Twin Cities Student Profiles

Hometown:
Roseville, MN

Undergraduate college attended:
College of St. Benedict/St. John's University

Years attended/degree earned:
Four years, B.A. in Biology, minor in Psychology

Favorite instructor at COP:
Dr. Katz

Favorite course at COP:
Physiology

Student Organizations you are involved in:
MPSA, and I am planning to join Kappa Psi

Best reasons to attend U of MN COP:
The staff and faculty are friendly, caring, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure each of us students leaves with more than the ability to memorize information.  We are able to apply this knowledge toward many different avenues in our lives.  In addition, the students in the COP really embrace shared experience together.  They are an awesome group of people to be a part of.

Your specific plans to practice pharmacy:
There are so many options for pharmacists in today's world that I need to spend some time thinking about the different areas.  However, at this time, I am most interested in a patient care specialty.

Hometown:
Chaska, MN

Undergraduate college attended:
Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL

Years attended/degree earned:
Four years, B.S. in Chemistry/Biochemistry emphasis

Favorite instructor at COP:
Dr. Brian Isetts

Favorite course at COP:
After my first year, Drug Delivery (I) and Ambulatory PC Clinic

Student Organizations you are involved in:
Kappa Psi, College Board, MPSA, PLS, and Honor Council

Best reasons to attend U of MN COP:
Curriculum at the U of MN is patient-centered; as a student you learn the book knowledge required to become a pharmacist, but you also learn to apply that to real-life situations through the development of care plans and optimizing drug regiments for individual patients.
Also, the faculty at the U of MN College of Pharmacy is unsurpassed.  Professors, deans, and administration go above and beyond any call of duty to see their students succeed both in the classroom and in professional life.  They give freely and generously of their personal time, money, and resources to further student development through scholarship, support of student organizations, and personal involvement in student life.

Your specific plans to practice pharmacy:
Good question.  I have three more years to figure that out and will hopefully get a better idea after more coursework and when I start rotations; more than likely a residency post-graduation.

Hometown:  Huancayo, Peru

Undergraduate college attended:
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (College of Liberal Arts)

Years attended/degree earned:
Two years of prepharmacy

Favorite instructor at COP:
Dr. Brown

Favorite course at COP:
Pharmacotherapy

Student Organizations you are involved in:
MPSA and Kappa Psi

Best reasons to attend U of MN COP:
It is a very well-known and respected institution that includes excellent professors.  There is a lot of diversity as the University welcomes people from different backgrounds.

Your specific plans to practice pharmacy:
I plan to do one year of residency and work at a hospital if I don't change my mind once I graduate.

Hometown:
Austin, MN

Undergraduate college attended:
Luther College in Decorah, IA

Years attended/degree earned:
4 years, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Spanish

Favorite instructor at COP:
There are a lot of great choices, but I think Dr. Straka and Dr. Carter stand out among my favorites.

Favorite course at COP:
Pharmacology - it's the nuts and bolts that help everything else make much more sense!

Student Organizations you are involved in:
Phi Delta Chi (PDX), Minnesota Pharmacy Student Alliance (MPSA), Rho Chi, Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS)

Best reasons to attend U of MN COP:
Sense of Community - I completed my undergraduate degree at a small liberal arts school that had a great sense of community.  I was pleased to discover that even when I moved on to a bigger university I would still be a part of a smaller, supportive group.  The College of Pharmacy has great staff, faculty and students that make for a very welcoming, personable experience.

Solid Academics - The U of MN is ranked among the top colleges of pharmacy in the U.S.  Graduates can be confident they've been prepared well for entering the pharmacy profession.

Opportunities - The College of Pharmacy has numerous ways for a student to be involved.  From College Board to MPSA to fraternities, research, special committees (and more!) there are a lot of paths a student can take.  One of my favorite experiences was participating in the yearly service trip to Mexico through MPSA. 

Your specific plans to practice pharmacy:
I completed a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and have accepted a position as a decentralized pharmacist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Hometown:
Janesville, WI

Undergraduate college attended:
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Years attended/degree earned:
4 years/BS in Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Favorite instructor at COP:
Dr. Michael Brown

Favorite course at COP:
Pharmacotherapy

Best reasons to attend U of MN COP:
At the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, you get a top-notch education, as well as have the opportunity to get involved in many different activities, including participating in research and joining a wide variety student organizations. In addition, the College of Pharmacy has some of the best instructors in the country, including leading experts in areas such as pharmaceutical care, cardiology, and infectious diseases. No matter where your interests as a student lie, you'll be able to find a mentor who shares those interests and is willing to help you explore them.

What you have been doing since graduation:
I am working in community pharmacy for Aurora Healthcare in a suburb of Milwaukee.  Our pharmacy is an important part of the small community we serve, and has allowed me the opportunity to do a large amount of prescription and OTC counseling, which I very much enjoy.