For nearly two decades, the word “Medicare” has echoed through the halls of Pacific. Since 2007, more than 800 doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students have dedicated countless hours to learning drug plans, counseling patients, navigating the complexities of Medicare Part D and performing medication therapy management. In 2022, Pacific’s nationally recognized program entered a new chapter with the launch of a mentor-mentee program designed to provide PharmD students with knowledge, support and expertise as they pursue their career goals.

Through the Medicare Mentor-Mentee program, students participate in curriculum vitae review, mock interviews and one-on-one mentorship. What sets this program apart is its personalized approach. Each student is thoughtfully paired with a pharmacist whose experience aligns with their career goals, whether that means entering the workforce or pursuing a residency or fellowship. For students interested in specialized residency training, the mentorship begins as they enter clinical rotations and continues over the course of eight months. During this time, the mentor-mentee pair engages in discussions that range from case presentations and journal clubs to writing a strong letter of intent and navigating work-life balance.

“The longitudinal mentorship that participating alumni provide to students interested in pursuing a residency or fellowship is invaluable,” said Rajul A. Patel ’01, ’06, PharmD, PhD, professor of pharmacy practice. “They better position our students for success by sharing their knowledge and experience through every step, including who to reach out to for letters of recommendation, how to write a compelling personal statement, clinical practice questions, interview tips and more. I believe students who participate in this initiative feel more comfortable and confident as a result of their involvement.”

As a student, Adesuwa Aigbuza ’25, PharmD knew pursuing a postgraduate residency would be a competitive path. Thanks to her participation in the program, she didn’t have to walk that journey alone.

Dr. Aigbuza successfully matched with a PGY1 acute care residency at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She credits much of that success to the mentorship she received.

“As a mentee, my Pacific experience has been positively impacted in the best way,” she shared. “I was able to receive impactful advice about the residency process and the pharmacy field in general. These tips and tricks allowed me to be very successful in securing the next step in my career.”

Among the many meaningful conversations she had with her mentor, one left a lasting impression.

“I was feeling conflicted about which path to pursue within pharmacy,” she recalled. “During a phone call, my mentor and I talked deeply about both my long-term and short-term goals. I’ll never forget what she said to me: ‘Keep an open mind about anything and everything. You are in the perfect position to learn many things. Don’t close yourself off so early.’ That advice shifted my mindset. From that point forward, I gave everything a try during my Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotations, and I’ll carry that openness into my residency.”

On the other side of the conversation was May (Chen) Lui ’16, ’20, PharmD, MS a clinical pharmacist specializing in ambulatory care. Since earning her doctor of pharmacy from Pacific in 2016, Dr. Lui has mentored pharmacy students informally and formally through the Medicare program.

“I remembered how much I relied on mentors during my own APPE year,” Dr. Lui said. “The decisions felt so heavy because they impacted the trajectory of my career. I want to be a sounding board for students and provide honest insight about today’s pharmacy landscape.”

Dr. Lui’s proudest moment as a mentor came when she found out Dr. Aigbuza had matched at UCSF.

“It was such a proud moment! Knowing that I played even a small part in her journey made everything worth it.”

As a medical science liaison in oncology at Boehringer Ingelheim, Utsav Patel ’16, PharmD is passionate about empowering students to network and explore career opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry.

“I was introduced to industry through a fellow Pacific alum, Raj Gandhi ’09, ’10, PharmD. He helped me see how a clinical background could translate to industry roles,” said Dr. Utsav Patel. “If it weren’t for the strong alumni network at Pacific and Kappa Psi, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My motivation is to help our graduates find a career they love and feel proud of.”