IN ADVANCING PHARMACY REPRESENTATION & COMMUNITY THROUGH SMI

This article is written by Dr. Jessica Priya Saini, PharmD, Director of Leadership and Pharmacy Division Lead for the Sikh Medical Initiative. Below, she reflects on leading university outreach events to promote awareness of pharmaceutical fellowships and regulatory affairs, while building meaningful connections with Sikh students and professionals through SMI.

January 15, 2026

SHOWING UP AS THE ONLY WOMAN AND WHY IT MATTERS

There are moments in your career when you walk into a room and immediately realize you are different. Sometimes it is subtle. Other times it is clear before introductions even begin.

Speaking at both a Rutgers University Sikh Workforce Panel and an iPhO Regulatory Affairs teaching event, I found myself as the only female speaker and often the only Sikh woman in pharma in the room. While I was invited in a professional capacity, I quickly realized that my presence meant more than sharing a career path. It meant visibility. It meant representation. And it meant responsibility.

Pharmacy is still frequently misunderstood in broader healthcare conversations. Many students associate pharmacists only with retail settings and are unaware of the roles we play in drug development, regulatory strategy, and patient safety. Being able to speak openly about my journey allowed me to broaden how students think about pharmacy and what leadership in healthcare can look like.

USING UNIVERSITY OUTREACH TO OPEN DOORS

These outreach events were organized through my workplace with the goal of introducing students to pharmaceutical industry fellowships and regulatory affairs. For many students, this was their first exposure to fellowships as a structured and intentional career path.

I shared what fellowship training looks like, how regulatory strategy allows pharmacists to influence patient care at a systems level, and why these roles matter. The questions that followed were thoughtful and honest. Some students asked how to prepare. Others asked if they were too late to pivot. And of course, there were practical questions about applications and interviews.

I often joke that if I had known about these pathways earlier, I would have saved myself many late night Google searches and at least a few stress spirals. That honesty usually resonates. Sometimes the most helpful thing you can offer is reassurance that no one has it all figured out at the beginning.

BUILDING COMMUNITY IN REAL TIME

What made these events especially meaningful was the opportunity to connect with students not just professionally, but also through community. At the Rutgers University event, I met two individuals with whom I had previously connected through SMI. Turning virtual connections into real life conversations was genuinely heartwarming. It reminded me that SMI is not just a network on paper. It is a living community built through shared experiences, values, and trust. For Sikh students navigating healthcare spaces where they are often the only ones who look like them, these moments of connection matter deeply. Seeing familiar faces and knowing there is a community rooting for you can make all the difference.

FINDING LIKENESS ACROSS SPACES

This experience of being the only Sikh woman in the room is not limited to academic settings. I have felt it within professional organizations too, including in my involvement with the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. While this reality can feel isolating, I have learned to view it as an opportunity. An opportunity to build bridges, to find likeness in shared goals and values, and to create community even when identities differ. Leadership, advocacy, and service often transcend titles and backgrounds, and those common threads allow meaningful relationships to form. Each of these spaces has reinforced the same lesson: community does not always start with sameness. Sometimes it starts with intention.

ADVOCATING FOR PHARMACY AND SMI TOGETHER

As the Pharmacy Division Lead for SMI, I am deeply committed to ensuring that pharmacy has a strong and visible voice within healthcare. Pharmacists bring a unique perspective that bridges science, policy, and patient impact, and our presence strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration.

At these outreach events and professional forums, I intentionally spoke about pharmacy as a powerful and impactful path. At the same time, I shared the mission of SMI and the importance of building networks that support Sikh students and professionals across disciplines.

SMI has the potential to serve as a bridge between all of these spaces. Academia, industry, community organizations, and professional associations. Our hope is to connect like minded individuals across the globe and create a strong map of mentorship, collaboration, and shared purpose that extends far beyond any single event or institution.

BEING THE ONLY BUT NEVER FEELING ALONE

Being the only female Sikh in pharma in a room can feel heavy at times. But experiences like these remind me that community transforms isolation into purpose. When students see someone who looks like them speaking confidently about their work, it reshapes what feels possible. When they learn about SMI and realize there is a network ready to support them, the path forward feels less daunting. And when connections form across spaces through shared values, it reinforces why representation truly matters.

MOVING FORWARD WITH INTENTION

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak, connect, and advocate through these outreach events and professional spaces. Each conversation, each question, and each new connection strengthens my commitment to mentorship, representation, and community building. Through my work in pharma, my involvement in organizations like the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, and my leadership within SMI, I hope to continue building bridges across healthcare. When we intentionally connect people with shared values and purpose, we do more than advance careers. We build communities that span disciplines, borders, and generations.