While working as a Walgreens pharmacy intern, I was helping a patient pick up her medication. When I was finalizing the processing and verifications, my patient asked me, "Why does my prescription cost more than last time?" I checked her insurance, which was still active. I reviewed the days supplied and the quantity, and they remained the same. Then I saw a note from her insurance: her medication is no longer on the formulary. She would need to switch to a different drug, and sometimes, she receives notifications to switch to a mail-order pharmacy at the insurance's discretion. She was upset, confused, and worried about how this change might affect her health. She wasn't alone. I've received the same concerns and puzzled looks from many patients who couldn't get a clear answer about the high drug prices and changing pharmacies. I couldn't figure out the answer until I learned about Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs. PBMs were created to negotiate better drug prices from manufacturers to ensure lower medication costs for patients. However, reality is: they became powerful middlemen focused on profit, sometimes at the expense of patient care. Through rebate agreements, restrictive formularies, and complex pricing systems, PBMs have gained control over medication access, increased drug prices, and directed patients and providers towards alternative treatments based on financial considerations rather than clinical need. Their role in medication distribution has led to treatment delays, higher out-of-pocket costs, non-medical alternatives, and, in some tragic cases, avoidable harm and death. As a result, many community pharmacies have shut down, especially in areas with limited access to care. Pharmacists are usually the most accessible healthcare professionals in the United States, and people rely on their expertise to prevent long-term health issues and improve their quality of life. Without a nearby pharmacy, many patients struggle to afford treatments and access preventive services. I care about this issue because, every day, I hear stories from victims of these systemic failures—patients denied coverage of their medications and pushed toward less clinical alternatives, pharmacists struggling to stay afloat due to hidden DIR fees, and advocates fighting for transparency and fairness. I've met those who lost loved ones because of this overlooked system, and their stories all stem from the same problem—PBM abuse. After all, I've seen this confusion take an emotional toll on my patients who just want to stay healthy. Hearing about these injustices reminds me that being a pharmacist is about more than just dispensing medications; it's about being there for the patients when the system fails them. Pharmacy builds trust, advocacy, and education. With those principles, I want to help communities receive their medications with confidence, not fear and confusion. I believe in affordable care, transparency, and fighting for patients to ensure a safe, healthy future with certainty and trust in this unjust system. PBM abuse is a pressing issue affecting both patients and healthcare professionals nationwide. I am committed to becoming a pharmacist who promotes fairness, transparency, and access for those left behind. Patients deserve care through trust, not through profit. I believe that I am ready to fight for the people who've been forgotten.

My name is Aymen Hadji, and I am a student pharmacist at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP), working to become a healthcare advocate for underserved communities. As a pharmacy intern at Walgreens and St. Luke's Hospital, I assist patients with medication adherence, dispensing, counseling, and ensuring they follow their treatment plans. Outside of work, I am deeply involved in community service activities. I've prepared meals for families at Ronald McDonald House and volunteered at Variety, the Children's Charity, to create meaningful experiences for children with special needs. I have held leadership positions at my college, including Vice President for Pay-It-Forward, Co-Chair of SNPhA's Bridging the Gap initiative, and President of the Pre-Pharmacy Club. Additionally, I conduct research at the Center of Clinical Pharmacology, contributing to projects aimed at developing new treatments for mitochondrial disorders. Before pharmacy school, my background shaped my goals. I grew up in a small town called Kuttawa in rural western Kentucky. My family and I had difficulty accessing basic healthcare. When my brother had a serious bacterial infection, we drove over an hour to Nashville for the right treatment. We waited all day while my father navigated the unfamiliar healthcare system and faced approval delays. That trip—exhausting and almost risky—was common for many residents of Kuttawa. Doctors' offices were far away, pharmacies were scarce, and medications weren't always available. Watching others suffer made one thing clear to me: I have to do something about it. After moving to St. Louis, Missouri, I saw a different side—clinics on every corner, hospitals within miles, and pharmacies nearby. I took a moment to reflect on Kuttawa with resolve, not bitterness. I recognized this gap as a reality and a challenge. With guidance and support from mentors and my family, I sought to be part of the solution. Pharmacy is more than a profession; it's a platform for impact. I chose to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree because it aligns with my purpose: to serve my community, give patients a voice, and create access where there's none. I've participated in leadership and service because I believe progress begins with involvement. Through my current roles, I've hosted donation drives for patients with autoimmune diseases, arranged service events, and volunteered at health clinics and fairs— all with the goal of supporting those who fall through the cracks. To me, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to fight healthcare inequality. We are among the most accessible healthcare professionals, and with the right resources, training, and support, we can foster change at the community level. I plan to use my pharmacy skills to provide direct patient care, educate patients about health, and advocate for better access, especially in underserved and isolated areas like the town where I grew up. The Headbang for Science Scholarship would significantly help me reach my goals. I've applied for a $34,026 federal loan this year and have received three scholarships from my college, but the rising tuition costs have made managing expenses more difficult. I've depleted my savings trying to stay afloat in the pharmacy program. This scholarship would enable me to focus fully on my clinical training, leadership development, and research instead of financial worries. Accessing opportunities was challenging as I grew up. My journey into pharmacy has helped me find my place, my voice, and my calling to make things better. I hope to ensure that the patients I serve, regardless of where they live or what they do, can say the same.

High school was a time when I began to feel socially anxious. I thought it was supposed to be a time of discovery, of friendships that lasted forever; at least, that’s what everyone said. But for me, it was a time to find my voice and place among others. I tried to fit in with certain groups of people, like the athletes, geeks, etc., but I did not feel like I belonged with them. I felt out of place, like I did not have any connection with others. There were times when I had some things in common with my classmates, but I was unsure if they were true. I could not even approach anyone unless it had to do with our classes or something interesting. What hit me the hardest was when I was cyberbullied. During my sophomore year in high school, it started with a post with a few words about me doing something that I do not culturally support. Suddenly, the whispers in the hallways became louder, the stares heavier. People who once greeted me with smiles now looked at me with skepticism as if I had become someone else overnight. I didn’t know who to look at or blame because it could have been anyone who started the rumors. That thought alone made my skin crawl. I stopped trusting and believing that anyone could be real with me. I withdrew from the crowd and became alone and afraid to speak to someone and reach out to start a casual conversation. Even after graduating from high school, the fear of betrayal and of being laughed at behind my back did not leave me. Pursuing a college degree will allow me to recover from the anxiety I developed in high school, to find new connections, and start over with my head up high. From my perspective, college is also a time for discovering a passion and building new connections. As a Doctor of Pharmacy candidate, I believe that interactions and communication are essential when it comes to helping and making clinical decisions to treat patients. Being a pharmacy student lets me expand my comfort zone and network with my colleagues and other pharmacists in different areas, such as internal medicine, cardiology, community, and transition of care. I also have the opportunity to build more connections with students and staff. I joined multiple organizations that relate to my interests in pharmacy and serving communities, and I began to develop a quick bond with new friends and alumni. Pursuing a college degree helps me foster those connections to achieve my career goals.

My name is Aymen Hadji, and I am a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) pursuing a career in healthcare to serve my community and provide patients with the best care. I am an active Walgreens pharmacy intern, assisting patients with medication adherence, dispensing, and counseling them on medication use and treatment options. I have volunteered in various community service activities, such as preparing dinners at the Ronald McDonald House and organizing enjoyable summer activities for special-needs children at Variety, the Children's Charity. I have held multiple leadership positions, including Vice President for Pay-It-Forward, Co-Chair of SNPhA's Bridging the Gap initiative, and President of the Pre-Pharmacy Club. Additionally, I am an active student researcher at the Center of Clinical Pharmacology. I grew up in a small town called Kuttawa, located in rural western Kentucky. I witnessed firsthand the challenges we faced in accessing healthcare services, often traveling long distances to reach the nearest pharmacy or healthcare facility. For significant health issues, we had to travel over an hour and a half to Nashville, Tennessee, to access medical care. This lack of access to healthcare professionals meant many people in Kuttawa sometimes went without necessary medications or proper medical advice, resulting in health complications and unnecessary suffering. After moving to St. Louis, Missouri, I found greater access to healthcare facilities with multiple services; however, I soon noticed a significant gap in access between my previous rural home and my new urban community. This realization opened my eyes to the opportunity to help bridge the healthcare gap in rural and underserved communities as a future pharmacist. I am excited to be enrolled in the pharmacy program and to pursue my career dream, which will enable me to contribute to the well-being of underserved populations. I pursued a Doctor of Pharmacy degree because I believe my purpose, place, and voice in life are to support my community and impact others by achieving my goal of becoming a pharmacist. I have engaged in numerous leadership experiences and events while collaborating directly with the community as a pharmacy student and intern, following the footsteps of many pharmacy leaders in shaping my community and the medical society for underserved populations. The Doctor of Pharmacy degree will allow me to provide various services in areas lacking medical and preventive care. To me, pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals for patients requiring such care, and I aspire to offer patients that access. A career in pharmacy aligns with my vision for improving healthcare for underserved patients through advocacy, leadership, networking, and community service. Through my community service and leadership experiences, I plan to organize service events for underserved populations, educate patients deprived of proper services in the long term, and tackle challenges in my community, which are essential for achieving my vision.

Many years ago, my mother experienced a near-fatal car accident. After losing significant blood due to her Von Willebrand disorder (a type of hemophilia), she fell unconscious — fortunately, a pharmacist administered recombinant factor VIII, which reduced her bleeding. The following day, I saw her laughing with joy. Without the pharmacist's efforts in synthesizing recombinant factor VIII, my mother would have died. This experience taught me how impactful pharmacy can be in improving human quality of life and led me to my long-term professional goal: becoming a pharmacist. I pursued pharmacy as my field of interest because I believe that my purpose, place, and voice in life is to support my community and impact others by accomplishing my goal of being a pharmacist. I have participated in numerous leadership experiences and community service events while working directly with the community and other healthcare professionals as a pharmacy student and intern to follow in the footsteps of many pharmacists to serve my community of students and underserved patients. I grew up in a small town called Kuttawa, in rural western Kentucky. I witnessed firsthand the challenges we faced in accessing healthcare services. We traveled long distances to reach the closest pharmacy or healthcare facility. In fact, for major health issues, we had to travel to Nashville, Tennessee which was over one hour and a half drive. As I matured, I became more aware of pharmacists' important role in patient care and community services. This realization was an eye-opener because I saw an opportunity to help fill the healthcare gap in rural and medically underserved communities. I am excited to be enrolled in the pharmacy program and pursuing my career dream which will help me contribute to the well-being of underserved populations. For example, working as a Pharmacy Technician at Walgreens was the first experience that helped me achieve my goal of becoming a pharmacist. I enjoy filling out patient prescriptions, speaking to patients, and providing their medications. In addition, I had opportunities to expand my pharmacy experiences. For instance, I took the initiative to apply for immunization training to help the pharmacist manager administer vaccines before the flu season since most of my coworkers, who had worked longer, were not certified in vaccine administration. With the help of my supervisor and pharmacy manager, I passed the immunization exam and became certified. I feel grateful to complete a crucial step to becoming a pharmacist and helping rural communities access various services.

The book I recommend to everyone is "In Order to Live", by Yeonmi Park. It is the autobiography of the North Korean escapee, Yeonmi Park, who shares her powerful story and life in North Korea as a poor and dependent child and her struggle to adapt to the outside world after escaping with her family. Yeonmi had a lot of ups and downs in her old life in North Korea, but due to the harsh and strict environment imposed by her cruel government, she and her family escaped to find a better life outside that was not what the North Korean regime educated her. She and her family try to mitigate the new environment, hoping for a prosperous and safe future. She faced hardships as she grew up in the new world in order to live. Yeonmi took big steps and risks to make her quality of life and well-being better and brighter. In my perspective, she is a hero and a warrior. "In Order to Live" is a must-read because it is a story of hope and resilience, which I can relate to when I could not find my voice, purpose, and place as I transitioned from high school to college. I feared the worst as I adjusted to the new college life, with a minimal income, a long recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the constant worry of not meeting society's expectations. However, with the help of my new friends and faculty at my college, I finally found my purpose and place in my college and smiled again. For students and adults who struggle due to socio-economic factors and are challenged by society's expectations, Yeonmi Park's memoir is the book for them. It inspires them to hope for the best and brightest future during the darkest and most vulnerable moments in their lives. Yeonmi's story taught me that a person's life is a battlefield, and one must stay optimistic to achieve a brighter future.

My journey towards a pharmacy career and desire to serve in rural or medically underserved areas has been influenced by several key life experiences. These experiences have ingrained in me a profound sense of desire and commitment to serve communities that often lack access to quality healthcare through the challenges I faced. I grew up in a small town called Kuttawa, in rural western Kentucky. I witnessed firsthand the challenges we faced in accessing healthcare services. We traveled long distances to reach the closest pharmacy or healthcare facility. In fact, for major health issues, we had to travel to Nashville, Tennessee which was over one hour and a half drive. This shortage of accessibility to healthcare professionals caused many people in Kuttawa to sometimes be without needed medications or proper medical advice, leading to health complications and unnecessary suffering. As I matured, I became more aware of pharmacists' important role in patient care and community services. This realization was an eye-opener because I saw an opportunity to help fill the healthcare gap in rural and medically underserved communities. I am excited to be enrolled in the pharmacy program and pursuing my career dream which will help me contribute to the well-being of underserved populations. For example, working as a Pharmacy Technician at Walgreens was the first experience that helped me achieve my goal of becoming a pharmacist. I enjoy filling out patient prescriptions, speaking to patients, and providing their medications. In addition, I had opportunities to expand my pharmacy experiences. For instance, I took the initiative to apply for immunization training to help the pharmacist manager administer vaccines before the flu season since most of my coworkers, who had worked longer, were not certified in vaccine administration. With the help of my supervisor and pharmacy manager, I passed the immunization exam and became certified. I feel grateful to complete a crucial step to becoming a pharmacist and helping rural communities access various services. I volunteered at Variety, a Children's Charity in St. Louis. I got to help special-needs kids gain a life-long fun and entertaining experience. I met a child who used a wheelchair and dreamed of becoming a wrestler and police officer. Unfortunately, his disability meant they rarely had an opportunity to visit and enjoy the wonders he hoped to see. I was able to give that opportunity to him by taking him to parks, zoos, centers relating to nature and scientific studies, and movies. I was astonished to see his smile grow into one of the biggest I have ever seen. My kindness and service to the young boy allowed me to experience a similar feeling a pharmacist feels when they improve patients' quality of life: gratification. Bringing joy and warm memories made me feel more connected to the rural communities and the challenges of getting decent healthcare services. It drove my commitment to making a difference in underserved populations. It is part of my personal values and beliefs that healthcare is a fundamental human right regardless of economic or geographic location. This strong conviction and my personal experiences have fueled my determination to serve those in need, particularly in rural areas where healthcare disparities are most pronounced and overlooked by the healthcare system. I aspire to contribute to the well-being of underserved populations, ensuring that they receive the care and support they deserve.

My name is Aymen Hadji, and I am a pharmacy student at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) pursuing pharmacy as a healthcare field to serve my community. I am a pharmacy intern at Walgreens helping patients with medication adherence, dispensing, and counseling patients on medication use and treatment options under the supervision of my respected pharmacist. I am also the former president of the Pre-Pharmacy Club, introducing undergraduates at my college to pharmacy via meetings, job opportunity sessions, student and alumni panels, and activities. I am a research assistant at the Center of Clinical Pharmacology at STLCOP, discovering the connections between chemistry and pharmacy to identify and create the basic components of medicine. When I heard about Christina Singh's story, I wanted to do my part to help the people around me. I pursued a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree because I believe that my purpose, place, and voice in life is to support my community and impact others by accomplishing my goal to be a pharmacist. I have participated in numerous leadership experiences and events while working directly with the community as a pharmacy student and intern to follow in the footsteps of Christina to serve my community of students and patients. For example, I volunteered at Variety, a Children's Charity in St. Louis. I got to help special-needs kids gain a life-long fun and entertaining experience. I met a child who used a wheelchair and dreamed of becoming a wrestler and police officer. Unfortunately, his disability meant they rarely had an opportunity to visit and enjoy the wonders he hoped to see. I was able to give that opportunity to him by taking him to parks, zoos, centers relating to nature and scientific studies, and movies. I was astonished to see his smile grow into one of the biggest I have ever seen. My kindness and service to the young boy allowed me to experience a similar feeling a pharmacist feels when they improve patients' quality of life: gratification. I felt happy and exhilarated by watching their big and joyous smiles as they enjoyed their fun activities. Also, I helped around at STLCOP in their events, such as the Alumni Reunion. I offered and gave tours around the college campus, and they were amazed by the changes made 30-40 years ago. I checked them in and prepped the event with the hosts. The alumni shared the stories of their sacred student life at the college and gave their words of encouragement to pharmacy students. One of the alumni spoke to me with the words I kept in memory, "Move forward and continue making big for yourself and the people around you. Life can be like a ride on a bicycle. It won't hurt to make a few stops at a time." In my point of view, it is okay to take a moment and help a person in need of service when you are mid-way in your journey. They need a little push for them to keep going. These experiences shaped my dream of being a pharmacist to provide the best service and care. They only need a little push to continue their life and grow in society. I chose pharmacy as my option in healthcare because as I grew up and continued to support and help those in need, I was greatly inspired by the STLCOP alumni's kindness and motivation and the boy's happiness and eagerness to continue serving and helping my community. I am eager to do my part in this big and diverse world to fulfill Christina's legacy.