Assistant Clinical Professor at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
The decision to obtain a Pharm.D. degree or a dual Pharm.D./Ph.D. degree can be difficult. What are the benefits of receiving a dual degree? What kinds of career paths are available to dual degree recipients? Is it worth the extra time?
In our latest alumni spotlight, we catch up with Andrew Willeford, who graduated from our dual Pharm.D./Ph.D. program in 2019, to learn more about his work today in academic medicine and how his degree has contributed to his career success.
Why did you select Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) for your dual Pharm.D./Ph.D. degree?
I was originally exploring pharmacy schools in the Pacific Northwest, which is where I grew up and went to undergrad. Then I started hearing from mentors that UC San Diego has a great program I should check out. Looking back, this was in 2010 when our school had only been open for a decade, so it was impressive that it had such a strong reputation already.
When I came down here for an interview I loved it. I enjoyed talking to all of the faculty members, admired their scientific creativity and autonomy and loved the San Diego lifestyle. The dean at the time, Palmer Taylor, also spoke to me one-on-one about the dual degree program, and that really sold me. This also speaks to the level of support you receive here as a student, which was absolutely my experience.
Tell us more about your current role. What is a typical day like for you?
As a Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor at SSPPS I spend my time teaching, working with attending physicians and conducting clinical research.
At SSPPS, I teach all of our classes on heart failure and cardiovascular internal medicine. I also chair the master’s program for drug development and product management at the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies and teach a class about current challenges in healthcare.
Additionally, I work with attending cardiologists and advanced practice providers (APPs) to ensure patients are receiving the safest and most effective medication for their condition. As part of this role, I interact with patients, prescribe medication and order lab tests.
Willeford and his wife, Courtney Willeford, graduated together in 2019.
How did SSPPS prepare you for your current role?
Obtaining a Ph.D. really helped me think differently about research. I learned how to think critically about data, become more forward thinking about projects and understand how to manage and create a workflow, which has been valuable as our health system adopts newly approved medications. I also obtained valuable soft skills such as presentation development and writing. All of these skills have contributed to my success in my current role today.
As a SSPPS student you received the David and Penny Adler Endowed Scholarship, which is awarded to students with an interest in academic pharmacy. How has that funding impacted your life?
I was deeply grateful to receive this scholarship for two years in a row, as a P3 and P4. These funds helped offset my tuition during those years, which gave me great piece of mind. The benefits of this support have also extended to my life beyond pharmacy school. Since I’m not in as much debt, my wife and I have been able to plan for a house and a future family much earlier than expected.
What is your favorite memory from your time at SSPPS?
Definitely meeting my wife. The timing of when we met also was really lucky. I was completing my Ph.D. and she was a first-year master’s student when we met, and then she decided to go to pharmacy school. She got into UC San Diego, and started school when I was entering my P3 year, so we had all of our classes together. This was only a few weeks after our wedding so we started our classes together as married couple. It was perfect.
In their free time Willeford and his wife Courtney Willeford enjoy hot yoga.
What advice do you have for students who are considering pharmacy school?
As you evaluate pharmacy schools, it’s important to ask yourself: Can I see myself being here for four years? Will I be happy here? Will I feel supported by faculty members? Do I like the student culture?
At SSPPS, you are going to get exceptional training from a very dedicated group of faculty members simply because of the caliber of our faculty and size of our school. Our ratio of faculty members to students allows us to get to know all of our students and provide better mentorship. There is also a wealth of research opportunities and an extremely strong network of student organizations. So when evaluating pharmacy schools, it really comes down to you as an individual student, and what environment will work best for you.
When you aren’t working, what do you do for fun?
Hot yoga! My wife and I try to go three times a week after work. We’ve been practicing for about seven years now.
Learn more about our dual Pharm.D./Ph.D. program.