Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Washington State University
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Doctor of Pharmacy

Pharmacy students’ law a game changer for patient care

Brandy Seignemartin (’20) had just completed her third year of pharmacy school when a bill she worked on with fellow WSU Health Sciences students and faculty was officially signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee. It was May 7, 2019, and the perfect exclamation point to end the school year. Less than one year later the world would go into lock down as COVID-19 quickly spread from country to country and the law that she helped to set in motion would have a significant impact on the health of Washingtonians across the state and COVID-19 testing and vaccinations for years to come.

“It is awesome … » More …

Pharmacy Careers: Psychiatric Pharmacy Specialty Practice

Approximately one in five adults in the United States live with a mental illness and a survey published by the CDC found that 16.5% of American adults have taken prescription medication for their mental health. As the medication experts of the health care team, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to have an impact in mental health.

In the final Career Seminar presentation of the 2021-22 academic year, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences doctor of pharmacy alums Glen Chase (’15) and Aubrie Duke (’16) from Comprehensive Healthcare in Yakima, Washington talked to WSU doctor of pharmacy students about pharmacy roles in psychiatric care.

Chase and … » More …

Balancing military service and pharmacy school

Colton Sorensen is one of many service men and women who pursued his doctor of pharmacy degree at Washington State University. Colton, who served in the United States Marine Corps, shares how his military training as a marine translates to becoming a better health care provider as a pharmacist. In 2020, Colton was asked to press pause on his third year in pharmacy school to deploy to Georgia, a country which shares a border with Russia, Azerbaijian, Armenia, and Turkey. The deployment ended up delaying his graduation by one year. Along with an active-duty tour to the countries of Georgia, Afghanistan, and Qatar, Colton also … » More …

Graduating PharmDs achieve record 2022 residency matches

WSU PharmD students topped previous year’s accredited residency match rate at 71 percent up from 67 percent the previous year, according to the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP), which coordinates the official match process for pharmacy schools nationwide. This year, 34 WSU PharmD students out of 48 matched.

Residencies are post-graduate training programs which allow new pharmacists to perform as a licensed practitioner to train under the supervision of an experienced preceptor. Residencies are highly sought-after positions to help pharmacists gain experience, leadership skills, advance their growth of clinical judgement, and hone their skills as a practicing pharmacist.

Following graduation this May, Shannon … » More …

Pharmacy students training to fill rural health care gap

WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has accepted five students into the rural health track. These first-year students will be the inaugural class in the track and will undergo specialized training and education in rural health care. Upon their graduation in 2025, they will be equipped with the skills, tools, and network needed to work in a rural setting.

“We look forward to working with this small group of talented students. Health care providers in rural areas face a unique set of challenges. This includes advising patients on how to access care if they don’t have phone or internet services, or if the nearest … » More …

Prosser resident hopes to provide pharmacy services in her community

Class of 2025 student pharmacist Catalina Yepez, age 29, is one of five students in the inaugural class in the rural health track. The track is part of the college’s Rural Health Initiative to recruit, educate, and embed pharmacists in rural communities across Washington state.

I was born and raised in Prosser, Washington a town of roughly 6,000 people nestled in central Washington where access to medical services are limited. Most of the people in Prosser work in agriculture and my family was no different. My mother worked in a cherry factory for 28 years and my father at a potato packaging plant. … » More …

Seattle transplant aspires to provide rural patient care

First-year student pharmacist Chase King, age 21, is one of five students in the inaugural class in the rural health track. The track is part of the college’s Rural Health Initiative to recruit, educate, and embed pharmacists in rural communities across Washington state.

I believe that pharmacists can bring about the change needed to bridge the rural health care gap. Many rural residents struggle with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, addiction, obesity, and a myriad of heart conditions, but have little to no access to health care facilities. As a future pharmacist, I hope to provide care in isolated towns, traveling door-to-door, counseling … » More …