In this first edition of “Conversations with NEOMED,” the University’s Chief Marketing Officer Tonya Strong-Charles interviews Dr. Tromp, the interim dean of the NEOMED’s College of Pharmacy.
What are the top reasons someone should choose to pursue a doctorate in pharmacy?
Katherine M. Tromp, Pharm.D.
Pharmacists are in high demand. The job placement rate for NEOMED Pharm.D. graduates has consistently approached 100%. So, not only are you able to find a job, more importantly, you can typically choose the area of specialty that you want and earn a six-figure salary.
There are so many different areas of pharmacy practice, including community pharmacy, institutional pharmacy, managed care and industry, to name a few.
When many people think about the career of a pharmacist, they probably focus on “community” pharmacists, right?
Yes — and if you want to work in the community, which many of our students find fulfilling, you still have a variety of options to choose from, such as large chains, regional grocery stores and independent pharmacies.
But, if you want to go the residency route and work in a setting such as a hospital or ambulatory care, you can explore that as well. There also are residency opportunities in community pharmacy. NEOMED has a great residency match rate!
An additional option for post-graduate training includes completing a fellowship. These are often with the pharmaceutical industry, and we have students who are doing fellowships with pharmacy manufacturers, concentrating on research and drug development.
