Lipscomb College of Pharmacy residency match rate beats national average by nearly 10 percent
Kim Chaudoin |
The Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy is producing graduates that are in high-demand at the nation’s leading health care organizations.
This spring, Lipscomb’s 2024 graduating class (PGY1) has a residency match rate of 90.91%, beating the national average of 81.17% by nearly 10% and is in the top 30 in the country. This is the third out of the last four years Lipscomb’s graduating class has received a 90% or higher placement rate. The College of Pharmacy has a 100% placement rate for its PGY2 class (Class of 2023). Lipscomb’s combined PGY1 and PGY2 match rate is the best in Tennessee.
"We are immensely proud of our graduates’ continued remarkable residency match rate this year. This achievement is not only a testament to the exceptional quality of our graduates but also reflects the rigorous academic environment and the dedicated mentorship provided by our faculty,” said Tom Campbell, dean of the College of Pharmacy. “At Lipscomb, we strive to equip our students with both the knowledge and the ethical foundation necessary to excel in their careers. The success of our residency match rate confirms that we are not only meeting but exceeding the high standards we set for education and professional preparation in the health care field.”
Among the residency locations Lipscomb’s student pharmacists have been matched this spring include Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Philadelphia), Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University (Nashville), St. Bernards Medical Center (Jonesboro, Arkansas), VA Tucson, Arizona-Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (Tucson, Arizona), Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston), Kaiser Permanente Washington (Renton, Washington), The University of Vermont Medical Center (Burlington, Vermont) and University of California, San Diego Health among others.
"I, along with many of my classmates, had the distinct pleasure of interviewing at top-tier institutions across the nation during the previous residency season," said Kyle McCurry, who will graduate in May with a Pharm.D. from Lipscomb. "We approached interviewing with a focus on five 'Infinity Stones' of residency - research, education, experience, leadership and personality. Focusing on these five distinct areas gave our class a competitive advantage over others in our field. The faculty and staff of the College of Pharmacy offer numerous opportunities not only to acquire this knowledge but also to excel in these domains."
After graduation, McCurry will enter a PGY-1 residency program at The University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont, with plans to specialize in emergency medicine. He is the first Lipscomb pharmacy alum to be placed at UVMC.
"I am grateful to Lipscomb for not only meeting my educational needs but also equipping me with the tools required to match at my top-choice residency," said McCurry.
Lipscomb’s College of Pharmacy is located in Nashville, Tennessee, known as the nation’s health care capital which contributes an overall economic benefit of $67 billion and more than 328,000 jobs to the local economy annually. Graduate programs include a Doctor of Pharmacy, a Master of Science or graduate certificate in health care informatics and a Master of Science in pharmaceutical sciences. Dual degree options are also available through which Pharm.D. students may also earn one of the two master’s degree programs in tandem with the doctorate degree. In addition, Lipscomb has a partnership program with Vanderbilt University to provide a Pharm.D.-to-Ph.D. Pathway program is a direct pipeline to a pharmacological sciences Ph.D. at Vanderbilt. Lipscomb pharmacy graduates have a 100% job placement rate and a 93% six-year NAPLEX pass rate. For more information, visit www.lipscomb.edu/pharmacy.