Pharmacy Ownership Boot Camp Empowers Female Pharmacists

To encourage and provide education for female pharmacists interested in becoming entrepreneurs, Cardinal Health held a Pharmacy Ownership Boot Camp at its Retail Business Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 25, 2015.

At this crash course in pharmacy ownership, attendees were provided opportunities to network with almost 400 manufacturer, automation, software, and pharmacy business community members.

Pharmacy finance, marketing, and entrepreneurship were just a few of the topics tackled during the boot camp.

While the program targeted female members of the pharmacy community, both male and female pharmacy students were able to attend the 1-day boot camp.

“The boot camp is designed to give pharmacists and student pharmacists the business acumen and confidence needed to own their own pharmacies,” stated Eden Sulzer, director of the Women in Pharmacy program at Cardinal Health, in a press release.

Sulzer also cited the 2014 National Pharmacist Workforce study, which found an increasing number of female pharmacists, but a stagnant number of female pharmacist entrepreneurs. She surmised that a “real or perceived lack of business or financial acumen” could be keeping women out of pharmacy ownership. She also noted a lack of access to capital could be a barrier.

Cardinal Health has donated more than $5 million in pharmacy school scholarships to men and women interested in owning a pharmacy. The health services company has also offered mentoring, networking opportunities, and education about financial and business development strategies, according to a press release.