Toobah Wali
University of the Sciences/Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
Toobah Wali is a final-year student pharmacist at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP) at University of the Sciences and has been actively involved with her college of pharmacy’s American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) chapter since her first professional year. Her APhA-ASP involvement is deeply rooted with her identity as a first-generation American and developed her strong appeal for improving the health of others and addressing community health needs through patient advocacy.
As a committee chair for the Generation Rx patient care group, Toobah co-organized a community outreach effort focused on educating 125 Philadelphia pharmacies on increased access to naloxone in high overdose areas and received recognition through an honorary resolution by the Philadelphia City Council for the success of the outreach program. While serving as PCP’s Chapter President-elect, Toobah initiated and established the women’s health patient care group to address the health education needs of young women. She organized and hosted the first on-campus women’s health workshop for university Greek life members that provided education on birth control, emergency contraceptives, and how to conduct self-breast exams. During her two-year presidency term, Toobah empowered her fellow members and encouraged professional development, leading to an increase in overall student membership and attendance at regional and national meetings. Her community outreach and commitment to the pharmacy profession expands beyond APhA-ASP. Toobah was selected to participate in a non-traditional IPPE program to provide longitudinal care to an underserved community at a student-led multidisciplinary clinic throughout her first three professional years and completed two public and community health focused summer internships. She is also actively involved with Phi Lambda Sigma, Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, and the Afghan-American Community Organization.
Toobah is committed to providing comprehensive and individualized care with her patients’ social determinants of health in mind and becoming her patients’ advocate to ensure they are represented and understood. She hopes to pursue residency training and eventually obtain a Master’s in Public Health with a long-term goal of practicing as an infectious diseases specialist in an ambulatory care setting and obtaining a clinical faculty position at a college of pharmacy.
Toobah understands this achievement is not solely her own; she would like to thank her mentors, family, colleagues, and friends who believed in her greater potential. She is extremely appreciative of all those who continuously provide her with the necessary support and guidance to become the best clinician she envisions to be.