Catching Up with the Class of 2024

Carolina Pharmacy caught up with a few Class of 2024 alumni to see what they’ve been up to in the ten months since completing their degree

Story by Sarah Clark | Photos provided by Elizabeth Caudill, Vivian Tran, Melissa Maas | Published March 11, 2025

This May marks one year since the Class of 2024 donned their caps and gowns and celebrated the completion of their training at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. As we approach this milestone, Carolina Pharmacy caught up with a few Class of 2024 alumni to see what they’ve been up to in the ten months since completing their degrees.

Elizabeth Caudill

Meet Elizabeth Caudill, PharmD ’24, and current PGY1 resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston, MA.

Up in Boston, Elizabeth is working on a research project that describes the prescribing practices and outcomes of re-exposing patients with a history of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) to heparin. HIT is a rare condition in which the body’s immune system develops antibodies against heparin, an anticoagulant used for preventing blood clots. Though HIT is a rather rare condition, its effects are serious, with symptoms including a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) and worsening blood clots. Elizabeth has been working with both pharmacists and physicians on this project, and her manuscript is on track for publication this summer.

Her work in Boston has not only led her to groundbreaking research, but it has also taken her back to the classroom. Elizabeth had the opportunity to lead a seminar section for a course on comprehensive disease management at Northeastern University School of Pharmacy in the fall. “I remember when I was in their shoes at [the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy] and I always appreciated when the older students or residents took time to tell me about their experiences,” explains Elizabeth. During her seminar section, Elizabeth got to lead discussions with her students and support them as they worked on cases and built presentations.

Outside of the lab and classroom, Elizabeth has been enjoying all the Northeast has to offer. Early on, she got a taste of the passion behind the Celtics, as she moved in the day the team won the NBA Championship. Elizabeth has also enjoyed getting to know her co-residents, some of whom are even teaching her Arabic!

Looking to the future, Elizabeth will be staying at BWH for her PGY2, and will be in Emergency Medicine, where she looks forward to her rotation in Allergy and Immunology.

Vivian Tran 

After graduation, Vivian Tran, PharmD ’24, also finds herself up north as a post-doctoral fellow at Merck and Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Vivian is a clinical science fellow focusing on Late-Stage Clinical Development. This means that she assists in planning, implementing and executing clinical trial activities. These activities include monitoring clinical data, ensuring safety, and identifying any trends that appear. One of her main responsibilities includes understanding the protocol and working with key stakeholders. “I am surprised with how much collaboration and planning goes into clinical trial executing. It’s really interesting to be on the other side of clinical trials versus reading about the results of the trials in class,” Vivian shares.

While Vivian has moved out of the classroom, the learning never stops. From managing multiple tasks at once to organizing priorities, Vivian is learning how to become a more effective and efficient pharmacist. Vivian is proud of the contributions she has made to her fellowship thus far and notes that learning to use evidence-based practice during her time at the School has served her well in her current role.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Vivian shares that her move to New Jersey was a very big change for her. However, despite this daunting new adventure, Vivian has put herself out there, crediting her southern hospitality for meeting new friends and making new connections. “Some of my Jersey friends are shocked that I’ve been so bold in trying to make friends – southern hospitality pays off sometimes,” explains Vivian.

Looking to her future, Vivian hopes to continue exploring her new home in New Jersey, as well as secure a full-time role as a clinical scientist.

Melissa Maas

Melissa Maas, PharmD ’24, is now in Chicago, IL, as she continues her PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Up in Chicago, Melissa has been busy juggling all that residency life has to offer, such as research, rotations, staffing, presentations and more. While working through her rotations, Melissa returns to her research project, in which she is studying the safety and tolerability of phenobarbital for alcohol withdrawal syndrome management. Phenobarbital has a few uses, such as managing seizures and anxiety, but it is also used to prevent withdrawal symptoms in patients with a dependency on certain substances. Melissa’s research will help healthcare providers know if phenobarbital is a worthwhile treatment for alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

For Melissa, the biggest hurdle she faces is time management. “Residency ebbs and flows, so some months are less busy and go smoother than others, but sometimes it feels like all the deadlines are hitting at the same time and it can be hard to balance work, having fun, and getting enough sleep,” she shares. However, Melissa explains that the support from her Residency Program Director, co-residents, friends, and family has significantly helped her throughout her residency. Not to mention, Melissa’s time as a student at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy has given her the tools she needs to succeed. Melissa says that she still refers to the slides from the Critical Care elective course as she moves through her Medical Intensive Care Unit rotation.

Outside of the hospital, Melissa has enjoyed reconnecting with friends from her undergrad, Loyola University, as well as trying new restaurants, taking rug-tufting classes, attending Survivor watch parties, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

As she reflects on her time as a PGY1, she is proud of how much she has grown as a pharmacist. “When you’re in the moment on rotations or staffing it can feel like you aren’t progressing at all, but looking back I am so much more confident in my clinical skills. I am definitely still learning every day and have a lot more growing to do as a pharmacist and a person, but it is very cool to be able to do things I never thought I would be capable of doing,” she says.

Melissa’s next steps will keep her at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for her PGY2 Infectious Diseases residency next year.