December 17, 2020
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy alumni share their thoughts on the School’s Asheville campus
At the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, students can study at the No. 1-ranked pharmacy school in the country while living in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.
As of 2020, all student pharmacists complete their first year of foundational courses on the School’s Chapel Hill campus. Following their first year, a select cohort of students have the opportunity to complete their Pharm.D. degree on the School’s Asheville campus.
What’s it like to go to school and live in Asheville? We reached out to several of our Asheville alums to get their opinions on the Asheville campus, what they learned, and what they wished they had known:
Claire Austin
Hometown: Siler City, NC
Graduation date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2016
Current place of employment/job role: MAHEC Family Health Center and MAHEC OB/Gyn, clinical pharmacist faculty specializing in women’s health in Asheville, N.C.
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: Honestly, I didn’t. I had just finished undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill and wanted to stay there for pharmacy school. I got placed on the Asheville campus which was my second choice. At first, I was sad to be leaving Chapel Hill and wasn’t sure how I felt about being on the satellite campus. Lucky for me it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I had a fantastic experience on the Asheville campus and fell in love with Asheville. The fact that I decided not to leave and still stay involved with the school should be testament to my love for this program.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: Asheville is a great place to learn about and get experience with ambulatory care (outpatient) pharmacy. I was able to meet, shadow and intern with pharmacists in the field that eventually led to my residency and career. Being on the smaller campus I felt more comfortable getting involved and serving in leadership roles. I think this allowed me to standout when it came time to apply for residency and jobs.
What makes the Asheville program so special: The simple answer is that the Asheville campus felt like a little family to me. I was able to get the same UNC education while forming close relationships with the faculty and other students. I always felt supported and I got more involved with organizations and clubs than I ever would have on a bigger campus. I can’t say enough about how special my experience was, just that I am thankful I ended up there!
Benjamin Lee
Hometown: Morganton, NC
Graduation date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2020
Current place of employment/job role: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, PGY1 Pharmacy Resident
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: I chose to study pharmacy in Asheville because of the tight knit culture of the Asheville campus. I also am a fan of the mountains and was always able to do something on the weekends when I was not studying or working on projects such as hiking, kayaking, fishing or just being able to socialize with my class. Overall, I chose to study pharmacy in Asheville because of the cohort size, setting/environment and city. Asheville is a beautiful city that has something for everyone to enjoy and attach themselves to.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: During my time as a pharmacy student, I was able to take advantage of the many opportunities the Asheville Campus had available. Whether it be through leadership roles by being AEC Chair; the extracurricular patient care experiences through the ABCCM free clinic, my internship at the Cancer Center, flu clinics; or the incredibly rewarding IPPE and APPE rotations that allowed me to grow as a future pharmacist and many more. All of these elements combined to make me who I am and allowed me to really become an asset at my current role. I have been able to really take ownership of patients during my first rotations as a resident and collaborate effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary patient care team. I think most importantly was the amount of exposure I had with patient counseling and really being able to interact with patients daily on every single rotation. That exposure has made me comfortable with being able to counsel patients effectively with empathy and help the team with complex decision making and really doing what is right for the patient.
What makes the Asheville program so special: I think what makes the Asheville program so special is the word “Pharmily.” This word can be described and applied to other campuses, but I think it is a truly special connection on the Asheville Campus. I was able to establish close relationships with many of the PY2s-PY4s as a PY1 and their experience and advice definitely helped guide me to where I am. The idea of “paying it forward” runs through the spirit and actions of every single individual on the Asheville Campus. No matter who I was with, I always felt welcome.
Ally Jarvi
Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota
Graduation Date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2019
Current place of employment/job role: Atrium Health Cabarrus, clinical staff pharmacist in emergency medicine
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: I knew I would receive an outstanding education by attending the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. It was clear to me that the Asheville campus had so many added benefits. The small class size was an important aspect of the campus that I knew would optimize my learning experience. Additionally, Asheville reminded me of my hometown with the beautiful views and strong emphasis on local business.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: The Asheville program provided me valuable leadership experiences and enhanced my communication skills. These skills have been crucial during residency training and in my current job, especially as it relates to starting new services.
What makes the Asheville program so special: What makes the Asheville program so special is the unmatched support I received from faculty/staff and the lifelong friendships I developed. It takes a great deal of hard work and dedication to successfully complete pharmacy school which can be difficult in a new city away from friends and family. The Asheville campus felt like my second family which provided the support needed to exceed my own expectations.
Franklin Rodriguez
Hometown: Asheville, NC
Graduation date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2017
Current place of employment/job role: Asheville Compounding Pharmacy
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: A small city with a community feel, full of art and culture with a beautiful landscape for hiking and activities.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: A solid educational program with plenty of exposure to various aspects of pharmacy, such as compounding.
What makes the Asheville program so special: The small class size and the comfortable learning environment. My experience in a higher education program was perfect here in Asheville, NC. There are plenty of amazing distractions when I needed them, and I was able to find some of the greatest places to study.
Chandler Combs
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Graduation date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2016
Current place of employment/job role: PGY1 Community-based Resident at Wake Forest Baptist Health, previously an independent community pharmacist at Crossroads Pharmacy
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: What drew me to Asheville was the perfect mixture of the same education you’d get on the Chapel Hill campus combined with the opportunities that you could only find on the Asheville campus. Being the second class on the Asheville campus, we had an incredible amount of unique learning experiences as well as opportunities to build organizations and provide services to the Asheville community.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: Seeing a wide array of unique ambulatory care and community sites during my PY4 year helped me tremendously when starting my first independent pharmacy job out of school and is still helping me now that I’m a resident. I also was able to use faculty connections I had made on the Asheville campus when I decided to go back to do a residency and all of their advice and support was incredibly helpful.
What makes the Asheville program so special: Working and learning in a smaller group was very helpful for me as a student and I loved the connection that I was able to make with both the professors and my fellow students on the Asheville campus. Additionally, the wide array of experiences offered, especially in ambulatory care and community.
Kelsy Combs
Hometown: Crumpler, NC
Graduation date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2016
Current place of employment/job role: Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner at Greensboro Medical Associates
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: The opportunity to receive the same great degree from UNC while being part of a smaller class size in Asheville and the opportunity to help start something new being the second Asheville class at the time.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: I went into pharmacy school having no idea what ambulatory care pharmacy even was, but the strong inpatient, community, and ambulatory care opportunities in Asheville helped me to choose which path in pharmacy I wanted to take. The faculty/preceptors in Asheville are great mentors that have provided support and advice even to this day.
What makes the Asheville program so special: The smaller class size makes going to class almost feel like you’re part of a big family. You are able to have a close connection with the other students as well as the awesome faculty which help guide you through even the most difficult parts of pharmacy.
Kristen Mahler
Hometown: Tempe, Arizona
Graduation date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2018
Current place of employment/job role: Credena Health Pharmacy Centralia, pharmacy manager
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: During my interview with the School of Pharmacy in Asheville, I could tell that the faculty really cared about my pharmacy school experience. They took the time to really explain distance learning and I felt that even though it was a smaller campus, it seemed to provide as many, if not more opportunities to its students.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: While in Asheville, I had unique experiences caring for rural populations. I was able to secure a leadership role within the biggest club on campus which helped me build confidence in my leadership skills. I was also a peer mentor as well as a TA for first year lab which helped me realize my passion for teaching. I currently manage a small retail pharmacy located in a rural hospital in Washington state and precept students from UW, WSU and Pacific University.
What makes the Asheville program so special: In Asheville, the classmates and faculty become your family. Especially for someone like me who came from out of state, I immediately felt at home in Asheville due to the friends I made in the Asheville program.
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: I went into pharmacy school having no idea what ambulatory care pharmacy even was, but the strong inpatient, community, and ambulatory care opportunities in Asheville helped me to choose which path in pharmacy I wanted to take. The faculty/preceptors in Asheville are great mentors that have provided support and advice even to this day.
What makes the Asheville program so special: The smaller class size makes going to class almost feel like you’re part of a big family. You are able to have a close connection with the other students as well as the awesome faculty which help guide you through even the most difficult parts of pharmacy.
Trish Mashburn
Hometown: Franklin, NC
Graduation date/degree earned: Pharm.D., 2015
Current place of employment/job role: Postdoctoral Research Associate, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Why did you choose to study pharmacy in Asheville: I wanted to remain close to home (Western NC)
How did the Asheville program prepare you for your current job: Both my current job and my previous job were directly related to my time on the Asheville campus. For my previous job as a Director of Clinical Services and community pharmacist at an independent pharmacy, I had the opportunity to have rotated there as a student during my fourth year of pharmacy school. The owner, seeing my interest and skills in Medication Therapy Management (MTM), later hired me to focus on the pharmacy’s clinical services. Thus practice experiences through the Asheville program, can lead to connections and job opportunities in Asheville and the surrounding areas. After four years in that position and seeking a career change, I reached out to Dr. Mollie Scott, the regional associate dean at Asheville, as a mentor and advisor. While meeting with her, she encouraged me and also happened to mention a postdoctoral research fellowship position opening on the Asheville campus with Dr. Lesha Carpenter. Dr. Carpenter’s research focuses on rural pharmacy practice as well as the opioid epidemic, both areas with which I had experience and professional interest. When pursuing this 2-year position, I had the support of Asheville faculty who wrote recommendation letters on my behalf. So again, experiences and relationships with the Asheville program continued beyond graduation and connected me to great job opportunities.
What makes the Asheville program so special: Firstly, you cannot live in Asheville and not be changed by it. The Asheville area is stunning and the food and culture is immensely fun. Secondly, Asheville has a history of progressive and innovative pharmacy practice and as such, has a wealth of insight and opportunities for student pharmacists. Lastly, as a member of the first class on the Asheville campus, I can attest that the Asheville faculty and staff are indeed exceptional. They were handpicked to establish the campus in Asheville and they each devoted all of the love and hard work one would expect to help something beautiful grow. Because the Asheville campus is uniquely small, it is close knit and it is strong. You cannot get this experience anywhere else and you most certainly won’t forget it!
Learn More
Learn more about the Asheville Campus by visiting the School’s website.
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