Alumni Spotlight: Bridget Nelson, PharmD ‘24, PGY2 Resident at Zablocki VA Medical Center
After completing her undergraduate education in microbiology and spending several years working in various healthcare facilities, Bridget Nelson, PharmD ’24 had a consistent thought in the back of her head that she wanted to pursue a career in Veterans Affairs. She worked as a lab pathology intern during college and grew close to the patient population.
“Veterans need specialized care. If there are mental health issues, like PTSD from being in combat, there may be some trust issues that providers need to work through and develop a positive dynamic,” explained Dr. Nelson.
After almost 15 years in lab positions where she documented medication regimens, she realized she could do similar work that was more patient-centered if she became a pharmacist.
“It felt like the perfect segue from a lab career to pharmacy, given pharmacists are the quality control experts of medicine in the hospital,” she said.
Dr. Nelson was confident she would receive a strong education from the MCW School of Pharmacy, having already completed her master’s in public health through MCW. As a non-traditional student pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy education later in life, she was drawn to the program’s three-year accelerated timeline.
During her time as a PharmD student, Dr. Nelson participated in the Longitudinal Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (LAPPE) program, which allowed her extensive clinical rotation time at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. MCW’s partnership with the Milwaukee VA allows third-year students to spend additional time there, developing a better understanding of the healthcare services provided and preparing them for their intended career path.
The VA is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States and, as such, preceptors there train most of the healthcare professionals in the country.
“The VA is a rich learning environment for any type of healthcare including pharmacy,” explained Dr. Nelson. “The MCW and VA partnership enhanced the level of trust and understanding that preceptors had in me. They believed in students’ ability to learn and invested in expanding on our knowledge.”
Dr. Nelson graduated from the MCW School of Pharmacy in 2024, then completed a post-graduate year one (PGY1) residency at the Milwaukee VA. She is now a post-graduate year two (PGY2) resident there, specializing in internal medicine.
Through a PGY1 residency project, Dr. Nelson researched phenobarbital use in cases of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which is common among veterans. She designed a standardized protocol and order set to be utilized by intensive care unit providers requesting phenobarbital from the ICU pharmacist, who is responsible for dosing. She educated pharmacy staff on the new process, and it was fully implemented in May 2025.
Her PGY2 residency project includes creating a Coordinated Care Agreement with acute care hospitalist providers and implementing an inpatient consult service, where they can consult the Zablocki VA’s acute care pharmacy team to assist in formal inpatient management of diagnosed disease states. This project aims to enhance the breadth of the pharmacist’s scope of practice and address common therapy problems with defined diagnoses.
As a PharmD student aspiring to an internal medicine career, Dr. Nelson participated in an academic concentration – specialized pharmacy practice. She explained this helped her become a well-rounded learner and prepared her well for residency through extracurricular activities, additional courses and a research activity that she presented at the annual Research & Scholarship Forum.
One of the extracurriculars Dr. Nelson highly values was her participation in the Saturday Clinic for the Uninsured (SCU), a primary care clinic offering health services at no cost to uninsured patients in Milwaukee. The clinic is run by MCW medical and pharmacy students, under the supervision of MCW faculty and with the assistance of physician and pharmacist volunteers.
She collaborated with a small group of students to establish a partnership between SCU and the Milwaukee Health Department for monthly on-site immunization clinics. This service had been suspended for some time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project included updating clinic protocols, working in conjunction with the Milwaukee Health Department and Walgreens.
As director of pharmacy student volunteers at SCU, Dr. Nelson collaborated with an interprofessional group to develop training videos and presentations for MCW medical and pharmacy student volunteers to promote consistent and standardized care. This included strategies to provide equitable access and address distrust towards healthcare systems that uninsured patients may feel.
In May 2024, the US Public Health Service awarded Dr. Nelson the Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award for her involvement with immunizations and process improvements at SCU. This prestigious national award recognizes pharmacy students who have made significant contributions to public health by promoting wellness and healthy communities. Each year, about 90 student pharmacists from around the country are nominated for the award, and only 10 are selected as recipients.