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The Gamecock Pharmacy Assurance pathway, launched in 2019, provides exceptional high school students with provisional early acceptance to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. Students receive exposure to the profession and engagement with the College of Pharmacy from their very first days at the university.

Kristina Benbow, Class of 2024, applied to USC unsure of which major she wanted to pursue. Due to her academic distinction in high school, she received an invitation to apply to the GPA pathway which helped her choose pharmacy as her career path.

“The GPA pathway helped me incorporate the mindset of thinking like a pharmacist,” says Benbow. “I have learned what it means to network, how to schedule and the importance of deadlines. GPA pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me take small steps to become a better leader.”

Sydney Nicholls, Class of 2024, viewed pharmacy as an opportunity to combine her interest in chemistry with a desire to work in health care. The GPA pathway taught Nicholls about the versatility of the profession.

“Pharmacy is so much more than counting pills; it provides a great opportunity to work in a variety of health care areas,” she says, “and the GPA pathway was part of the reason I was able to figure that out.”

Caylee McConnell, Class of 2024, built bonds as a GPA student that made her more comfortable when she began pharmacy school.

“Knowing the faculty and staff before beginning pharmacy classes and knowing they are invested in preparing you for your future is wonderful,” she says. “We are their priority, and they work hard to make sure we’re doing well.”

Kristi Kinslow, director of pre-professional studies and recruitment, reminds alumni that they are uniquely positioned to encourage the best and brightest students to consider pharmacy and the GPA pathway. “I always look forward to working with our alumni to recruit future Gamecock pharmacists and welcome the opportunity to connect with them,” she says.

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Topics: Pre-Pharmacy, GPA Pathway, Pharm.D. Program