Third-year PharmD students at the USC Mann School presented their original research projects at the seventh annual PharmD Scholarly Project Symposium on Friday, March 22, concluding two years’ worth of research and collaboration.
The 189 members of the PharmD Class of 2025 showcased 68 original projects, with 14 students working individually and others collaborating in pairs or teams of three to five. Topics ranged widely from pharmacy education and drug development to clinical pharmacy and artificial intelligence.
After presenting their projects, P3 students officially conclude their didactic curriculum at the USC Mann School. Soon, they will start their fourth-year rotations.
“This is a unique opportunity because the students really get to drive this experience. They get to pick what they study, they get to decide the area and who they want to work with,” says Rory Kim, director of PharmD Scholarly Projects and associate professor of clinical pharmacy. “The scholarly project is such an important part of our curriculum, and it’s one of those experiences where we really all come together around one important thing.”
Sponsored by Walgreens, the 2024 USC PharmD Scholarly Project Symposium invited alumni and preceptors back to campus as judges. Members of the USC Mann alumni and preceptor community also served as project advisors, working closely with student groups over the past two years.
“Wrapping up our didactic curriculum at the Mann School in this manner was truly remarkable and unforgettable. And it wasn’t just a significant occasion for our group; witnessing our classmates present their hard work was also incredibly memorable,” says Tamara Harutunyan, one of the four students whose project received the Dean’s Recognition Award. “We are so proud of each other and the dedication everyone put into their projects. It was a wonderful opportunity to share each other’s achievements and create lasting memories together.”
Three projects received top awards:
Dean’s Recognition Award
“Real-World Patient Profiles, Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Teclistamab in a Diverse Population with Multiple Myeloma” by Jeremiah Alabado, Kacie Chung, Alisa Gasparyan and Tamara Harutunyan. Project advisor: Amir Ali, hematology/oncology pharmacist specialist at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Alumni Association Recognition Awards
“Quality Assurance Evaluation of Venetoclax and Hypomethylating Agents in Acute Myeloid Leukemia” by Cameron Hallisey. Project advisor: Ali Rejali, outpatient oncology pharmacy manager and APPE preceptor (oncology) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
“Managing Hepatotoxicity in CF Patients on Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor Dose: Efficacy of Dose Reduction and Insights into Delayed Toxicity” by Marissa Angelich, Soumar Haddad, Sarkis Sislyan and Amin Khudari. Project advisor: Paul Beringer, professor of clinical pharmacy.
Learn more about the PharmD Scholarly Project. Questions? Contact Rory Kim, associate professor of clinical pharmacy, at rocallag@usc.edu.