ABSTRACT

The Mexican American Association of Pharmacy Students (MAAPS) was organized at the University of Texas at Austin by a group of Hispanics of Mexican descent who shared common professional interests, values and cultural backgrounds. The members of this organization perform many activities for the College of Pharmacy including: assisting in recruiting, retaining qualified students who have been accepted into pharmacy school, providing health care education to the community and maintaining open communication channels between the students and the College administration.

The members benefit from the support they receive from each other and through their involvement in various service projects. Their activities make a difference in the community. One of the most important examples of these is “Project Mentorship.” The objective here is to assist in the development and retention of minority children in elementary school, especially those at high risk of failure. Mentors must devote at least thirty (30) minutes per week in order to participate.

Students, the College of Pharmacy and the community all benefit from MAAPS involvement and activity. This is a good example of how social and professional networks help in minority pharmaceutical education.