Student Voices: 2025 Legislative Day
Talia Carlson, third-year student and President of North Carolina Association of Pharmacists-Student Pharmacist Forum chapter (NCAP-SPF) shares her experience at 2025 Legislative Day
Story by Talia Carlson | Photo by Danny Alexander | Published April 8, 2025
Student Voices gives first-person perspectives written by the students of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. In this piece, we hear from Talia Carlson, a third-year pharmacy student and President of North Carolina Association of Pharmacists-Student Pharmacist Forum chapter (NCAP-SPF). She and other students from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy traveled to Raleigh to advocate for their profession with NC Representatives for the 2025 Pharmacy Legislative Day.
I attended Pharmacy Legislative Day alongside McKenna Good, a second-year student and incoming NCAP-SPF President, and 43 other UNC students to advocate for policies that advance our profession and expand patient access to care. On the event day, the energy in Raleigh was electric—students reviewed talking points before meeting with legislators, who listened intently to our stories and asked thoughtful questions.
Emily Grooms, a third-year pharmacy student, captured the surreal feeling of sitting in a Health Care Senate Standing Committee hearing where senators debated policies that would impact our future: “It put into perspective that while we’re on rotations, people are fighting behind the scenes to expand what we can do.”
During lunch, Professor Jon Easter, Vice Chair of Practice Advancement in the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education (PACE) at the Eshelman School of Pharmacy, hosted guest speakers, including fellow pharmacist and alum, Representative Heather Rhyne (BSPhar ’98). Rep. Rhyne shared, “Pharmacists are often the most trusted health-care providers, and staying involved in policy keeps us at the forefront.” This message hit home as we discussed proposals in our conversations with senators like one that would allow pharmacists to test and treat the flu, saving patients unnecessary doctor visits. Senator Benton Sawrey stated that, “You’re the only health-care provider in many small towns—we need to give you the tools and authority.” His words highlighted the urgency of modernizing North Carolina’s Collaborative Practice Agreement to empower pharmacists to work alongside nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Learning about Pharmacy Benefit Manager reform made the issue personal—hearing how reimbursement models are forcing independent pharmacies to close, especially in rural areas where they’re often the only health care lifeline.
What moved me most wasn’t just the policies but the people working alongside us for change. As NCAP’s Executive Director, Penny Shelton, reminded us: “Today is just the beginning. When there’s a call to action, answer it.” Reflecting on the event, Professor Easter noted, “Over the last three years, we’ve doubled attendance annually. Students are recognizing pharmacy’s role in health care beyond the classroom.”
Leaving Raleigh, we carried two key realizations: Pharmacy’s potential is limitless if we fight for it, and our voices matter now, not just after graduation. Next year, we’ll return with even more student pharmacists ready to advocate, lead, and transform the future of pharmacy.