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Austin Hilverding Recognized as UNDER 40 Award Recipient
2019 UNDER 40 Award Recipient
Austin Hilverding, R.Ph., PharmD
The Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) announced that Austin Hilverding, R.Ph., PharmD, of Lancaster, Ohio was honored as a distinguished UNDER 40 award recipient for professional achievements and vision in the practice of pharmacy at its 141st Annual Conference held April 12-14, 2019 in Columbus. This award recognizes the professional achievements of young pharmacists, and advances them in the ranks of top-notch professionals from a variety of careers who have earned UNDER 40 recognition.
Since graduating from Ohio Northern University in 2018, Hilverding has quickly accepted greater and greater responsibility for patient care. After four months of working as a staff pharmacist, Hilverding was promoted to Pharmacist in Charge at Shrivers Pharmacy in Nelsonville, Ohio. Since then, he has worked to increase access to healthcare in a greatly underserved and impoverished population. He has worked with his pharmacy staff to increase the number of patients enrolled in their medication synchronization program by nearly 50% in 4 months. He has also increased education about the influenza vaccination by speaking on a local radio station and giving a flu shot to the host on the air. Hilverding remains active in his local community, working with his staff to coordinate the delivery of roses to homebound patients on Valentine's Day.
Austin’s response when asked Why do you belong to OPA? While there are many benefits to being an OPA member, I believe the most important benefit that I receive is a close-knit community of pharmacists with like-minded goals. This community of pharmacists advocates for our profession, reaches for advanced opportunities for pharmacists, and pushes one another to be better healthcare providers. Without this community of leaders, I would not be where I am today, and for that I am eternally grateful.
We thank Kroger Pharmacy for exclusively sponsoring the 2019 OPA UNDER 40 Recognition Program.
