The Evolving Role of Historically Black Pharmacy Schools in a Changing Environment

Abstract

Objective. To provide a comprehensive review of the contributions of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to creating a diverse pharmacist workforce and identify opportunities for future contributions. This was accomplished by comparing enrollment at HBCUs to overall US enrollment of African American pharmacy students and then comparing those numbers to national enrollment of pharmacy students, analyzing contributions of HBCUs to underrepresented pharmacy student enrollment, evaluating overall changes to pharmacy school enrollment and impact on enrollment at HBCUs, and identifying areas of opportunity to enhance the future contributions of HBCUs.Findings. There are six HBCU pharmacy schools in the United States. Although HBCU pharmacy schools made up only 4% of the total number of US pharmacy schools, they accounted for an average of 22.8% of the total African American student enrollment in pharmacy schools over a five-year period (2015-2019). An average of 13.8% of the total population of underrepresented people of color (UPOC) enrolled in US pharmacy schools from 2015-2019 attended an HBCU pharmacy school.Summary. Historically Black colleges and universities have consistently made significant contributions to the total pharmacy school population of African Americans, as well as that of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders and American Indian and Alaska Natives. These institutions have an opportunity to enhance their impact and serve in graduating the diverse pharmacy workforce needed in the future. Historically Black colleges and universities can achieve this goal by making significant efforts to recruit LatinX pharmacy students and by increasing their recruitment of African Americans, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, and American Indian and Alaska Natives.