National Pharmacist Day: Pharmacist, Educator Details Evolution of Scope of Practice

With over 20 years of experience in the pharmacy industry, Meagan Brown, PharmD, BCACP, clinical associate professor and director of the IMPACT Center for Pharmacy Transformation at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, has witnessed evolving curriculums in pharmacy school and seen the rapid expansion of pharmacists’ scope.

“Certainly from when I've graduated from pharmacy school, the focus [was] largely on making sure that pharmacists were able to immunize, to now really working directly with providers, adjusting medications, and starting patients on new medicines related to cardiometabolic disease in my clinic,” Brown told Drug Topics. “Even seeing the things that we're really encouraging our students to do, no matter what setting they're in; [we’re] making sure that they have the opportunity to care for patients in the best possible way.”

To celebrate National Pharmacist Day in 2026, Brown joined Drug Topics for an in-depth look at her time in pharmacy and the myriad of successes her profession has garnered since she started as a Walgreens pharmacist after getting her pharmacy degree. Highlighting both her roles as an educator and pharmacist, we asked Brown to give us an up-close look at pharmacy’s evolution—specifically regarding expansion of scope.

Learn more from Brown, who has seen, experienced, and worked with individuals that have made significant contributions to the pharmacy profession over the years.

Be on the lookout for more content from our interview with Brown, as she takes us through the challenges and opportunities that have risen throughout her pharmacy career. More specifically, she addressed the best ways to further advance pharmacists’ scope of practice despite so much progress thus far.

READ MORE: Pharmacist Barriers, Expansion of Scope Since the COVID-19 Pandemic

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