AMCP HBCU Travel Award granted to FAMU CoPPS, IPH PharmD Candidate, Philip Mercado
Tallahassee, FL – FAMU CoPPS, IPH PharmD Candidate, Philip Mercado is one of two recipients of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Foundation Travel Award. The HBCU Travel Award provides grants to defray travel expenses to AMCP national meetings, enabling future pharmacists to connect with industry leaders, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and gain valuable insights into managed care pharmacy.
AMCP congratulates the recipients of this award and look forward to welcoming them to #AMCP2025 in Houston! Learn more about the Travel Award: HBCU Travel Award Recipients | amcpfoundation.org.
In the FAMU CoPPS, IPH, Philip serves as President-Elect of the AMCP chapter. With a foundation in Biomedical Science (M.S.) and Public Administration (B.A.) from Barry University, Philip demonstrates exceptional leadership by being a part of the inception and development of the 'Dress for Success' initiative & "The Rattlers Health Den" which is an annual Health Fair (one happening this Saturday, March 22, 2025—left inset) engaging underserved communities in Leon County.
As Pharmacy &Therapeutics (P&T) Competition Coordinator, Philip has developed a passion for continuous learning in managed care through AMCP, gaining valuable exposure and skills fundamental to managed care pharmacy. His professional presentations include research on integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in pharmacy education and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prescription drug advertising, while his affiliations with AMCP, www.industrypharmacist.org (IPhO), and www.ispor.org(ISPOR) reflect his commitment to expanding his knowledge through professional engagement.
Philip's passion for addressing health disparities is evident in his work at The Beautiful Gate Cancer & Resource Center, where he created educational programs for over 200 underserved cancer patients annually and developed multilingual materials to improve health literacy among non-English speaking patients. He has cultivated a strong desire to pursue Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) specifically focused on reducing disparities in oncology medication access for vulnerable populations.
Philip’s research experience includes working as a Research Undergraduate Student at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign studying DNA looping mechanics in cellular processes and serving as a U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Scholar at Miami Dade College investigating chelating agents for heavy metal removal. His academic excellence has been recognized through prestigious awards including the Johnson & Johnson Pharmacy Scholar from the National Medical Fellowship, Goodman PharmD Scholar, and Eddie & Juanita Pharmacy Scholar. Philip has a passion for engaging HBCU students in managed care and exemplifies the promise of HBCU pharmacy students whose professional development would be significantly enhanced through attendance at AMCP national meetings, where he can gain valuable insights, network with industry professionals, and further develop the skills needed to advance both his career and promote diversity within the managed care pharmacy profession.
#FAMUCoPPS #famu #pharmacyeducation #futureleaders #AMCP2025