UW PharmD students are the best in the country with a 100% residency match rate

The career interests of UW–Madison Doctor of Pharmacy students vary from ambulatory care to specialty pharmacy, and now these students are launching their pharmacy careers with a prestigious residency. All 63 PharmD students who sought a residency was successfully matched in 2024, resulting in a 100 percent match rate for UW–Madison in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Resident Matching program. The 2024 national match rate was 83 percent.

“It’s no secret among employers and residency programs that our PharmD students are incredibly talented and exceptionally well-trained in the essential skills and knowledge that will make them successful pharmacists,” says Steven Swanson, dean of the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. “Our students outperformed the nation on NAPLEX licensure, and their excellence continues with the best residency match rate.”

With more than 10 specialized curricular options to pursue specific pharmacy interests and an innovative clinical training program that offers residency-focused rotations, the PharmD curriculum is designed for student success.

“Our comprehensive curriculum combines active classroom learning with experiential clinical experiences that shapes our student pharmacists into leaders who can provide the highest level of patient care and innovate the field with their scientific acumen and critical thinking,” says Mel de Villiers, vice dean and associate dean of academic affairs at the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. “We also support our students with formal professional development and engagement courses that focus on vital soft skills such as communication, interprofessional collaboration, patient advocacy, cultural sensitivity, and professionalism.”

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Many pharmacy students recognize the quality of the skills-based approach throughout the PharmD program, like Molly O’Connell in the Class of 2024 who will begin a PGY-1 residency at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C.

“UW–Madison prepared me for residency in a multitude of ways, but especially in successful communication with colleagues, providers, and patients. I feel confident in my verbal and written communication thanks to the many opportunities provided to us on IPPEs (introductory pharmacy professional experiences), in pharmacotherapy lab, and during APPEs (advanced practice pharmacy experiences) to refine these skills.”

Kara Graves secured a PGY-1 residency in ambulatory care at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vt., and shares the importance of her applied learning experiences. “The school gave us a strong clinical foundation along with opportunities to practice both our verbal and written communication skills. While going through the residency application and interviewing process, I finally understood just how much our coursework and numerous project presentations prepared me, not just for that process, but for the residency programs themselves.”

The Class of 2024 who pursued a residency will be making an impact all over the country, from San Diego to New York, and from Milwaukee to Kentucky. Their residencies range from PGY-1 general programs, PGY-1 in ambulatory care, and PGY-1 in managed care to PGY1&2 programs in health system administration.

“During residency, I am excited to enhance my clinical knowledge, collaborate within advanced interprofessional teams, and participate in teaching and mentorship roles,” says Kylie Steinke, a PharmD student who matched with Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. “My ultimate goal as a pharmacist is to serve as a well-rounded and resilient provider capable of delivering optimal care to patient populations with diverse medical conditions.”

Many others landed residencies across Wisconsin, including Reedsburg Area Medical Center in Reedsburg, Milwaukee-based Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, St. Luke’s Medical Center/Aurora Health Care Metro, and Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin, as well as the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans’ Hospital in Madison.

“I am most excited for my residency program that will allow me continued involvement in specialty pharmacy practice while providing the opportunity to gain exposure in informatics, executive leadership, industry relations, contracting, and so much more,” says Justin Arzt, a PharmD student who will start his residency in managed care at Navitus Health Solutions in Madison. “During my time at the School of Pharmacy, the incredible instructors and clinical preceptors have provided me with a monumental assortment of diverse experiences that prepared me to be a well-rounded pharmacist practitioner in any field.”

Among the reasons cited for their residency success is the supportive School of Pharmacy community.

“I could not have asked for better mentors, teachers, and peers who helped me develop the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in residency and contribute meaningfully to patient care,” says Hope Schier who was selected for the PGY1&2 Health System Administration & Leadership program at the University of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. “I am beyond grateful for my experiences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy.”

For Kane Carstens who matched with the University of Minnesota Fairview Medical Center in Minneapolis, the faculty made a difference.

“The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy has prepared me well for residency through the connection with great professors and faculty. They have been dedicated to student success from the beginning and their willingness to mentor me throughout the years has prepared me for the rigors of residency as well as equipped me with the tools to become a good pharmacist.”