Fall 2025 PharmD Student Spotlights
Get to know the students of Rho Chi in their Student Spotlight Series
The Rho Chi Student Spotlight series was created to show the great value in our student pharmacist community through students' individual lived experiences and achievements. We hope you enjoy learning more about these student spotlights from the Fall 2025 semester!
Stephanie Suarez
What are you involved in?
IPhO, Rho Chi, PDC
What is your goal academically and/or personally?
My academic goals include being able to apply my clinical knowledge and critical thinking skills into the real world to enhance patient care. My goals personally entail pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical industry to help develop innovative therapies and improve patient access to the best therapies available.
What is your favorite memory from pharmacy school?
My favorite memory from pharmacy school so far has been going to brunch after finals with a group of friends down Taylor street!
Tell us more about yourself!
I grew up on the northside of Chicago. After high school I moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan to complete my undergraduate degree in Biomolecular Science at the University of Michigan. In my free time I enjoy running and trying new coffee places. I am passionate about finding innovative ways to improve patient access to medications and remaining educated on the latest advancements in medicine.
Bianca Stachnik
What are you involved in?
ACCP, ICHP, Rho Chi; Pharmacy Extern at UI Health MTM Clinic; Research projects with UI Health Transplant Department and MTM Clinic
What is your goal academically and/or personally?
After graduation, I intend on pursuing residency training in the Chicago area and working toward my career goal of becoming a clinical pharmacist. I look forward to inspiring pharmacy students through teaching or precepting opportunities in my future career. In my personal life, I hope to travel more in the future or even move out-of-state once all of my training is finished
What is your favorite memory from pharmacy school?
My favorite memories from pharmacy school so far have been studying for finals with friends going out for lunch after!
Tell us more about yourself!
I have lived in Chicago my whole life and went to UIC for my undergraduate for my undergraduate degree. I love spending time outdoors and trying different restaurants around the city. I am pursuing a career in pharmacy because it connects my interest in science with real-world impact when making therapeutic recommendations for patients that will improve their health.
Rita Uda
What are you involved in?
- Research with UI Health infectious disease team
- Pharmacy intern at CVS
- Media relations in ICHP and IDSPhA
- Historian in Rho Chi
- Student ambassador
What is your goal academically and/or personally?
My main academic goal right now is to finish pharmacy school and get a residency, so I can eventually work as an ambulatory care or clinical pharmacist. I’m especially interested in areas like transplant and specialty pharmacy. One of my biggest goals is to find a good work-life balance. Pharmacy school can be intense, and I want to make sure I’m taking care of myself while also growing professionally. In the long run, I hope to build a career where I can make a real impact on patients’ lives and still have time for the things and people I enjoy outside of work.
What is your favorite memory from pharmacy school?
My favorite memory from pharmacy school so far is going out for brunch/dinner after finals with friends!
Tell us more about yourself!
Pharmacy felt like the perfect fit for me because it combines patient care with learning about therapeutics, which are two things I really enjoy. My goal is to make a real impact while always learning and growing in the field. Outside of school, I like going to the gym, binge-watching shows, painting, reading, and doing puzzles or word searches since they help me stay balanced. I also love spending time with friends to recharge. My family is a huge part of my motivation and they keep me going, even on the hard days.
Laila Atieh
What are you involved in?
Rho Chi, MuPhSA, Pharmacy Intern + research
What is your goal academically and/or personally?
My goals academically are to just continue to learn to the best of my abilities, not only didactically, but also through rotations; improving clinical knowledge through application helps me solidify what we learn and helps build my confidence!
What is your favorite memory from pharmacy school?
Any time I get to spend with my pharm friends! + teaching little kiddos about germs using our lab’s GloGerm gel (shoutout Dr. Pond for lending it to us)!
Tell us more about yourself!
I am passionate about wanting to help people; pharmacy is an important and often underestimated facet of healthcare that can truly make a difference in patient care, whether that be through clinical pharmacy, industry, or even community, so building these tools to be the best healthcare provider I can be is important for me. I am a pop culture nerd + bookworm, and my family is 100% my biggest motivation.
Odeh Fakhoury
What are you involved in?
I currently work at Rush POB Pharmacy and CVS as an intern. In terms of research involvement, I am currently working on a project with Dr. Dwyer about the safety of MRAs in stage 3-4 CKD. I am also active in student organizations and serve as a director of professional affairs at DIA.
What is your goal academically and/or personally?
My short-term academic goal is to learn as much as possible during this last year of didactics so that I can apply that knowledge in my rotations. Long-term, I am still uncertain about my future career path, but industry or clinical pharmacy is definitely on the radar.
What is your favorite memory from pharmacy school?
While I can’t pinpoint a single moment, I really enjoy spending time with my pharmacy school friends and the camaraderie that comes from sharing our collective struggles and accomplishments.
Tell us more about yourself!
I’m passionate about pharmacy because it is the perfect balance between the hard sciences and real-world impact. I also appreciate that pharmacists can meaningfully improve patient outcomes by catching errors, adjusting doses, and optimizing therapy, etc, often with less direct patient contact compared to other healthcare roles.
Pablo Pardo
What are you involved in?
- Rho Chi President
- ACCP Treasurer
- PLS Treasurer
- PDC Member
- Ambulatory Care Extern at UI Health OCC Pharmacy
- CVS Pharmacy Intern
What is your goal academically and/or personally?
After pharmacy school, I want to pursue a residency. As a P1, I wanted to learn more about clinical pharmacy and after joining ACCP, I learned that clinical pharmacy is for me. I am currently not sure what type of residency I want to pursue, but in the future, I see myself working close to patients and making an impact on patient’s lives in a personal manner. I also want to inspire others with similar cultural backgrounds to pursue graduate and professional degrees!
What is your favorite memory from pharmacy school?
One of my favorite memories from pharmacy school was going to get Ramen on a cold winter day after a long week of exams and school events. Other than that, any times my friends and I can laugh in between classes.
Tell us more about yourself!
I was born in Chicago but was raised in the Southwest suburbs. I have been living in Chicago for the last 7 years. I constantly keep myself busy. In my free time, when I am not working, I like to spend time with my family and friends. I also like lifting, running, trying new foods, and playing video games! In the future, I want to be in a position where I can make an impact in people’s lives and be able to be a trusted health care provider.