PLS-AFPE First Year Graduate Scholarship

Purpose

To encourage outstanding Phi Lambda Sigma members to pursue the PhD in a college of pharmacy graduate program. 

Number of Awards/Stipend

One (1) Phi Lambda Sigma – AFPE First Year Graduate Scholarship recipient may be selected annually. The recipient will receive:

• A $10,000 scholarship award
• Funding that may be used to support the recipient’s graduate training and educational experience, including expenses such as stipend support, laboratory supplies, books, materials, and travel related to the graduate program
• Recognition through Phi Lambda Sigma and associated scholarship programming

Scholarship funds may not be used for institutional indirect costs.

Recipients are expected to attend the annual virtual Phi Lambda Sigma Awards Reception. Funding will be distributed in two equal installments upon confirmation of enrollment in a pharmacy college graduate PhD program (September 1st and February 1st). 

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be in the final year of an ACPE-accredited Doctor of Pharmacy program
• Be members of Phi Lambda Sigma in good standing with the Central Office
• Applicants must have plans to enroll in a Ph.D. program following graduation or be currently enrolled in a dual Pharm.D./Ph.D. program. Enrollment in the graduate program must occur within 16 months of receiving the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. 
• Hold U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status

Applications submitted after the published submission deadline will be ineligible for consideration.

To promote broad recognition across the Society, priority is given to recognizing as many unique individuals as possible. In the event of a high volume of applicants, priority may be given to individuals who have not previously received a PLS sponsored award. 

Application Deadline & Submission Procedure

Completed application materials must be submitted electronically through the application form linked at the bottom of this page to be eligible for consideration.

A complete application packet must include:

• Application Form
• Current curriculum vitae (CV)
• Letter of intent
• Two letters of recommendation from college faculty members familiar with the applicant and their potential for graduate study
• Name of the graduate school the applicant plans to attend
• Official transcript(s) of collegiate coursework
• GRE scores, if available. In the absence of GRE scores, applicants may submit SAT or other national achievement test scores.
• AI Use Disclosure: If any generative AI tool was used in preparing this submission, applicants must include a disclosure statement per PLS’s Responsible Use of AI Policy.

All required application materials must be submitted by the published deadline for the application to be considered complete.

Scoring & Evaluation

The PLS-AFPE First-Year Graduate Scholarship is evaluated using a standardized review process based on submitted application materials. The scholarship recipient is selected by a three-member Selection Committee composed of the Executive Director and President of Phi Lambda Sigma and either the President or Chairman of the Board of Grants of AFPE.

Applications submitted outside of the published submission window will not be considered.

While the complete scoring methodology is not publicly available, chapters are encouraged to review the evaluation framework and categories used to guide scoring. These categories reflect the core areas of interprofessional collaboration, leadership development, innovation, feasibility, community impact, and alignment with the mission and values of Phi Lambda Sigma.

To learn more about the criteria we are using to evaluate award submissions please review the criteria listed here: 

PLS-AFPE Scholarship Scoring Criteria

Deadline

Applications for the scholarship are due by May 15th at 11:59 PST annually.  The Phi Lambda Sigma Central Office strives to notify applicants of a decision within approximately six weeks following the submission deadline.

Questions

Questions regarding this award, eligibility requirements, or submission procedures may be directed to executive_director@philambdasigma.org