKWOOD, VA (August 30, 2024) – First year pharmacy students arrived on the campus of the Appalachian College of Pharmacy Wednesday to begin their studies leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in Virginia’s only three-year doctor of pharmacy program.
Students in the incoming class of 2027 represent four states including Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina. The Class of 2027 also includes one student each from Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
ACP’s traditional white coat ceremony, signifying first year class members’ entrance into the profession of pharmacy, was held in the ACP gymnasium Friday morning. ACP President Mickey McGlothlin welcomed students and their family members and friends to the ceremony, noting “this is the day our students formally begin their journey to become pharmacists.”
ACP Provost and Dean Susan Mayhew introduced Dr. Andy Bowman, PharmD, Assistant Dean for Strategic Partnerships & Engagement at ACP, as the speaker for the ceremony which concluded with first year students receiving their white coats and the administration of the Oath of a Pharmacist.
Bowman came to ACP from Campbell University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences where he had taught for the past 24 years. He is the current president of the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy and is a member of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
He graduated from the Campbell University School of Pharmacy in 1993 with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and also completed his undergraduate study at Campbell in the pre-pharmacy curriculum.
He is a previous member of the board of directors of the North Carolina Professional Health Program; a member of the American Society for Pharmacy Law; a North Carolina Board of Pharmacy representative on the NC DHHS Medicaid Managed Care Quality Committee and the NC DHHS Opioid Prescription Drug Abuse Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the American Pharmacists Association and the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists and the American Academy of Colleges of Pharmacy.
His pharmacy work experience includes numerous community pharmacies. He was the first pharmacy manager at the Campbell University Health Center Pharmacy. He is a registered pharmacist in Virginia and in North Carolina and is a certified trainer for APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunizations for Pharmacy Technicians; and is an APhA Immunization Training Program facilitator.
He has been published on numerous occasions, including in an “Ask Andy” column of the Senior News, Blue Ridge Edition, in Roanoke; and in the magazine, “U.S. Pharmacist.” Bowman also provided a weekly radio call-in show, “Ask Andy” on 960AM WFIR in Roanoke in the 1990s.
Bowman addressed members of the incoming Class of 2027, noting the significance of the white coat ceremony and all that the white coat symbolizes in the way of trust, scientific knowledge, compassion, ethics, professionalism and integrity.
He noted that pharmacy remains in the top two to three of respected professions and he challenged students to keep it that way. Bowman offered four pieces of advice, telling students now is the time to build relationships and their professional network. He encouraged them to get involved in pharmacy organizations since ultimately that can assist in developing regulations and law regarding pharmacy in the future. Third, Bowman urged them to take care of their minds, bodies and spirits and to lean into their faith and find ways to overcome challenges. Specifically, he pointed them to Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:13. Lastly, he encouraged them to remain curious, to never stop learning and as they moved forward in their journey to become pharmacists and to envision a hallway with many open doors. Keeping those doors – that opportunity – open, he said, rested with each of them as they apply their knowledge and talents to becoming pharmacists.
Bowman closed his remarks noting life is made up of moments and he referenced one of his favorite songs by the same name by Emerson Drive. Life is fleeting, he said, urging students to make the most of each moment realizing they leave a legacy and create an impact.
“Today is a moment,” Bowman said of the White Coat ceremony. “Hopefully you remember this moment for the rest of your lives. Congratulations and I am excited to see the incredible contributions you will make. Your success is our success at ACP. Go and do great things.”
The ceremony Friday concluded with McGlothlin acknowledging Walgreens for its sponsorship of the event as he wished each of the students success in their journey to becoming pharmacists.
Dr. Ted W. Hagen, II, chaplain and clinical professor, gave the invocation and the benediction and Denise McGeorge sang the National Anthem and provided music for the ceremony. Dr. Wade McGeorge announced the names of students and their presenters as they came forward to accept their white coats. Mayhew presided over the presentation of white coats to students and administered the Oath of a Pharmacist.
During opening day activities Wednesday, Mayhew told students ACP’s three-year accelerated program leading to the doctor of pharmacy degree is fast-paced and she reminded them, “you are responsible for your learning.
“You would not be sitting here today if we did not believe you could achieve your PharmD degree,” Mayhew added. “Consider this program your full-time job for the next three years.”
Developing good study habits from the start and being disciplined in maintaining those make all the difference, she added, noting the keys to that success in the program are good study habits, time management and balance.
“From this day forward, you are an ambassador for the Appalachian College of Pharmacy and for the noble profession of pharmacy,” Mayhew said.
Throughout the week, students took part in orientation sessions focusing on a variety of topics — from curriculum, experiential education and technology policies, computer usage and software training to student services, money management, community service and campus safety. A business services fair was held in the gymnasium on Thursday. CVS Pharmacy sponsored lunch for students on their first day and Mutual Drug provided students with backpacks.
The Appalachian College of Pharmacy is the only three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Founded in 2003, the college accepted its first students in 2005. It is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Its mission is to cultivate a learning community committed to education, community outreach and the professional development of pharmacists. Its graduate pharmacists are now practicing throughout the United States.
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