The BPS Rising Star Award
The BPS Rising Star Award is conferred annually by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties to recognize pharmacists who have made outstanding early career contributions to the advancement of BPS Board Certification.
BPS Rising Star Award
Applications are open!
Award nominations deadline extended to September 9, 2026.
The nominations form can be found here.
Applications are currently closed.
Stay tuned for announcements on the next call for applications in summer 2027.
Award Timeline
June 22 – Nominations Open
August 24 – Nominations Close
November 2026 – Awards Decision
January 2027 – Award Recipients Announced
AWARD CRITERIA
Nominees must:
- Be an early career practitioner, defined as having completed their terminal pharmacy training or degree within the past 7 years
- Hold an active certification in at least one BPS specialty area
- Demonstrate leadership potential in their career trajectory
- Demonstrate a commitment to advancing pharmacist board certification through one or more of the following:
- Professional engagement (e.g., volunteer service, mentorship, leadership, or advocacy)
- Workplace impact (e.g., implementing certification processes, developing career pathways, or advancing recognition of board-certified pharmacists)
- Education and outreach (e.g., encouraging residents/students, leading study groups, or educating stakeholders on the value of certification)
- Scholarship and promotion (e.g., research, publications, or advancing awareness within professional organizations)
NOMINATION PROCESS
The nominator is responsible for coordinating and submitting a complete nomination packet, including identifying and securing one to two additional individuals to provide letters of recommendation. Self-nominations are not accepted.
Completed official BPS nomination form
- Summary outlining the nominee’s key achievements and alignment with the award criteria (500 word maximum)
- One to two letters of recommendation (secured by the nominator) addressing the nominee’s accomplishments relative to the award criteria
- The nominee’s current résumé or curriculum vitae (CV)
Nominators are encouraged to review Planning for and creating strong nomination submissions for honors and awards: Alvarez NA, Erstad BL. Planning for and creating strong nomination submissions for honors and awards. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. 2025;65(6):102909. doi:10.1016/j.japh.2025.102909
SELECTION PROCESS
The award recipient is selected by the BPS Board of Directors based on review of the complete nomination packet. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.
The BPS Board of Directors selects the recipient in late November each year, with the award presented the following calendar year.
If a nominee is not selected, the nomination may be resubmitted for consideration the following year with appropriate updates.
The Board reserves the right not to issue an award in any given year.
PRESENTATION OF THE AWARD
BPS Rising Star Award recipients receive a $1,500 USD honorarium and an award plaque.
The award will be conferred at a meeting or venue determined by the BPS Board of Directors in coordination with the recipient. Travel expenses will be covered based upon current BPS travel policies as deemed appropriate by the BPS Board of Directors based upon the nature of the presentation.
In addition, BPS maintains a perpetual display at its offices recognizing all past recipients.
Past BPS Rising Star Award Recipients
| 2024 | Wesley Kufel, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, AAHIVP | |
| 2025 | Lauren Pamulapati, PharmD, BCACP | |
| 2026 | Tyler A. Vest, PharmD, MS, MSSCM, BCPS, BCSCP, FNCAP | |