Pharmacists Bolster Local Health Department Efforts through the Medical Reserve Corps (PDF)

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), through a network of over 200,000 medical and non-medical volunteers organized into almost 1,000 local units across the United States, improves public health, emergency response, and resiliency in their communities. The broad network of MRC volunteers includes medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, veterinarians, pharmacists, public health professionals, and other community members who supplement existing local emergency and public health resources. Local health departments house 67% of MRC units, and MRC volunteers can alleviate local health department workforces that have been strained by budget cuts. This issue brief describes ways that local health departments can leverage the unique skill set and expertise of MRC pharmacist volunteers to help further their missions.