Gator Pharmacy Exploration Camp at UF immerses high schoolers in a world of possibility

In a spotlit room tucked within the University of Florida’s Harrell Medical Education Building, Lorelei Whiteside’s gold hoop earrings flashed as she quickly turned her head between a human patient simulator lying in a bed and its vital signs projected on the wall. 

The rising high school senior from Jacksonville was learning the essential roles pharmacists play in a hospital setting as part of the 2026 UF Gator Pharmacy Exploration Camp, which immersed 30 Florida high school students in the pharmacy profession from June 7-12.

“Getting to experience the UF Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation and seeing how the human patient simulators react was really cool,” Whiteside said. “I was inspired to participate because I’ve recently stayed in the hospital and I saw all that the pharmacists were doing for me. As an aspiring pharmacist, this week gave me the opportunity to learn about the areas I want to go into, like pediatrics and infectious diseases.”

Florida students starting their senior year can apply for the weeklong residential program hosted by the UF College of Pharmacy every summer. Students are paired with knowledgeable ambassadors, faculty members and pharmacy community partners as they discover the many paths a pharmacy career can take.

An immersive education

Mary Beth Yokomi, assistant director of admissions for the College of Pharmacy, has led the camp since its inception in 2022. She works alongside colleagues Nazandria Jackson, program coordinator for the college’s Office of Student Success, Wellness and Community Engagement; and Chardaè Whitner, Pharm.D., a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy education and practice and the director of community engagement. 

“By the end of the program, our goal is for students to leave with a deeper appreciation for the profession, a clearer understanding of the educational pathway to becoming a pharmacist and the confidence to pursue their goals,” Yokomi said.

Campers hear presentations from pharmacy professionals, test their own skills in lab exercises, dive into faculty-guided case studies, tour the History of Pharmacy Museum and participate in team-building activities. 

During a drug compounding exercise held in the college’s skills lab, Daytona Beach rising senior Hezekiah Perea learned techniques critical to capsule making. He was thrilled to take a mortar and pestle in hand and create potentially lifesaving medications from disparate ingredients.

“This week opened my mind to the vastness of paths you can take with a degree in pharmacy,” Perea said. “I used to think pharmacy was just dispensing medications, but it’s so much more than that.”

A supportive springboard

For many campers, the week marks the first time they are away from their homes and families for a substantial length of time. To ease this transition into young adulthood, Yokomi bunks with the campers each night in a residence hall on campus, while counselors are on hand to guide campers through the week. 

Counselor Patrick Lydon, who will begin his studies at the College of Pharmacy this fall, pulled from his own time as one of the program’s inaugural campers in 2022 as he mentored this year’s group.

“For me, it was a great opportunity to learn more about UF and the campus while solidifying my desire to go into pharmacy. The camp set me on a fast track to getting into the College of Pharmacy by teaching me how to apply to the Pharmacy Early Assurance Program,” Lydon said. “It’s a full-circle moment to follow in the footsteps of the counselors I looked up to.”

Yokomi said that by the time the week culminated in a banquet held at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, formerly shy and reserved campers had forged close bonds. They gained confidence in their futures, connections and skills, which will prove indispensable as they navigate their professional pathways.

“I have seen students leave camp in tears because they’re saying goodbye to the friends they have made during the week,” Yokomi said. “While they certainly miss their families while they’re here, they leave with memories and relationships that often have a lasting impact.”