The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy is number four in the nation for the most students matched with residencies in the 2019 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Resident Matching Program. With 76 PharmD students matched with residencies versus the national average of 27 students, the School of Pharmacy saw nearly three times more students matched with residencies in Phase I and Phase II (PGY1) residency match.

“The School of Pharmacy has consistently been one of the top schools in placing students in residencies, and we saw a record number of our PharmD students matched with residencies this year,” says Steven Swanson, dean and professor of the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. “More than half of the PharmD graduating class, 51 percent, matched with an ASHP residency — that’s a reflection of the academic and clinical strength of our students and the School of Pharmacy’s PharmD program.”

“We support our students with an innovative, proven curriculum that helps our student pharmacists to be highly competitive for post-graduate pharmacy residencies.” —Mel de Villiers

The 2019 ASHP residency match rate for UW–Madison School of Pharmacy is 80 percent, more than 15 percentage points higher than the national average of 64.4 percent.

“Our pharmacy students are some of the most talented and promising future pharmacists who demonstrate leadership, team readiness, and dedication to patient care,” says Mel de Villiers, vice dean and associate dean of academic affairs at the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. “We support our students with an innovative, proven curriculum that helps our student pharmacists to be highly competitive for post-graduate pharmacy residencies.”

Among the many ways that the School of Pharmacy supports students for residencies is the opportunity for specialized clerkships specifically designed to prepare PharmD students for residencies in health systems. As one of the first to pioneer the concept, the School offers several residency-track clerkships known as the Residency Track Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE RT).

“Our PharmD students gain comprehensive clinical experience with our partners such as UW Health Hospital and Clinics, one of the leading hospitals nationally recognized for innovative pharmacy practice, and all of the other excellent health care systems and pharmacies in Wisconsin,” says de Villiers. “The School of Pharmacy is part of a renowned health sciences campus that brings the latest innovation in practice, research, and interprofessional learning to our PharmD students.”

Pharmacy residencies are post-graduate training after earning a PharmD degree that provide additional experience with direct patient care. Pharmacists in ambulatory care, primary care, cardiology, oncology, pediatrics, and other pharmacy specialties, including managed care, typically complete a residency training program.

See our student outcomes in residency placement and residency settings for our graduates. Learn more about the School of Pharmacy’s Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences and the PharmD program.