When Jason Hernandez was an undergraduate student in Jacksonville, he had hopes that his future would be in a medicine-related field, but it wasn’t until fateful events coalesced that Hernandez realized his true passion for pharmacy.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, when a lot of opportunities became difficult to come by, I ended up getting a job at a CVS as a pharmacy technician. I fell in love with pharmacy. My manager at the time, Jay Patel, Pharm.D., who helps with the skills lab course at the Jacksonville campus, encouraged me to apply to the UF College of Pharmacy. I did, and the rest is history,” said Hernandez, a first-year pharmacy student studying at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Jacksonville campus. “Its reputation as being one of the leaders of pharmacy in the country assured me that if I wanted good opportunities in pharmacy, UF would be the place for me.”
Aiyana Pietri, a first-year pharmacy student beginning her studies at the Gainesville campus, echoed Hernandez’s sentiments of excitement about embarking on an academic journey at the UF College of Pharmacy.
“The college has really good residency matching,” Pietri said. “I’m looking forward to getting some hands-on experience in the labs. I also haven’t been to a big university before, so I’m excited to learn about that culture and meet new people.”
The UF College of Pharmacy welcomed Hernandez, Pietri, and the class of 2028 cohort on Aug. 12 for the start of PharmDiscovery Week. Students from the Gainesville, Jacksonville, and Orlando campuses gathered at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the first day, where they met with faculty, learned about the curriculum, and engaged in Gator traditions like the chomp. The rest of the week was spent on their respective campuses, helping them orientate with the program and their peers. Some highlights of the week included writing their class creed, attending a student organization fair, and participating in a Q&A session with Dean Peter W. Swaan.
Class of 2028 By the Numbers
The class of 2028 features 249 Pharm.D. students from 14 states, Puerto Rico, and three international countries. With more than 200 students residing in Florida, many chose to stay close to home and attend the state’s No. 1 ranked pharmacy program according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Pharm.D. program is offered at three campuses in Florida, with about half of the class attending the Gainesville campus, nearly 80 students studying in Orlando, and 45 students based in Jacksonville.
Record-Setting Class Joins the Graduate Programs
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy reached a significant milestone in August, welcoming its largest cohort of residential master’s and Ph.D. students. The 54 students from 15 different countries bring diverse perspectives and life experiences to their pharmaceutical studies at UF. Students in the record-setting class will make their academic home in one of five departments in the college, with 41 studying in Gainesville and 13 based in Orlando.
