ACCP Member Spotlight: Eric Vo Pham
Eric Vo Pham is a 2023 Pharm.D. Candidate at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy (UMSOP). He earned his B.S. degree in pharmaceutical sciences at UM in 2020. Pham was then selected to participate in the Johns Hopkins Internship Program in 2021, where he developed a proposal for clinical pharmacy technician resourcing to optimize outpatient post–anesthesia care unit–expedited prescription services. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a key participant in the drive-through flu shot clinic held in 2020 and the implementation of COVID-19 vaccine administration as a student pharmacist liaison on the UM COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Task Force. He is currently a pediatric pharmacy intern at the UM Medical Center-Children’s.
Pham is passionate about leadership development, optimizing care for all patients, and advancing the pharmacy profession. He currently serves as the president of the Phi Lambda Sigma-Alpha Beta Chapter and is a member-at-large for the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) National Student Network Advisory Committee. During his tenure at UMSOP, Pham received the Eli Lilly and Company Award for Leadership (2020) and the UMSOP Service Award (2021). His practice interests are critical care, pediatrics, and health-system leadership.
Through a shadowing experience with a pediatric ICU clinical pharmacist at Le Bonheur’s Children’s Hospital while in high school, Pham gained insight and interest in the pharmacy profession. This interest, turned to passion, has carried through his APPE rotations as he realizes the valuable impact of clinical pharmacists on the interdisciplinary care team. He enjoys the complexity of care in the critical care setting, yet understands and is open to learning experiences that may open doors to new opportunities throughout his career.
Pham’s advice to students, residents, and other ACCP members is to “seek discomfort” through pursuing opportunities they are passionate about, even if outside their comfort zone. In doing so, they can positively change the trajectory of their career and life. He suggests being open to broad-based experiences, becoming actively involved in professional pharmacy organizations, and taking advantage of networking opportunities.
As part of the first-generation Asian American population in the South, Pham has felt like “one of the only ones.” He understands the importance of creating a safe environment so that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute, has a voice at the table, and feels they are part of a welcoming environment.
Advocacy is important to Pham because he enjoys problem solving. He looks for systematic or policy issues that could serve as a solution. Through advice from his sister, Pham believes that to make a change and positive impact, one must get involved. This advice has carried him through high school and into pharmacy school, where it has been foundational to his work in leadership roles.
Creating change while balancing needs is difficult. Pham believes leaders should define their personal mission, vision, and values such that they align and are understood when working with groups of people. Doing so will lead to higher productivity and execution of that vision.
Outside pharmacy, Eric enjoys fitness training and hopes to challenge himself soon through a race or strength competition. He also enjoys traveling and hopes to see all 50 states. He is now halfway there!
