Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduates are eligible to match into residency programs, just as their physician counterparts do. However, with pharmacists, a residency is optional and is often pursued to further develop skills learned during pharmacy school. Residency positions – either postgraduate year one (PGY1) or postgraduate year two (PGY2) are offered to applicants through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Resident Matching Program, also known as the “Match.”
Prior to the Match, pharmacy students or even practicing pharmacists apply to programs they are interested in. Following an evaluation period, both the programs and the applicants submit rank order lists and matches are made.
According to the ASHP website, residency matches occur in two phases and the process of making and accepting offers is simplified as all placements occur simultaneously. The website further states that “the Match guarantees that each applicant and residency will get the best possible result that is available to them.”
Phase One Match Results Day occurred on March 15, 2023. And Phase Two Match Results Day is April 14, 2023. A post-match process provides an opportunity for applicants without matches to obtain positions that remain open.
Seventeen members of the PCOM School of Pharmacy's Class of 2023 matched to residencies, with 13 in Georgia and four out of state.
Shawn Spencer, PhD, RPh, dean and chief academic officer of the PCOM School of Pharmacy said, “Matching for pharmacy residencies is the end result of years of dedication to the program, our community and their careers. I am extremely proud of our pharmacy students and alumni for their outstanding achievements.“
“Our students realized a 63% success rate among those applying for PGY-1 residency programs, an all-time high for the program,” Dr. Spencer said.
Those matching to Phase One PGY1 residency programs in Georgia include:
| Dion Blocker (PharmD '23) | Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Austell |
| Barry Brown, Jr. (PharmD '23) | Emory Decatur Hospital, Decatur |
| Alexandrea Coleman (PharmD '23) | Northside Hospital, Atlanta |
| Mai Quyen Dang (PharmD '23) | Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta |
| Phu Duong (PharmD '23) | Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown, Columbus |
| Arthur Few (PharmD '23) | Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Austell – PGY1 and 2 – Health System Administration and Leadership |
| Sara Hernandez (PharmD '23) | Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, Dublin |
| Amanda Herndon (PharmD '23) | AdventHealth Redmond, Rome |
| Alex Kwan (PharmD '23) | Augusta University Medical Center, Augusta – PGY1 and 2 – Health System Administration and Leadership |
| Julie Lu (PharmD '23) | Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown, Columbus |
| Zachary Powell (PharmD '23) | Wellstar North Fulton/PCOM School of Pharmacy, Suwanee |
| Devon Tousignant (PharmD '23) | AdventHealth Redmond, Rome |
| Catherine Tran (PharmD '23) | Wellstar North Fulton/PCOM School of Pharmacy, Suwanee |
Matching out of state was Breann Prophete (PharmD '23) who matched in ambulatory care at Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy, New Orleans. Prophete said she pursued this residency program for its ambulatory care track. “No program in Georgia had a specific track for ambulatory care,” she said. “This program allows me to complete one year of residency and be certified in ambulatory care.”
Also matching out of state were Christopher Claudius (PharmD '23) who matched to community pharmacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida, Sung Mo Eun (DO '23), who matched to the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and Karan Shah who matched to Springfield Memorial Hospital in Springfield, Illinois.
Five members of the Class of 2022 matched to PGY2 residency programs including:
| Ahmed Abdulrahman, PharmD '22 | St. Joseph's/Chandler, Savannah, GA – Ambulatory Care |
| Krysten McNaught, PharmD '22 | University of Florida Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville, FL – Infectious Diseases |
| Jessica Mulbah, PharmD '22 | Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI – Infectious Diseases |
| Laura Nguyen, PharmD '22 | University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, IA – Emergency Medicine |
| Chonnikarn Piyarat, PharmD '22 | North Florida/South Georgia VHS, Gainesville, FL – Ambulatory Care |
View more Match Day news and stories.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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