Posted on: February 10, 2020
The UofSC College of Pharmacy is committed to the career development of its students. As the role of the pharmacist in health care continues to expand, so do the number of potential career paths for our graduates.
As part of the College of Pharmacy’s efforts to ensure students have the chance to learn more about these wide-ranging positions, the College of Pharmacy hosted the 2020 Gamecock Pharmacy Career Expo, its second annual event. More than 350 students talked with owners, managers, alumni and friends of the college about career paths, daily job responsibilities, pharmacist positions, internships, rotations and residencies in traditional fields such as independent pharmacies, hospital, and nuclear pharmacy as well as often not thought-of fields such as military, managed care, and industry.
Third-year student Cuenton Bridges, who intends to pursue community pharmacy, says he benefits from the opportunity to network at the expo. “The chance to talk to alumni and hear their perspectives is invaluable with the connections you can make.”
There are so many opportunities that I had never even considered until I attended my first expo ...
Aubrey Justice Pharm.D. Candidate, 2020
Aubrey Justice, a fourth-year student, is currently in a rotation with Emily Russell, herself a former resident with the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center. Aubrey credits attending the expo with opening her eyes to the myriad of jobs that are available. “There are so many opportunities that I had never even considered until I attended my first expo,” she said.
Attendance at the expo is required for all first through third-year Pharm.D. students, and fourth-year students are encouraged to attend as well. Amy Grant, Pharm.D., MBA, associate dean for student affairs and diversity, says the expo demonstrates the significance of networking and relationship building that begins in pharmacy school and helps the students develop a better understanding of potential career paths they may pursue, whether it be traditional or unique. “These students are making connections for internships, life-long mentoring and jobs,” she says, “which will give them invaluable experiences on which to build their future in pharmacy.”
Alumni play an important role in the expo. Allen Madden, '89 Pharm.D., board certified in Nuclear Pharmacy, a pharmacy owner and president of Augusta Isotopes. He has held a variety of roles throughout his career including retail pharmacy, physician-practice based pharmacy, hospital pharmacy and policy affairs. “I enjoy sharing my experiences with students and do it every chance I have,” he says.
If you would like to get involved by helping students find their pharmacy career path, serving as a mentor, or speaking at student events: Email Kathy Keenan / (803) 777-1767