The University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy has established partnerships with McLeod Health and Self Regional Healthcare to create new postgraduate residency positions focused on ambulatory care, expanding access to specialized pharmaceutical care in underserved areas of South Carolina.
The programs, set to launch in July 2026, will each offer postgraduate year one ambulatory care residency positions focused on clinic-based patient care. The initiative builds on USC's successful Tandem Health residency model and aims to create a statewide network of training programs.
Brandon Bookstaver, professor and faculty athletic representative, also serves as director of residency and fellowship training for the USC College of Pharmacy.
"My goal is that we will continue to build these types of pharmacy residency training programs across South Carolina to create a true network in our efforts to boost rural health care," Bookstaver says.
"This residency expansion addresses critical needs in both training and health care in rural South Carolina,” says Reagan Barfield, assistant professor who serves as Tandem Health-USC PGY1 Residency program director and USC-COP Academic Fellowship coordinator. "Pharmacy residents will work directly with patients in ambulatory settings, providing greater access to clinical pharmacy services in communities that traditionally have limited specialty health care options.”
Our partnership with USC College of Pharmacy is an incredible opportunity to train the next generation of ambulatory care pharmacists in a real-world clinical setting ... This not only shapes them into stronger pharmacists but also expands access to quality care for the communities we serve.
"Our partnership with USC College of Pharmacy is an incredible opportunity to train the next generation of ambulatory care pharmacists in a real-world clinical setting," says Stephanie Milliken, PGY1 inpatient residency program director and clinical pharmacy manager for McLeod Health. "By working alongside experienced providers, residents will gain the skills and confidence needed to deliver exceptional patient care. This not only shapes them into stronger pharmacists but also expands access to quality care for the communities we serve."
The programs differentiate themselves from existing inpatient residencies at both hospitals by emphasizing outpatient clinic work and community-based care. Self Regional Healthcare faces unique recruitment challenges due to historical organizational changes, making the USC partnership particularly valuable.
"Our partnership with USC brings a rural health pharmacy residency program to Self
Regional Healthcare, strengthening our commitment to enhance services in medically
underserved regions," said Stephanie Smith, clinical pharmacy manager and PGY1 residency program director at Self Regional Healthcare.
"This collaboration not only helps train the next generation of pharmacists in real-world,
community-based settings, but also expands access to care by increasing the number
of skilled providers available to our patients. Together, we're building a sustainable
pipeline of clinical talent dedicated to improving health outcomes in our region."
Learn more about postgraduate training opportunities at the College of Pharmacy.
Topics: Pharmacy Education, Postgraduate Training