Advance pharmacy policy while continuing your current professional role
Pharmacists are shaping some of the most important policy conversations in healthcare, including medication access, pharmacist payment models, scope of practice, drug supply chains, public health and healthcare delivery reform. The Working Professional Pharmacy Policy and Advocacy Fellowship at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy is designed for pharmacists who want to build policy and advocacy expertise while remaining employed in their current professional roles.
This part-time, project-based fellowship provides structured mentorship, applied policy education and hands-on experience in legislative, regulatory, professional association, academic and healthcare leadership settings. Fellows will develop the knowledge, skills and professional network needed to engage meaningfully in policy discussions that affect pharmacy practice, medication use and patient care.
Overview
The Working Professional Pharmacy Policy and Advocacy Fellowship is a flexible training experience designed for pharmacists in any setting: practice, academia, health systems, professional associations, managed care, industry, government affairs and others.
Through individualized mentorship and applied policy work, fellows will explore a pharmacy or drug policy issue of interest while gaining practical experience in advocacy, policy analysis, leadership and professional communication.
- Program format: Part-time, project-based fellowship
- Duration: 6-9 months
- Time commitment: Approximately 8-10 hours per week
- Support: A stipend will be provided to help support travel and fellowship-related costs
- Location: Hybrid and flexible, with experiences tailored to the fellow’s goals and project focus
The fellowship is designed to:
- Develop pharmacists’ expertise in health policy, pharmacy policy and professional advocacy
- Provide real-world policy and advocacy experience
- Expand the pipeline of pharmacists prepared for government affairs, regulatory policy, professional association leadership, academic policy work, and health care leadership roles
- Strengthen connections between pharmacy practice, academia, professional organizations, and policymaking institutions
- Foster advocacy leadership within the pharmacy profession
Many pharmacists are interested in policy and advocacy but do not have access to structured training opportunities that fit alongside their current professional responsibilities. This fellowship was created to meet that need.
Building on the legacy of Ohio State’s Practice Advancement and Advocacy Fellowship established in 2015, this program modernizes the fellowship model for working professionals. Rather than requiring fellows to leave their current positions, the program allows pharmacists to apply policy training directly to their existing career path, practice setting, organization or area of interest.
Fellows will gain experience translating pharmacy practice challenges into policy opportunities, analyzing legislative and regulatory proposals, engaging with stakeholders, and communicating effectively with decision-makers.
Each fellow will complete a policy-focused project or experience aligned with their professional interests. Fellowship activities may include:
- Developing a policy brief or issue analysis on a pharmacy or drug policy topic
- Conducting legislative or regulatory monitoring and policy analysis
- Participating in advocacy experiences, including meetings with lawmakers, policy briefings or stakeholder discussions
- Delivering a presentation, webinar or educational session on a policy topic
- Contributing to policy scholarship, research or professional publications
- Participating in teaching, professional organization leadership or public policy events when aligned with the fellow’s goals
Fellows may have opportunities to engage with policy and advocacy work across multiple settings, including:
- State boards of pharmacy or regulatory agencies
- State or federal legislative offices
- Professional pharmacy associations
- Health system leadership and policy teams
- Academic policy initiatives
- Advocacy coalitions or stakeholder organizations
- Experiences will be individualized based on the fellow’s project, interests, location, professional goals and available opportunities.
Graduates of the fellowship will be prepared to contribute to pharmacy and health policy work in a variety of settings. Over time, the program will help build a network of pharmacists with advanced training in policy and advocacy who can support:
- Legislative and regulatory policy development
- Government affairs and professional association leadership
- Academic health policy scholarship
- Health care policy innovation
- Advocacy efforts that improve medication access and patient care
Application process
The fellowship will use a competitive application process. Applicants will be asked to submit materials that describe their interest in policy and advocacy, their proposed fellowship focus, and how the experience will support their professional development.
Application materials may include:
- A proposal describing a policy project or issue area the applicant wishes to explore during the fellowship
- A statement describing the applicant’s career interests in policy and advocacy
- A description of how the applicant plans to balance their current professional role with the fellowship
- A description of how the fellowship will support the applicant’s professional development
- Curriculum vitae or resume
- Two letters of recommendation
- A letter of support from the applicant’s supervisor
Who should apply?
- This fellowship is intended for pharmacists who want to strengthen their ability to lead, analyze, communicate and advocate around pharmacy and health policy issues.
- Strong applicants may include pharmacists who:
- Are currently employed and seeking structured policy training that fits alongside their professional role
- Have an interest in pharmacy practice advancement, medication access, public health, payment policy, scope of practice, regulatory affairs, drug policy or healthcare delivery reform
- Want to develop advocacy and leadership skills
- Are interested in contributing to policy work within their organization, professional association, academic institution, health system or community
- Have a policy question, advocacy issue or practice challenge they want to explore through a structured fellowship project
Interested in learning more?
Pharmacists interested in the Working Professional Pharmacy Policy and Advocacy Fellowship are encouraged to contact the fellowship directors to learn more about the program, application timeline and project expectations.
Fellowship directors
In this section
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Jennifer Rodis, PharmD, FAPhA
Associate Dean for Outreach and Engagement Professor - Clinical -
Michael Murphy, PharmD, MBA
Assistant Professor - Clinical
