Destination UF: The College of Pharmacy welcomes new students for the fall 2017 semester

From Gainesville to Ghana, the incoming class of Pharm.D. and graduate students traveled near and far to arrive at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. United in their journey to join one of the nation’s Top 10 pharmacy colleges and begin pursuit of a professional or graduate degree.

Kyle Kirkpatrick photo
Kyle Kirkpatrick

Kyle Kirkpatrick is one of 270 Pharm.D. students in the UF College of Pharmacy’s class of 2021. He studied biochemistry as an undergraduate at UF and is excited to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, a pharmacist in Fort Lauderdale. For Kirkpatrick, day one as a Gator pharmacist was the realization that four years of undergraduate training was about to pay off, as he sets his sights on a pharmacy degree.

“I was attracted to pharmacy because I wanted to work in health care, and there are many diverse career opportunities in the profession,” Kirkpatrick said. “I’m excited to be a pharmacy student at UF and become involved in student organizations that will impact our community.”

Kirkpatrick is among 249 students in the class of 2021 that hail from Florida. The class featured 21 out-of-students from 11 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and three countries.

Andrew Asante Picture
Andrew Asante

Entering student Andrew Asante grew up in Ghana in West Africa. He has aspirations of pursuing a pharmacy residency in oncology and was attracted to the UF College of Pharmacy because the college ranks No. 1 nationally in placing the highest number of graduates into highly competitive pharmacy residency programs. Asante eventually wants to return to Ghana to use the knowledge he has learned at UF to help people in his native country.

“The pharmacy education I receive from UF will afford me the training and expertise to bring new ideas in pharmacy home to Ghana,” Asante said. “I’m excited to be a student here and have the opportunity to represent the school everywhere I go.”

In addition to the professional students joining the college, 19 graduate students began their training on Aug. 21. The incoming class includes 18 Ph.D. students and one residential master’s student. The students represent eight states and seven countries and will study in one of five concentrations within the UF College of Pharmacy.

Nineteen graduate students began their training at the UF College of Pharmacy in fall 2017.
Nineteen graduate students began their training at the UF College of Pharmacy in fall 2017.