The next dose: UK College of Pharmacy class of 2026 celebrates match day
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 20, 2026) — On March 18, fourth-year pharmacy students across the country learned the results of Phase I of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Resident Matching Program. The national program uses an algorithm to pair graduating students with pharmacy residency programs across the U.S., matching students’ preferences with programs’ needs to find the best possible fit for both.
This year, 55 students from the UK College of Pharmacy applied for residency — representing more than half of the 92-member graduating class. Of those, 45 successfully matched, achieving an 82% match rate, well above the national average of 77%.
Pharmacy residencies are highly competitive post-graduate training programs that allow graduates to develop specialized clinical expertise across a wide range of settings, from academic medical centers and community hospitals to ambulatory care clinics and community pharmacies and beyond. For many graduates, a residency is the gateway to leadership roles in clinical practice, research, and academia.
Class of 2026 Match Day Results at a Glance
- 45 students out of 55 applicants matched into residency programs (class size: 92)
- 82% match rate among students who submitted a rank list
- Students matched in 13 states and 19 cities across the country
- UK College of Pharmacy match rates in recent years: 79% (2024), 85% (2023), 77% (2022)
Visit the UK College of Pharmacy Match Board to see where students matched, and the UK College of Pharmacy Career Board to see where students have accepted career positions. Both boards will continue to be updated as students share their information.
Class president Ramey Hensley of Fort Thomas, Kentucky, matched with the UK College of Pharmacy/PrimaryPlus Community-Based Residency program in Morehead, the same site where she completed an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotation earlier this year.
“Community-based residency programs are truly unique, and I’m so excited about the ever-changing landscape of community pharmacy,” said Hensley. “I’m confident that completing a community-based residency will allow me to excel in and advance the field — and ultimately propel me into a career in academia. As the profession continues to grow, I’m excited to be trained in a way that will let me provide expanded, specialized patient care.”
For Hensley, the path to residency began long before pharmacy school and closer to home than most. She started working at Fort Thomas Drug Center, an independent pharmacy in her hometown, on the day pandemic lockdowns were announced. That hectic introduction to community pharmacy turned into a calling. Now, years later, she’s heading back to a community setting with a clearer sense of purpose.
“Go to where the patients are that you want to serve,” she said, passing along the advice that helped her finalize her own rank list.
The class of 2026 has one more milestone ahead: commencement. The UK College of Pharmacy graduation ceremony is Friday, May 8, at the Singletary Center for the Arts in Lexington. Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are encouraged to watch the livestream.
As the Class of 2026 closes the chapter on their pharmacy school journey, the college celebrates all their successes and their futures as health care providers. Follow along on UK College of Pharmacy social media to see where this class is headed.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.