Quynh-Nhu Nguyen

I found out about the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) during a Pre-Pharmacy Society meeting as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland, College Park. A representative from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) came to speak with us about the school’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, including the unique option of attending all our classes at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) campus.

I have loved growing up in Montgomery County, so the opportunity to stay in the area for at least four more years definitely drew my interest. I like to tell people that USG really fits my personality. While I’m not necessarily introverted, I feel much more comfortable among a smaller, close-knit group of people. My class size at USG is 20, which for me is perfect. USG is also close to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I hold an internship.

My time at USG thus far has afforded me so many wonderful opportunities! This year, I served as the USG Co-Chair of Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicine Safety, one of the committees under the University of Maryland’s chapter of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). For the past two years, I’ve also served as the USG Liaison for the Student Section of the Maryland Public Health Association (SMdPHA). Both of these positions have helped me grow tremendously as a leader. I also participate on the USG Graduate Student Advisory Committee and contribute to USG’s student blog, Around the Grove.

After graduating from the pharmacy program, I hope to complete a residency and become a clinical pharmacy specialist. I am unsure about what I’d like to specialize in, but I do have interests in transitions of care, ambulatory care, and neurology/psychiatry. I am looking forward to rotations during my fourth year, when I’ll have a better idea of where I belong in the world of pharmacy.