Current Resident (2025-2026)
Chase Petersen, Pharm.D.
Chase Petersen is currently a Pharmacy Resident at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), completing a PGY2 in Population Health Management and Data Analytics. His work focuses on leveraging real-world data, pharmacy claims, and health informatics to drive medication optimization, improve patient outcomes, and inform system-level decision-making. Chase’s training emphasizes population-level quality improvement, cost-effectiveness analysis, and the development of tools and strategies to support health systems, payers, and clinicians in delivering value-based care.
Chase’s passion for healthcare began early, shaped by his upbringing in a military family and the influence of strong role models. Growing up with both parents serving in the U.S. Army, Chase lived in 13 different locations—including South Korea—before his family settled in Little Rock, Arkansas after his parents’ retirement. His mother, a nurse practitioner, and his sister, a pharmacist, inspired him to pursue a career in healthcare.
After graduating from Catholic High School in Little Rock, Chase accepted a Division I swim scholarship at South Dakota State University, where he earned his B.S. in Biochemistry in 2019. He went on to complete his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2023 and simultaneously earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nebraska Omaha. His dual training in pharmacy and business has given him a strong foundation in both clinical care and the financial and operational aspects of healthcare delivery.
During pharmacy school, Chase developed a strong interest in geriatric care, completing the Aging and Integrated Medicine (AIM) Specialty Certification, which provided advanced training in the unique clinical and psychosocial needs of older adults. He went on to complete a PGY1 residency and later a PGY2 in Geriatrics at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS), where he gained extensive experience in polypharmacy management, deprescribing, and interdisciplinary care models for complex patients.
Now, as a PGY2 Population Health and Data Analytics resident, Chase integrates his geriatrics expertise into system-level projects—focusing on medication safety, healthcare analytics, and evidence-based policy development. His future career goals include working at the intersection of clinical pharmacy, population health, and informatics, driving large-scale initiatives that improve access, quality, and outcomes for diverse patient populations, with a continued emphasis on the aging population.
Past Residents
Jasiha Welch, Pharm.D.
Dr. Jasiha L. Welch completed a PGY-1 Community-Based Pharmacy Residency with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Pharmacy (COP) and Harps Food Stores. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy from UAMS in May 2023. His professional interests include ambulatory pharmacy (with a focus in HIV care) and promoting better utilization of social determinants of health to improve health outcomes. Dr. Welch has a career goal of obtaining board certification in ambulatory care pharmacy, as well as achieving HIV pharmacist certification with the American Academy of HIV Medicine. Outside of pharmacy, he enjoys spending time with his boyfriend and his dog, as well as family and friends, searching for good coffee, and finding new places to eat.
Kaitlin Byrd, Pharm.D. (2022-2023)
Health Scientist
Office of Tobacco Products
Food & Drug Administration
Kaitlin Byrd attended Union University College of Pharmacy and graduated with her PharmD in May 2021. She went on to complete a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Florida. In her free time, she loves to travel, hike and read. She chose UAMS COP for her PGY2 training in Population Health Management and Data Analytics because it provides a unique combination of data analysis, formulary/pharmacy benefit management, and academia. She is also excited to collaborate with her residency director and preceptors to build and refine this new PGY2 program for UAMS COP.