In bridging continents and public health disciplines, Chapman University’s Jeff Goad, Pharm.D., and another pharmacy leader, John Gräbenstein, Ph.D., are redefining the role of pharmacists in global immunization efforts.

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and Population Services International (PSI) partnered with Goad and Gräbenstein to bring a proven U.S.-based immunization training model to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Ibadan, Nigeria. Over 100 pharmacists from the two participating countries learned vaccination skills using hands-on, practice-based training, using a modified version of the APhA certificate program that has already taught more than half a million pharmacists in the United States.

“Train-the-trainer” sessions led by Goad and Gräbenstein taught faculty from six universities and pharmacists from both chain and independent pharmacies, gaining  both the tools to integrate immunization education into pharmacy curricula and into continuing education programs. Since the training in August 2025, the program has already seen ripple effects as new educators are positioned to train others, consistently multiplying the ability to vaccinate for disease prevention across several regions of Africa.

While pharmacists in Ethiopia and Nigeria are not yet authorized to administer vaccines, initiatives like these make progress towards greater accessibility to life-saving vaccinations. The training projects in Nigeria and Ethiopia are paving the way to build the infrastructure necessary for policy change. By preparing now, these trainings ensure an educated workforce ready to deliver once regulations evolve.

Goad teaches courses in immunizations, travel medicine, and epidemiology at Chapman University, and is an international in pharmacy-based travel health services. Currently, he serves as the first pharmacist president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Gräbenstein also has Chapman University associations, and was the recipient of a 2019 Chapman honorary doctorate degree.

 Interested in bringing care to your community and learning from global-health experts, like Goad? Learn how to become a Doctor of Pharmacy student at Chapman University here.