Student Awards
USPHS Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award
This prestigious award recognizes pharmacy students who have made significant contributions to public health by promoting wellness and healthy communities. Specifically, students are evaluated on their contributions towards voluntary health related services, an emerging public health issue, or contributions that advance the goals of Healthy People 2030 or the National Prevention Strategy.
Today we face increasing public health crises in America as evidenced by the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, opioid epidemic, rise of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. With the advent of these public health issues, pharmacy students can play an important role in finding innovative ways to address these challenges. Therefore, the USPHS would like to recognize and encourage students to learn about public health and engage in public health efforts in their communities.
The Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy award is issued by the Pharmacist Professional Advisory Committee (PharmPAC) of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS). The USPHS is led by the Surgeon General and is made up of more than 6,100 Commissioned Corps officers that work on the front lines of public health – fighting disease, conducting research, and caring for patients in underserved communities. This diverse team of highly qualified healthcare professionals is driven by a passion to serve the underserved, and these men and women fill essential public health leadership and clinical service roles within the Nation’s Federal Government.
2022 Award Recipients
Congratulations to 90 pharmacy students from across the country that have been recognized as the USPHS Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award recipients in 2022. Of those, the PharmPAC Student Awards Program selected ten top award recipients for their public health work that positively impacted their local communities and beyond.

Osama ElSherbini
University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy
Texas A&M University Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy
For his commendable planning and support of Operation Lone Star and leading the vaccination effort to vaccinate 500 vaccines to over 200 community residents.

Kobi Griffith
University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
Purdue University College of Pharmacy
For developing, implementing and supporting HealthYOU (Health to the Power of You), an educational outreach program provided by Purdue pharmacy students for residents of Section 8 housing in Lafayette, Indiana.

Ashley Lam
University of Charleston School of Pharmacy
Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
For leading and developing multiple projects that have greatly impacted underserved populations.

Carissa Leung
University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy
Idaho State University College of Pharmacy
For developing and launching a COVID-19 Risk-Mitigation Program to support safe, efficient, on-site influenza and COVID-19 vaccination of the high-risk, underserved, community assisted living home residents.

Julia Nahle
University of Michigan College of Pharmacy
University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy
For his skills and passion for research-informed practice to improve care for rural and Native American individuals with an opioid use disorder.

Jacob Noble
University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy
For outstanding leadership in the creation of new vaccination clinics, development of counter hesitancy through public education, and volunteering as a vaccinator at multiple sites led to the immunization of over 7000 individuals.

Reilly T. Oki
California Northstate University College of Pharmacy
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
For promoting immunization programs that have enhanced public health for thousands within the University of Kentucky campus, greater Lexington and Commonwealth of Kentucky communities.

Joseph Sidoti
Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University
Medical College of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy
For development of an Electronic Nicotine Delivery System education program for high school students.

Monica Sliwa
Skaggs School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Diego
University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy
For developing interventions that promote education, awareness, and visibility of HIV among minority populations.

May Thandar
University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Oregon State University College of Pharmacy
For global outreach efforts through publications and webinars to improve diagnostic interventions for COVID-19 response.
Page Last Modified on 4/6/2022