Ohio State students go two for two: PharmD candidate selected for second consecutive class of AACP Aspiring Academics program

The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy PharmD candidate Shayla Ta was selected as one of 28 students for the 2024-2025 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Aspiring Academics program.  

The Aspiring Academics program was created to connect students from diverse backgrounds to the world of academic pharmacy careers. Students meet over the course of the academic year, connecting with peers and faculty mentors for networking, a group project and engagement with AACP.  The cohort’s program culminates in attending AACP’s Annual Meeting in Chicago. 

PharmD students' schedules are filled with labs and practical courses, and besides the Teaching in Pharmacy elective, there are limited avenues for students to see the potential that teaching holds. 

"As a PharmD program, we’re primarily teaching students to take care of patients and be entry-level practitioners, but there are so many things you can do within pharmacy,” said David Matthews, PharmD, BCACP, associate professor and assistant dean of PharmD studies at the College of Pharmacy. “Aspiring Academics gives students the opportunity to explore teaching, as it isn’t often a big focus of pharmacy programs.”  

Dr. Matthews is Ta’s home-mentor for the program. He supported her through the application process and will remain in her corner throughout the program’s duration.  

Originally assigned as one of Dr. Matthews’ PharmD advisees, Ta reached out to learn more about his role as a faculty member for an assignment in the Teaching in Pharmacy elective.  

“Teaching was something that I sort of stumbled into as I began my PharmD,” Ta reflected. “Once I started taking on more work and saw how much I loved organizing learning events with my peers, I knew I wanted to explore it more. I just can’t believe it took me so long to get connected with Dr. Matthews about academia as a career.” 

Since that assignment, Ta and Matthews have connected over their excitement for uplifting the next generation of pharmacists. 

“Shayla is so energetic about teaching, so it was obvious to me that she’d be a perfect program candidate,” Dr. Matthews said. “When you talk to her about teaching philosophy and her ideas, it’s infectious. You find yourself getting excited, too. I’m very much looking forward to seeing her grow.” 

Outside of her PharmD and Aspiring Academics workload, Ta works as a teaching assistant (TA) and is the current president of the Ohio State chapter of Student National Pharmacy Association (SNPhA). Thanks to her energetic approach, her peers have engaging study events to attend nearly every week. 

While Ta’s program is currently in full swing, Class of 2025 PharmD candidate Mira Haddad recently completed the program’s inaugural run as part of the 2023 cohort. 

“Every profession depends on strong foundations in education to be successful,” said Assistant Professor Zach Woods, PharmD, BCACP. “Pharmacy school provides a space for practice skill development but not necessarily a lot of learning opportunities for those interested in teaching. Aspiring Academics is AACP’s attempt to make sure that we are investing in the students interested in teaching and that they are learning from the best in the profession.” 

Dr. Woods served as Haddad’s home-mentor. The two formed a strong connection when she worked as a TA for Dr. Woods’ undergraduate course. Throughout the program, Haddad engaged with groupmates and an outside faculty mentor to explore what goes into academia, slowly unwinding what it could mean for her future.  

“I really enjoyed getting to meet faculty members from all around the country and learning more about each of their unique pathways into academia,” Haddad said. “This gave me so many perspectives on how many different roles and pathways can exist in education – something I would not have had otherwise.” 

As a P4, Haddad has the chance to incorporate academic rotations into her Advanced Pharmacy Practical Experience (APPE) and has shadowed several College of Pharmacy faculty members. 

“I would tell any student considering this program to go for it,” Haddad emphasized. “If you’re considering it, that means you have at least some interest in academia and this program can help you figure that out.”