PharmD Students Successfully Compete in the 2025 National ACCP Clinical Pharmacy Challenge
Fourth-year PharmD students Hayden Mitteer, Megan Schmidt, and Chloe Beeson represented the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy on the national stage this past fall at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Clinical Pharmacy Challenge in Minneapolis. After months of rigorous preparation and multiple rounds of competition, the University of Arizona team earned a place among the top four teams in the country after advancing to the semifinal round against the University of North Carolina.
The ACCP Clinical Pharmacy Challenge is a prestigious competition that tests pharmacy students' ability to apply advanced pharmacotherapy knowledge, clinical reasoning, and teamwork in real time. The path to the national stage begins in March, when team registration opens, and continues to advance to online preliminary and quarterfinal matches hosted by ACCP in September. From there, the top eight teams nationwide are invited to the live quarterfinal and semifinal rounds at the ACCP Annual Meeting in October, where the competition concludes with a fast-paced final round in front of a live audience of peers and practicing clinicians.
Participation in national competitions like this one benefits both students and the College by challenging student pharmacists to synthesize lessons learned across therapeutic areas, sharpening their communication and decision-making under time constraints, and fostering professional growth in a national setting. Additionally, it demonstrates the College of Pharmacy’s continued excellence in clinical pharmacy education and the strength of its faculty mentorship. Mentorship fosters meaningful connections between faculty and students. Kathryn Matthias, PharmD, associate clinical professor, attended the competition as one of the faculty advisors for the Student College of Clinical Pharmacy (SCCP), the student chapter of the AACP, and group organizer.
Matthias shared, “I am so delighted I was able to attend the national competition with the team. The competition was intense, especially during the semifinals, which both came down to the last questions. At the end of the event, the team said this was one of the most fun things they have done through the college. I know they will all be fantastic pharmacists!”
The dedication shown by Mitteer, Schmidt, and Beeson continues the college’s tradition of building excellence and national recognition within this highly competitive event. With that foundation in place, let's get to know the students who represented the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy in October and their team’s reflection.
Chloe Beeson | Class of 2026
Chloe Beeson is a fourth-year pharmacy student on the Phoenix campus with a wide range of clinical interests, including psychiatry and internal medicine. She was inspired to join the U of A team after hearing about the meaningful learning experiences and professional growth that past participants gained through the competition.
Hayden Mitteer | Class of 2026
Hayden Mitteer is a fourth-year pharmacy student on the Tucson campus. He is very interested in pediatric hematology/oncology and pursued a spot on the U of A team hoping to test the clinical knowledge he had acquired up until this point in his education.
Megan Schmidt | Class of 2026
Megan Schmidt is a fourth-year pharmacy student on the Phoenix campus. She has a strong interest in critical care and emergency medicine. Megan decided to pursue a spot on the U of A team after hearing about the positive experiences that previous team members had gained from participating.
Q & A
What specific study methods, practice routines, or mock competitions helped you feel confident going into the event?
- Once we knew who our teammates were following the local competition, we immediately created a study plan for the following months. ACCP provides the teams with the topics covered in the competition, so we split these topics amongst the five of us and taught each other what we learned during our research over the course of four months. Closer to the online and live rounds, we would host practice sessions that mimicked the structure of the competition, which helped tremendously with our confidence going into the conference.
How did faculty mentors or advisors support your preparation process leading up to this experience?
- Our faculty mentors, Dr. Matthias, Dr. Campbell, Dr. Zerr, and Dr. Kennedy, played an instrumental role in our preparation. They helped us organize and lead content review sessions, provided an abundance of study materials, and encouraged us every step of the way as we prepared for the competition. While not faculty, we also want to be sure to recognize our other team members, Emmett Layden and Justin Cruz, who contributed greatly to our success.
Can you describe what it felt like to compete live in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds at the ACCP Annual Meeting?
- The live rounds were considerably different from the online rounds. Not only did we have to compete head-to-head with the other teams, testing both our speed to buzz in as well as our confidence to actually decide to buzz in, but we also had to do everything in front of an audience. This added an extra layer of tension that was absent from the online rounds. Ultimately, once the moderator started asking the questions, we were able to relax as we let our prior five months of preparation take effect.
Each team member brings unique strengths—how did you collaborate and balance your skills throughout the competition?
- We were fortunate to have a team with diverse interests, which allowed us to cover a wide range of clinical specialties. Team members led discussions in areas they are enthusiastic about, which helped everyone learn from one another. During competitions, we relied on each other’s strengths and trusted those most familiar with each topic. That sense of trust and collaboration was key to our success.
What advice would you give to next year’s team or students interested in competing in the ACCP Challenge?
- Our advice to next year’s team is to start preparing early and treat the preparation as a team-building journey, not just a competition. Use it as an opportunity to deepen your clinical knowledge, challenge yourself, and learn from one another. Seek guidance from faculty mentors and lean on your teammates. The collaboration and growth throughout the process are what make this experience so rewarding.