Conversation With Katherine Tromp
Conversations with NEOMED: Leadership
A conversation with Katherine M. Tromp, Pharm.D.
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.
College of Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony
I think what makes a NEOMED pharmacy education special is our focus on interprofessional education. Our students learn about interprofessional education every semester that they are here. Part of that is learning how to be a good team member — how to work together and function as a team. And then we have different health professions here at NEOMED through the College of Medicine and, soon, the Bitonte College of Dentistry. This is a great benefit, as students from each of our colleges have opportunities to collaborate on health care endeavors that require a multidisciplinary approach.
The ultimate goal is to develop an understanding that patients get their best care when you’re working as a team. I always feel confident that when our students graduate, they are definitely ready to make a transformational impact in the real world!
“The job placement rate for NEOMED Pharm.D. graduates has consistently approached 100%.”
— Katherine M. Tromp, Pharm.D.
