UCSD - University of California - San Diego

05/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/21/2026 09:07

Celebrating a New Generation of Pharmacy Leaders

Published Date

May 21, 2026

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Cheered on by family, friends, mentors and loved ones - both in person and from afar - graduates of the UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences stepped forward at Commencement to receive their diplomas and celebrate their official entry into the pharmacy profession.

This year's graduates enter an exciting time for the field, as pharmacists increasingly expand their roles in patient care, research, public health, drug development and other areas. Many members of the Class of 2026 secured highly competitive placements, including residencies and fellowships that prepare them for advanced careers in health care, drug discovery and academia, as well as roles in pharmacy practice where they provide direct patient care and serve communities.

"The achievements of the Class of 2026 reflect the talent, dedication and compassion that define our school," says Brookie Best, PharmD, MAS, dean of Skaggs School of Pharmacy. "This year, they helped propel us to a historic milestone as we rose to No. 6 in the nation and entered the top 10 for the first time. But what inspires me most is the way they care for patients, support one another and lead with purpose. They are exactly the kind of pharmacists our society needs to help create a healthier future for all."

Founded in 2002, Skaggs School of Pharmacy was built with a bold vision for the future with pharmacy education designed to prepare graduates to lead in an evolving health care landscape. With intentionally small class sizes, shared coursework with medical students at UC San Diego School of Medicine, internationally recognized faculty and a deep commitment to community engagement, the school has trained more than 1,100 pharmacists. Working across the nation in 28 distinct states, these alumni are improving patient care in hospitals and community pharmacies, advancing breakthroughs in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry, working on health plan innovation and more.

During the ceremony, graduates heard inspiring remarks from keynote speaker Milap Nahata, MS, PharmD, director of the Institute of Therapeutic Innovations and Outcomes and professor emeritus of Pharmacy, Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine. Drawing on his personal experiences as an immigrant from India and his professional successes, including his groundbreaking research on azithromycin that helped pave the way for pediatric approval of the antibiotic, he encouraged the new graduates to embrace courage, nurture lifelong curiosity and always lead with compassion.

The Class of 2026 also heard from distinguished alumni speaker Andrew Chang, PharmD, PhD '13, the first graduate of the school's dual PharmD/PhD program and currently a senior director of medical affairs strategy at Nuvalent, a biopharmaceutical company developing precisely targeted cancer therapies. Reflecting on his own professional journey, Chang encouraged graduates to cherish the people they meet along the way, remember the real impact they make even on tough days, forge their own unique career paths and embrace the unknown.

Read on to meet a few of the pharmacy school's newest graduates, who shared what excites them most about the road ahead, their favorite memories and the advice they have for future student pharmacists.

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The Class at a Glance

Graduates: 71

7-Year B.S./Pharm.D. students: 5

First generation college graduate: 38%

Speaks 2 or more languages: 66%

Phi Lambda Sigma members (leadership organization): 59%

Where they're headed: Residency (66%), Community (17%), Fellowships (11%), Other (6%)

Neke Konig, PharmD

Entering residency at Denver Health Medical Center

Why did you decide to pursue pharmacy?

Neke Konig

I had more of an unconventional path to pharmacy school.

Out of high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field but didn't quite know what the best fit would be. I was completing prerequisites for nursing school at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs when I took a chemistry course that immediately intrigued me. I ended up coming home to San Diego with plans to switch my major to biochemistry. I went to Grossmont Community College for a couple years and transferred to UC San Diego to complete my bachelors in biochemistry.

During my time at UC San Diego, I was still exploring different career options when the idea of pharmacy came up. I ended up becoming a pharmacy technician and was so inspired by the vast knowledge pharmacists have about medications and how involved they can be in a patient's health management. Ever since then, I knew pharmacy was the right career for me!

What excites you most about your next role?

Throughout pharmacy school I always had a strong interest in emergency medicine, and my emergency medicine APPE rotation confirmed this passion. In my PGY-1 residency I'm excited to gain further experience in the acute care setting and strengthen my clinical pharmacy skills that will set me up for a PGY-2 pharmacy residency in emergency medicine.

I am also so excited to explore Denver! My wife is originally from Colorado, so I have been to Denver many times, but now I am excited to explore it as a resident.

Which course, rotation, research project or teacher left the strongest impression on you, and what did you learn from it?

I feel so lucky to have received the APPE schedule I did! I had a wide variety of acute care rotations including inpatient psychiatry at the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital and a burn ICU rotation at UC San Diego Health. However, my emergency medicine rotation at Scripps Mercy Chula Vista gave me such a valuable insight into emergency medicine at a smaller community hospital. Participating in the acute stabilization of patients in their most vulnerable moments was such a rewarding experience and further confirmed my passion for emergency medicine. I thrive in a fast-paced environment and look forward to exploring this specialty further in the future.

Why do you recommend UC San Diego for pharmacy school?

The program offers so many opportunities to cater your experience to your interests through research opportunities, involvement in extracurricular organizations and elective courses. This approach is what allowed me to try a lot of different experiences and realize that emergency medicine is what I want to pursue.

What advice would you give to someone starting pharmacy school today?

Always make the most of each presented opportunity or learning experience. There are times you might take courses or experiences that aren't in your area of interest, but there is ALWAYS something to learn to contribute to your growth!

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Fast Facts: Neke Konig

Hometown: Born in Pretoria, South Africa, but grew up in San Diego

Undergrad: Grossmont Community College and UC San Diego

Next role: Residency in acute care at Denver Health Medical Center

Location of next role: Denver, Colorado

What she does for fun: Travel! I went to Iceland right before APPE rotations and it was incredible.

Von Phan, PharmD, PhD

Pursuing a fellowship at UCSF

Why did you pursue pharmacy?

Von Phan

I find the way the human body works, the ways it can fail and how we treat those failures incredibly fascinating. I went into pharmacy with the intention of studying drugs and contributing to their discovery and development from many different angles. It has been an immense and laborious challenge, but also deeply fun and satisfying.

One of the great things about pharmacy is its versatility. There are so many different paths to explore, and so many different directions you can take your career.

What excites you most about this next step in your career?

The opportunity to be part of cutting-edge scientific research with the intent to contribute to knowledge and advance science. I'm especially excited by how tangible the outcomes can be in clinical pharmacology, where the work can have a direct and measurable impact on patients.

Which course, rotation, research project or teacher left the strongest impression on you and why?

My thesis advisor, Vivian Hook, completely changed the way I think and approach problems, and my co-advisor, Conor Caffrey, constantly pushed me to become better.

But if I had to pick the professor who left the strongest impression on me, it would probably be Anthony O'Donoghue. He has a way of making people feel genuinely welcomed and valued. I was never directly his grad student in lab, but he supported me in a way that honestly made it feel like I was. Whenever there's a mixer or department event and I introduce people to him, I always joke that when I grow up, I want to be just like him.

Why do you recommend the PharmD/PhD program to aspiring pharmacy students?

Even though both degrees can revolve around therapeutics, they are very separate in how problems are approached and how success is measured. In graduate school, you learn to think critically and mechanistically about science, while pharmacy school teaches you to think clinically and patient centered.

The PharmD/PhD program offers a uniquely broad perspective. It gives you the opportunity to explore medications at every stage, from compound discovery all the way through to patient administration, and everything in between.

If you're interested in understanding science experimentally while also seeing how that science exists beyond the bench, I would recommend the program. The time commitment is significant, but in the context of a lifetime for an entire career, what's a few extra years?

What is one unforgettable memory you'll always carry with you?

A bunch of pharmacy friends and I rented a large house with a pool in a posh part of La Jolla to live in during pharmacy school. When COVID hit, we were all stuck together in that house. As weird and difficult as that time was for a lot of people, I can honestly say I enjoyed my COVID lockdown with my roommates there. I learned so much about the people I lived with, and they helped me learn a lot about myself too. We had an excessive amount of fun living together, and those are memories I'll always carry with me.

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Fast Facts: Von Phan

Hometown: Hayward, California

Undergraduate degree: UCLA

Next role: Fellowship at UCSF in clinical pharmacology

Location of next role: San Francisco, CA

What he does for fun: Camping, scuba and snowboarding, spending time with my dog

Dima Kamal, PharmD, and Mina Kamal, PharmD

Dima and Mina Kamal

Twins both enter pharmacy practice at CVS and Walgreens, respectively

Why did you both decide to pursue pharmacy?

We chose pharmacy because it combines health care with the opportunity to help others while maintaining a strong work-life balance. It felt like the perfect career for us because it allows us to make a positive impact on patients and our community every day.

What excites you most about this step in your careers?

We are excited to start our careers in community pharmacy, a path we knew we wanted to pursue from the beginning of pharmacy school. We were drawn to this area because it allows us to connect with patients, provide accessible healthcare, and make a meaningful difference in our community every day.

Which course, rotation, research project or teacher left the strongest impression on you, and what did you learn from it?

Dr. Rabia Atayee left the strongest impression on us. As Muslim students, we deeply appreciate the inclusive and supportive environment she created, which made us feel seen, valued, and respected. Her genuine efforts to make every student feel valued and included helped us feel fully supported throughout our pharmacy school journey.

Why do you recommend UC San Diego for people thinking about pharmacy school?

UC San Diego has been our dream school since we were living in Dubai, so graduating from this program is truly a full-circle moment. The exceptional education and dedicated faculty provided us with the knowledge, mentorship, and support that shaped us into the pharmacists we are today.

What advice would you give to someone starting pharmacy school today?

Pharmacy school is challenging, and there will be times when it feels overwhelming or even impossible, but trust yourself and keep going. The hard work, long nights, and sacrifices are worth it, and one day you'll look back and be amazed at how far you've come.

Learn more about our PharmD programs, including our dual PharmD/PhD degree and our unique 7-year BS/PharmD degree for UC San Diego undergraduates.

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Fast Facts: Dima & Mina Kamal

Hometown: Born in Baghdad, Iraq and grew up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Undergraduate degree: UC San Diego

Next roles: Pharmacists at CVS and Walgreens, respectively

Location of next roles: San Diego, California

What they do for fun: Spend time with friends and family, try new brunch and coffee spots, shop, travel, and enjoy the beaches in San Diego

UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on May 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 21, 2026 at 15:08 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]