Made to Match: Record Number of Fisher’s Pharmacy Graduates are Residency Bound

May 4, 2020

The Wegmans School of Pharmacy has once again had a record-breaking number of graduates match in year-long residency experiences this year, a number that has only increased since the School’s first graduating class. In the Class of 2020, 28 students – more than a third of the Class - will participate in Post-Graduate Year 1 (PGY-1) residencies, training in medical centers, community pharmacies, and health centers around the nation.

This marks the highest number of graduates pursuing (PGY-1) residencies in the School’s history. The percentage of students pursuing residency, an impressive 36 percent, is the highest-ever at Fisher. In the last five years, the percentage of each graduating class to match with a program has steadily increased, jumping from 15 percent in 2015 to 33 percent in 2019 and 36 percent in 2020.

This year also yields an outstanding overall match rate compared to national statistics.  Fisher’s match rate for pharmacy graduates was 77.7 percent, earning the number one ranking of highest match rate of any pharmacy school in New York State.

“We are extremely proud our residency-bound graduates securing competitive placements around the nation,” said Dr. Christine Birnie, dean of the School. “Utilizing their Fisher education, they will impact the profession not only in our region, but throughout the country.”

This year’s PGY-1 residency-bound graduates include:

  • Kaitlyn Agedal, Upstate University Hospital - SUNY, New York
  • Ryan Andrew, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, New York
  • Sarah Belz, Upstate University Hospital - SUNY, New York
  • Tia Bullard, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian Shadyside, Pennsylvania
  • Hailey Button, Capital District Physicians Health Plan Inc., New York
  • Matthew Cheung, Potter's House Apothecary/Midwestern University-Glendale, Arizona
  • Dana Cohan, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy, Pennsylvania
  • Elizabeth Cusack, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York
  • Michael Ghizzoni, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Lebanon, Pennsylvania
  • Rachel Jorgensen, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hamot, Pennsylvania
  • Casey Kern, SUNY at Buffalo School Pharm/Middleport Family HC, New York
  • HongHao Li, The Unity Hospital of Rochester, New York
  • Cassidy Luke, Kaleida Health/Buffalo General Hospital, New York
  • Kevin Maddock, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, New York
  • Juliette Miller, Augusta University Medical Center, Georgia
  • Deena Omar, Hartford Hospital, Connecticut
  • Martin Peace, Mount Saint Mary's Hospital, New York
  • Alexa Peebles, St. Joseph's Hospital/St. John Fisher College, New York
  • Stephanie Pilat, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York
  • Kristen Poteat, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York
  • Ekaterina Rashid, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, New York
  • Christopher Russell, Syracuse Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York
  • Samantha Sherry, Highland Hospital, New York
  • Jenna Stogsdill, Sisters of Charity Hospital, New York
  • Joy Uzoma, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
  • Ryan VanSice, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, New York
  • Brian Verbickas, University of Vermont Health Network/Champlain Valley, New York
  • Jaylan Yuksel, Upstate University Hospital - SUNY, New York

Thirteen of the School’s alumni will also engage in second-year residencies, including:

  • Lauren Allen, Montefiore Medical Center, New York
  • Sarah Bisesi, University of Rochester Medical Center/Strong Memorial Hospital, New York
  • Mikaela Brown, University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital, New York
  • Alixandra Mann, University of Louisville Health Care, Kentucky
  • Jordan Siembor, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Connecticut
  • Alexander Cain, Allegheny General Hospital, Pennsylvania
  • Jessica Colmerauer, Hartford Hospital, Connecticut
  • Bethany Lane, Ochsner Clinic Foundation at Ochsner Medical Center, Louisiana
  • Samantha Mahar, Charleston Area Medical Center, West Virginia
  • Morgan Mastin, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York
  • Kristin Reindel, University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital, New York
  • Mackenzie Roberts, St. John Fisher College/Rochester General Hospital, New York
  • Alyssa Romaine, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Florida