Members of the Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP) chapters of the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) hosted a collaborative event, “HIV Prevention Awareness & Community Outreach.” One of Chapman University’s student organization grants funded this event, designed to prepare emerging healthcare leaders for greater community impact while teaching practical grant-writing skills.

Building on the success of a health education and HIV awareness event from 2024, CSHP’s and SNPhA’s rising student leadership board elevated the learning experience and applied for the CUSP Collaborative Community Engagement Grant. Despite not having prior grant application experience, navigating the process with guidance from faculty mentors helped secure the award.

“This was all our first times writing a grant, and it was a valuable learning experience navigating the challenges of planning and executing a large-scale event,” says PharmD candidate, Rachel Nguyen. “We started by submitting our Letter of Intent to the CUSP Grant Committee in early May 2024, followed by the application process in August 2024.” What followed was nearly a year of planning, growth, and community engagement across both campuses.

Coinciding with National Patient Safety Week, the HIV Prevention Awareness & Community Outreach event welcomed four panelists who each brought their expertise and perspectives on HIV prevention and awareness. The event was hosted at Chapman University’s Orange campus, which encouraged undergraduate students to attend and learn about HIV awareness even if they were not on a pre-healthcare track. A streaming party for CUSP and graduate Crean students was hosted on the Rinker campus.

Panelists discussed the critical importance of HIV prevention, destigmatization, and the role of pharmacists in providing Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). Speakers included:

  • Steven Aguilar, a current patient on PrEP
  • Miguel Garcia, PrEP navigator at AltaMed 
  • Prashanti Alkali, an infectious disease (ID) physician
  • Jerika Lam, ID pharmacist and Associate Professor at Chapman University

Panelists discussed the recent breakthroughs and updated goals related to HIV prevention, including the World Health Organization’s initiative to see cases decrease by 90% by 2030. Acknowledging these ambitious targets, panelists also noted that the new types of drugs (like PrEP and PEP) and global health policies have caused cases to decline in recent years.

As mentioned by Lam, the LGBTQ+ “community has seen the difference medication can make, the difference between life and death… and our patients appreciate dispelling any barriers in this community. I love working with this patient population because we make a tangible, healthy difference in our patients’ lives.”

The panel also addressed legislative efforts, such as Senate Bills 159 and 339, which empower pharmacists to play a larger role in preventing HIV. Resources for HIV patients were discussed, including free or low-cost PrEP and PEP options offered by organizations like AltaMed. These initiatives have significantly increased PrEP users by over 1,500% between 2012 and 2021, with an annual growth rate of 56%.

Reflecting on the experience, Nguyen added that all her peers who helped bring this event to life “have all grown as leaders and gained skills to help us lead with greater confidence and impact moving forward in our professional careers. With SNPhA’s mission of serving the underserved and CSHP/ASHP’s mission to promote wellness, patient safety, and optimal use of medications, our joint efforts promoted community engagement and awareness of HIV and enhanced the knowledge of PrEP and PEP among the Chapman community.”

Interested in events like this one? Click here to learn more about the CUSP experience.