Margaret Underwood
Oregon State University/ Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy
Margaret Ashley Underwood is a third-year pharmacy student at the Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy. Originally from Portland, Oregon, her interest in global health stemmed from her expatriate experiences growing up in the Middle East. Having the opportunity to volunteer with the Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare services in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Margaret saw firsthand the value of a pharmacist on a culturally diverse interdisciplinary healthcare team. It was this experience that prompted an interest in global pharmacy. That interest became concrete for her after serving on a humanitarian trip to Haiti as a pharmacy staff volunteer in 2016 with the Haiti Health Initiative (HHI) where she saw a lack of access to healthcare.
During her second year of pharmacy school, Margaret co-founded an active chapter of the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) at her college of pharmacy. Since the formation of this student chapter, she has worked tirelessly with her co-founder to highlight WHO recognized world health days to local communities and enhance the professional development of students on international and public health topics. Enhancing global and cultural learning experiences for others motivates her toward her career goals in public health and global healthcare.
Margaret’s efforts with IPSF led her to take on volunteer opportunities with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). As a remote volunteer, she works with the FIP Lead for Policy, Practice and Compliance office located at The Hague on a variety of different projects revolving patient safety and medication errors. Additionally, Margaret conducts clinical research at the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) revolving around antimicrobial stewardship in pediatric populations, an experience that continues to expose her to the nuances of clinical epidemiology.
Outside of her international accomplishments, Margaret serves as the APhA-ASP President for the Oregon State University Chapter, is an Executive Member on the Board of Directors for the Oregon State Pharmacy Association, a Rho Chi member, and works as an intern with Kaiser Permanente. She also serves on her college’s Wellness and Diversity Committees where she works with other members of the College to ensure a welcoming environment for all students and faculty.
In her free time Margaret enjoys reading historical fiction, cooking, traveling, and hiking around the Pacific Northwest with her boyfriend.
After graduation in 2021, Margaret is pursuing a pharmacy residency experience in ambulatory care to further enhance her clinical skills with the additional goal of completing a Master of Public Health degree with a global focus.