New Practitioner Network

We are spotlighting New Practitioners within APhA, and I am excited to highlight Dr. Shabnum Anwari – the Safety Net Health Equity Fellow for APhA! Read about her journey to fellowship and involvement in the Care of Underserved Patients (CUP) SIG below:

Dr. Shabnum Anwari [pronounced "shab" - "num" and translates to "morning dew"] was born in the early morning at Loudoun Hospital. She is the daughter of two Afghan refugees who dreamed of their children pursuing higher education.  Dr. Anwari attended Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and graduated in May 2023. This was her top choice for college due to VCU's prevalent diversity and awareness. She graduated with major in Psychology and double minor in Biology and Chemistry and started growing interest of pharmacy after taking a course on addiction. Dr. Anwari wanted to pursue a career that helps fight substance abuse through education, prevention, and awareness of assistance programs. She enjoys advocating for the underserved and voiceless population, and currently works as the Safety Net Heath Equity Fellow for APhA and NOVA ScriptsCentral. This fellowship has provided her the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with these populations in order to advocate for increasing equitable access to care. She wants to continue to work in health equity and be an advocate for both patients and pharmacists.

Dr. Anwari joined the CUP SIG as it was an opportunity to share her experience with other pharmacists with similar drive and passion to improve lives of the underserved. She shares personal stories about patients while attending clinics in NOVA. She is able to learn from others in the field through SIG and enjoys sharing ideas. Dr. Anwari actively posts on ENGAGE to connect and educate others. While being an active member of CUP SIG, Dr. Anwari hopes to continue helping with webinars and upcoming projects. She looks forward to upcoming events and developing future sessions. She is looking to gain more knowledge on how to be a better advocate for the communities that she serves.

Through being involved in APhA SIGs, she is able to connect with pharmacists from across the country and share in concerns and experiences. She enjoys sharing this mission with others and wanted to continue working in a team setting upon graduating her fellowship. The APhA Fellowship program has opened many opportunities for Dr. Anwari – including advocacy in DC with hundreds of pharmacists to multiply her network. She has connected with many people involved in various areas of pharmacy, worked outside her comfort zone, and learned more about the pharmacy field and extent of pharmacist capabilities. She is proud to call herself both a pharmacist and an APhA fellow!

We are spotlighting New Practitioners within APhA, and I am excited to highlight Dr. Shabnum Anwari – the Safety Net Health Equity Fellow for APhA! Read about her journey to fellowship and involvement in the Care of Underserved Patients (CUP) SIG below:

Dr. Shabnum Anwari [pronounced "shab" - "num" and translates to "morning dew"] was born in the early morning at Loudoun Hospital. She is the daughter of two Afghan refugees who dreamed of their children pursuing higher education.  Dr. Anwari attended Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and graduated in May 2023. This was her top choice for college due to VCU's prevalent diversity and awareness. She graduated with major in Psychology and double minor in Biology and Chemistry and started growing interest of pharmacy after taking a course on addiction. Dr. Anwari wanted to pursue a career that helps fight substance abuse through education, prevention, and awareness of assistance programs. She enjoys advocating for the underserved and voiceless population, and currently works as the Safety Net Heath Equity Fellow for APhA and NOVA ScriptsCentral. This fellowship has provided her the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with these populations in order to advocate for increasing equitable access to care. She wants to continue to work in health equity and be an advocate for both patients and pharmacists.

Dr. Anwari joined the CUP SIG as it was an opportunity to share her experience with other pharmacists with similar drive and passion to improve lives of the underserved. She shares personal stories about patients while attending clinics in NOVA. She is able to learn from others in the field through SIG and enjoys sharing ideas. Dr. Anwari actively posts on ENGAGE to connect and educate others. While being an active member of CUP SIG, Dr. Anwari hopes to continue helping with webinars and upcoming projects. She looks forward to upcoming events and developing future sessions. She is looking to gain more knowledge on how to be a better advocate for the communities that she serves.

Through being involved in APhA SIGs, she is able to connect with pharmacists from across the country and share in concerns and experiences. She enjoys sharing this mission with others and wanted to continue working in a team setting upon graduating her fellowship. The APhA Fellowship program has opened many opportunities for Dr. Anwari – including advocacy in DC with hundreds of pharmacists to multiply her network. She has connected with many people involved in various areas of pharmacy, worked outside her comfort zone, and learned more about the pharmacy field and extent of pharmacist capabilities. She is proud to call herself both a pharmacist and an APhA fellow!