Speaking Up, Standing Out

Pharm.D. Candidate Ariana Moorer is Using her Voice to Move Pharmacy Forward

University of Houston College of Pharmacy (UHCOP) Pharm.D. candidate Ariana Moorer’s interest in pharmacy started early, inspired by her best friend’s mom, who built her own pharmacy business. In high school, she enrolled in a certification program, earned her pharmacy technician license, and by 18, was working at Walgreens.

She later attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, where she joined the university’s cooperative program with UHCOP. The early admission pathway allowed her to complete her undergraduate degree and transfer into the college’s Pharm.D. program ahead of schedule.

“What I was exposed to was just community pharmacy—that’s all I knew at the time, and I loved it,” said Moorer. “I loved interacting with people, being a helping hand when they were at their worst. Whether a patient was in a good mood or not feeling their best, I could help them walk away with a smile.”

Working at the front register taught her the pharmacist’s impact.

“That was the appeal to me—being the frontline worker helping patients,” Moorer said. “We’re so accessible in pharmacy, and sometimes people don’t have the means to see a doctor, so they come to their pharmacy. I loved being a resource for my community.”

Moorer said that drive to care for others was instilled in her from an early age.

“My mom is the caretaker in our community—she was always stepping in to help neighbors, picking up kids from school, leaving work to be there for someone in need,” Moorer said. “Watching her inspired me to continue in that caretaker role.”

That commitment only grew stronger when Moorer became one of the many essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All day, it was just shot after shot,” Moorer said. “That was my whole shift. It was very stressful, but I was proud to be helping protect people and educate them about the importance of vaccines.”

She felt the impact of that care most clearly during her final shift at Walgreens, when several longtime customers showed up with gifts to congratulate her on graduating college.

“Giving good care and service is part of the job, it wasn’t anything extra to me,” Moorer said. “But they were so appreciative. Communities really do come together when you help one another. That moment made me feel like pharmacy is home—this is where I want to be.”

Lasting Impact at Legacy

At Legacy Community Health, Moorer joined a small, growing clinical pharmacy specialist team focused on managing chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia.

“Our team was only three or four years old, so we were building the program from the ground up,” Moorer said.

As one of the clinic’s first interns, she quickly noticed inefficiencies—redundant steps that made appointments feel rushed. Moorer proposed a standardized workflow to streamline operations.

“I noticed we were doing a lot of the same things twice,” Moorer said. “I sat down with my manager and said, ‘Let’s test a more efficient process for a couple of months. If it doesn’t work, we can scrap it.’”

The results were undeniable. Pharmacists were able to spend more time with patients, extending appointments from 10 to 15 minutes to a full 30 minutes. The added time improved the quality of care and helped boost the clinic’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Star Ratings.

First Poster, First Win

Encouraged by the success of the workflow changes, Moorer pitched the idea of turning the project into a research poster for the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Annual Meeting.

“I had never done a poster before, but I thought, ‘Let’s just go for it,’” Moorer said.

With support and guidance from her manager, Moorer led the project from idea to execution.

“She let me take creative freedom,” Moorer said. “I was able to just brain-dump everything onto the poster.”

To her surprise, the poster not only received positive feedback—it also won an award.

“I wasn’t expecting anything,” Moorer said. “I was very shocked to even receive recognition. It was my very first poster ever, and the work just spoke for itself.”

Advocacy in Action

Moorer’s leadership extends beyond research and clinical care. She’s also been involved in pharmacy policy and advocacy, engaging directly with legislators to help represent the profession.

She participated in UH Day at the Capitol and traveled with the Texas Pharmacy Association (TPA) to Austin, where she spoke with lawmakers about such pharmacy-related issues as research funding and regulatory challenges.

“Any health care sector is going to be regulated, but pharmacy specifically is extremely regulated because of a lot of the fallouts that have happened within the last few years, like the opioid crisis,” Moorer said.

Those experiences gave her a clearer understanding of the stakes.

“Representatives don’t always know what’s going on at home base, and they’re voting on bills that could completely change how we practice,” Moorer said. 

Bridging Biotech and Patient Care

With a foundation in community care and clinical service, Moorer is now setting her sights on the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, where she hopes to pursue a career in clinical development or medical affairs.

“These companies are developing drugs, but they’re not always close to what’s happening with patients day to day,” Moorer said. “I want to bridge that gap.”

To build that bridge, Moorer is completing a Longitudinal Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (LAPPE) with the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Health, where she’ll complete five rotations within one health system. The extended format gives her the chance to develop stronger clinical skills and long-term relationships with preceptors and patients, while allowing her to build deeper connections and gain continuity in patient care.

“I love that I’m not just rotating in and out—I’m building a network, I’m building a community, I’m building those professional relationships that will help me succeed as I continue on my journey,” she said.

— Lauren Nguyen