Nirjan Bhattarai, a rising fourth-year student pharmacist in Drake University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS), was named the Karbeling Leadership Award recipient at the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) Annual Meeting on June 14, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Karbeling Leadership Award was established by the IPA Foundation as a tribute to the leadership and service of the late Jerry Karbeling. The award reflects Jerry’s passion for involvement in professional organizations and the political process by recognizing one Drake University and one University of Iowa student pharmacist each year who demonstrate outstanding participation in these areas.
Bhattarai has asserted himself as a student leader with a passion for advocacy in the pharmacy profession. Bhattarai participated in the IPA Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference in 2022, where he learned leadership skills and issues affecting the pharmacy profession. He also completed a Legislative Internship with Iowa State Representative and CPHS alum John Forbes, PH’80, in 2023, and also served as a Student Delegate for the IPA Board of Trustees during the 2022-23 academic year.
In addition to Bhattarai’s involvement with IPA and the legislative process, he is heavily involved as a leader in student organizations and other programs offered through the CPHS. He served as President of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) and is currently serving as the American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists Operation Immunization Chair. Bhattarai also served as the IPA Liaison for the Drake Pharmacy (Rx) Unified Group of Students (DRxUGs). He has been involved in multiple faculty-mentored research projects and served as a teaching assistant for three pharmacy classes.
In addition to diverse internship experiences with Hy-Vee, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, and SinfoniaRx (now MedWise), Bhattarai was selected to complete a Drake Entrepreneurial Leadership Tools for Advancement (DELTA) Rx Institute Internship with Hartig Drug where he completed projects related to data analytics and the implementation of a Narcan/DisposeRx protocol. Bhattarai is now enrolled in the dual PharmD/MS HIA (Master of Science in Health Informatics and Analytics) degree program.
“It was truly humbling and a great honor to receive this award,” said Bhattarai. “I would like to extend my gratitude to all my mentors and the Karbeling family. Although I never knew Jerry personally, I understand the profound impact he had on the pharmacy profession. After talking to pharmacy leaders who knew Jerry well, I learned that this award represents a responsibility to embody his qualities and make a positive difference in the field. I hope to continue improving myself personally and professionally to impact the world of pharmacy in a positive manner.”