Pharmacology Phenom

“Congratulations, you have matched!” 

These are words most commonly associated with medical students, but many pharmacy school students also hope to hear them at the end of the hypercompetitive residency matching process that rounds out their pharmacy school educations. Kevin Nguyen, PHR ’21, has been able to read that phrase not once, but twice. With the guidance of Temple School of Pharmacy’s professors and mentors, he matched with Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia in 2021, where he cycled through different specialties, like critical care, internal medicine and transplant pharmacy.

Then, he decided to apply for a second residency, and again he matched, this time at Boston Medical Center, where he started in July 2022.

Patient care

In his role at this prestigious institution, the largest safety-net hospital and Level I trauma center in New England, he’s been able to specialize as an infectious diseases pharmacist, with a focus on antimicrobial stewardship, pharmacotherapy and various infections. This job is critical to the functioning of the hospital and, ultimately, the safety of the patients.

“Often, the primary team is taking care of sick patients who are on antibiotics and need a pharmacist to provide insight on the appropriate dose, antibiotic selection and considerations on interactions with other drugs,” he explained. “Our job as pharmacists is to look at the data behind the drugs and making sure the meds penetrate the site of infection, achieve therapeutic levels and minimize toxicities.”

Nguyen does not shy away from the gravity of his responsibility.

“It’s a lot of research and it’s a lot of pressure,” he said. “But it’s all part of the training, and at the end the day we do the best we can for our patients.”

R&D

The level-headedness with which Nguyen approaches his work stands atop a foundation formed during his four years at Temple’s School of Pharmacy.

“If I hadn’t come to Philly, I am not sure how my career would have turned out,” he said. “The medical centers here, Temple Hospital included, are exceptional and the type of care patients receive is second to none.”

During his time as an undergraduate and in the doctor of pharmacy program, Nguyen soaked up knowledge and advice like a sponge from several mentors. He attributes his passion and dedication to the profession to Jason Gallagher and Christina Rose, professors at the School of Pharmacy, who provided feedback, shared experiences and mentorship throughout his four years. He also valued his experiences and relationships developed through his fraternity, Phi Delta Chi.

Listening and learning from these leaders in his chosen field helped Nguyen forge his own path.

“When you’re studying pharmacy, you’re in school for so long that you’re always just thinking about the next semester. But eventually that process ends,” he noted. “It was always helpful talking to people about life after graduation, like managing student loans and finding a job.”

Changing the prescription

In addition to his residency, Nguyen is stepping into a new role as the chief pharmacy resident at Boston Medical Center with didactic lectures at Boston University and Northeastern University.

“Right now, the biggest thing for me is mentorship!” he said. “I really appreciate teaching and sharing new innovative ideas and research.”

He’s also a frequent contributor to online medical publications, like Pharmacy Times and Contagion Live, which helps him connect with and contribute to the innovative edge of medicine. He often gets his students involved in the process, so that they can gain experience in the important practice of literature interpretation and medical writing.

“Working on new ideas and research that no one has ever come across is really fascinating to me,” he said. “I appreciate contributing to the conversation across the pharmacy space and interacting with various specialties.”