Addressing the Low Number of Black and African American Males in Pharmacy

Carl E. Dunn, RPh

Growing up in rural segregated Aiken, South Carolina, I did not know of any African American pharmacists or pharmacy owners until my boy scout leader, the late Leon Finklin became a pharmacist. I was fortunate to have him as a mentor and lifelong friend for over three decades. He inspired me to become a pharmacist. Now that there are so few African American pharmacists. I wonder who will inspire the next generation of pharmacists in the way that Dr. Finklin inspired me. If that was not good enough, I also had the good fortune to be mentored by Dr. C.C. Johnson II and his brother Dr. Free Mason Johnson I, during my tenure as the last intern at the historic Dr. C.C. Johnson’s Pharmacy located in Aiken, South Carolina. In addition to teaching me the practice of pharmacy, the Johnson's taught me healthcare history, social justice, customer service, and the importance of giving back to underserved communities.

My pharmacy graduation class of 1985 consisted of 60 + students. There were three A.A. students, Jeanette Gilchrist, Stanley Nelson and myself. During this time, the profession of pharmacy was predominately made up of White males. The statistics now show that the profession is predominately White females.

Healthcare in America has long had a reputation of underrepresenting minorities and providing limited access to underserved communities. Although we have seen a slight improvement over the the years, we are still a long way from where we need to be. Attracting more Black and African Americans males into healthcare continues to be a great challenge.

There are 142 pharmacy schools in the U.S. Six of these schools are located on the campus of HBCUs. Florida A&M produces more A.A. pharmacists than any school in the nation. It is estimated that there are over 325,000 pharmacists of which about 7% are Black or African Americans. Females make up the bulk of the 7 %. Females make up 68% and males make up 32% of the total number of pharmacists. Despite these numbers, there is presently a shortage of pharmacists. This is based on reports by independant pharmacises and retail chain pharmacies. Black and African American males make up a small percentage of the 7%.

When speaking with students who are interested in attending pharmacy school the time that it takes and cost to complete pharmacy school usually comes up. The time to complete is usually six to eight years. The cost varies but can easily go over $200,000. So what are some strategies that can help increase the number of Black and African American males in pharmacy? When speaking with students about the profession, emphasis must be placed on the importance of early academic preparation. This should start as early as middle school. Courses such as organic chemistry, calculus and physics are often seen as weeder classes for college students who are interested in STEM-based careers. However, these courses also prepare students for the discipline and sacrifice that is a part of health related professions.

Some of the ways students can gain exposure and encouragement to prepare for pharmacy school include shadowing, career fairs sponsored by civic/professional groups, churches, school health occupations courses, day or weeklong camps and college bridge programs. Availability of scholarships is also helpful. Hopefully some of the above measures will help increase Black and African American presence in pharmacy and other healthcare professions. Attracting more males continues to be a challenge.

Carl E. Dunn. RPh
Clinical Instructor
University of South Carolina
College of Pharmacy