A Doctor of Pharmacy student originally from West Des Moines, Iowa, knew she wanted to stay in-state to attend pharmacy school.  She attended the University of Iowa for her undergraduate studies in hopes of being accepted into the UI College of Pharmacy.

“The University of Iowa is known for its quality health sciences graduate programs and Iowa is a great place to live. The ‘midwestern kindness’ is really a thing! The environment of Iowa City is big enough to feel like a city, but small enough to feel like you belong to a community.”

Merck also knew by attending the UI College of Pharmacy, she’d receive a quality education.  

“It is ranked in the Top 20 pharmacy schools and is connected to a nationally recognized hospital. I was confident coming here would guarantee me a high-quality education.”

According to Merck the UI College of Pharmacy is one-of-a-kind for many reasons, including its new building, culture and close proximity to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

“Physically, the brand-new building stands out! It is an amazing space with a lot of amenities that really facilitate a great learning experience, including the latest technology and accessibility features.”

“The culture is great as well. The faculty really make the experience—many students have close relationships with them, and they really do care about their students and their education…I have also made lifelong friends during my time here. Even though I have about 100 students in my class, I can tell you everyone’s name! It may seem like a big class, but after spending just a year together, you can really get to know everyone. You end up being part of one big “pharmily!”

“The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Stead Family Children's Hospital, both nationally ranked in many different areas, are just across the street from the UI College of Pharmacy—which provides the opportunity for exposure to a wide variety of cases and specializations.”

Merck is currently on rotations during her final year of pharmacy school and hopes to land a pharmacy residency after graduation to further her education in a specific area. She is grateful for her rotation experience at Iowa thus far:

“Originally, I was wanting to go into ambulatory care (after graduation). However, I had the unique opportunity at Iowa to take a wide variety of rotations (Emergency Medicine, Solid Organ Transplant, Family Medicine), which exposed me to many other interests. Ultimately, I think I want to end up in an ambulatory care environment, but I am excited to get more exposure to other areas and see where that takes me!”