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Campus Notes
Campus Notes is your one-stop shop for news and notes related to Triangle universities and community colleges. We'll cover it all here, from policy discussions to the silly things those crazy college kids are doing. Got an idea? Request? Criticism? Let us know. eric.ferreri@newsobserver.com.
UNC Greensboro wants a new pharmacy school
UNC-Greensboro is making its pitch to become just the second public university in the state with a pharmacy school.
UNCG chancellor Linda Brady believes a new pharmacy school would ease a statewide pharmacist shortage and would not create competition with UNC-Chapel Hill, which currently operates the only pharmacy school within the UNC system.
Currently, the state’s drugstores, hospitals and other employers need more pharmacists than UNC-CH and the state’s other two pharmacy schools — at Campbell University in Buies Creek and Wingate University, near Charlotte, can produce. And Brady believes a new pharmacy school in her region would spark economic growth in the Triad.
"There really seems to be a major gap in terms of the need and what’s available,” Brady said recently.
But at a time when UNC system leaders are cutting budgets, a costly new venture may be a tough sell, even if UNCG can prove the demand for new pharmacists exists.
“It will take some convincing,” said Harold Martin, the UNC system’s vice chancellor for academic affairs. “We will look at balancing compelling need against cost.”
A 2002 study by the Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC-CH found that the number of retail pharmacists per 10,000 citizens was decreasing even as the state’s population and the demand for prescription drugs was rising. And In 2005, a medical news magazine reported that chain drugstores across the nation had 6,000 unfilled pharmacy positions, according to a memo UNCG has submitted to the UNC system as part of its request for a new pharmacy school. (Click on attachment to read memo)
But the situation is changing, argues Robert Blouin, dean of UNC Chapel Hill’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy. The state’s weak economy and a lessening demand from retail pharmacies will lead to decreased demand in coming years, Blouin said, citing a recent decision by the Walgreens pharmacy chain to lay off 1,000 administrative workers.
“For a public university, we have to be responsive to a need,” Blouin said. “When you look at the demand equation, it’s changing. It has changed dramatically in the last six months.”
UNCG has not yet said precisely what the new venture would cost. But the university would hire at least 20 new faculty members and enroll 75 to 100 students per class, Brady said. Little vacant space exists to build on the UNCG campus so a refurbished downtown Greensboro space is the more likely location, she added.
One key in the decision-making process: Are there enough learning opportunities at pharmacies, hospitals and other health care sites in the Greensboro area to accommodate pharmacy students from UNCG and UNC-CH? The latter already places students into these on-the-job training sites in that area and around the state.
“There are many clinical sites in the Triad so we would not be competing head to head with Chapel Hill for those sites,” Brady said. “We’re confident there are sufficient sites.”
UNC-CH chancellor Holden Thorp said he and Brady are “on the same page” but still must be convinced.
“We’ll have a lot of work to do to make sure we have enough clinical sites,” he said. “It’s been proven to me that they’re willing to work through it with us.”
Fred Eckel, executive director of the N.C. Association of Pharmacists, isn’t so sure about the availability of those practice locations.
“We’re not growing clinical sites to the extent that enrollments are growing,” Eckel said. “Three pharmacy schools in North Carolina have pretty much filled up our state’s practice sites ... you add another school into the mix, it just complicates that whole process.”
In 2002, a plan for a new pharmacy school at Elizabeth City State University — also a UNC system campus — was shelved after a consultant’s report showed the venture would be very costly. It eventually became a joint program through which students at Elizabeth City take UNC-CH pharmacy courses using distance education.
Martin, the UNC system vice president, said the Elizabeth City model may be a less costly alternative in this case as well.
Brady, the UNCG chancellor, believes the demand is evident. UNC-CH recently received 800 applications for 155 spots in one of its incoming classes, while WIngate received 1,112 applications for 70 seats, according to the UNCG memo.
Since 2000, 28 new pharmacy schools have opened across the nation, including one — Wingate — in North Carolina, according to data from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
Documents:
SchoolOfPharmacy.pdf
Eric Ferreri
Eric Ferreri covers higher education and general news.
Comments
This school will definitely
Wed, 10/14/2009 - 07:29 — FranklynThis school will definitely help the students pursuing pharmacy as a career. This will greatly help the people to get good quality education from this school.
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Wed, 10/07/2009 - 08:45 — jejeOnline pharmacies
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Fri, 10/02/2009 - 14:33 — ps3slimDo we always have to wait until it's too late, before anything is done? ps3 slim
Great Read
Thu, 10/08/2009 - 06:15 — holland405Very interesting read! Some very good points mentioned, thanks.
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Pharmacy school is really
Mon, 09/28/2009 - 01:46 — FranklynPharmacy school is really needed to get some professionals in this area of expertise. But, the funding from the Government is a question mark. Hope this gets on well.
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this will be good for this
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 16:42 — jimb12345this will be good for this college. Pharmacy is getting so big and industry definitely needs people. There should not be a problem with it.
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Student Numbers
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 02:09 — gadget'75 to 100 students per class' .. are they crazy? How on earth can people study in a class of that magnitude?
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This is a good option
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 04:30 — yernsiThis is a good option provided. There are many clinical sites in the Triad so we would not be competing head to head with Chapel Hill for those sites. Christmas Gift Ideas
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Pharmacist
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 21:19 — ManilaWriterDo you think if I dressed up as a pharmacist in my Holloween costumes I could get a job?
Seriously those jobs will have to get filled either by training students in a new school or by importing them from other states or countries.
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Tue, 09/15/2009 - 02:56 — rallerI think I am now a Libertarian as mentioned in the Doctoral Thesis. Any Republican that voted for this latest baloney needs to go and the sooner the better. Ya'all are nuts. My last dollar has gone to the RNC and I bet I am not the only person to make this stand. The demoncrats are bad but a turncoat is a traitor and should be hung by the next and made a an example for the rest. Research Paper Topics
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Pharmacy Good Idea
Mon, 09/14/2009 - 10:57 — holland405Brilliant Idea! Very interesting Read! Thanks.
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I believe that the
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 07:07 — Dennis12I believe that the Greensboro North Carolina School of Nursing rightfully serves its position as an integral academic unit of the UNC, dedicated to teaching, Prescription drugs without a prescription. Online Pharmacy, research, and most especially - health service, which promotes optimal health for individuals, families, groups, and for some
The pharmacy school is a
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 21:14 — valter020781The pharmacy school is a must. You need to have the pharmacy persons so that we can have less cases with irrelevant tablet giving problems.
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Amazing idea. This will
Tue, 09/08/2009 - 02:29 — robinson22Amazing idea. This will definitely help to upgrade the medical study.
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Impressive post. A school
Mon, 09/07/2009 - 01:40 — Peter08Impressive post. A school for pharmacy is a very much needed one. This will produce trained pharamcists who help to decrease the mistakes of giving wrong tablets.
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The pharmacy school is a
Sun, 09/06/2009 - 14:23 — Stevenson12The pharmacy school is a must. You need to have the pharmacy persons so that we can have less cases with irrelevant tablet giving problems.
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Crazy
Sat, 09/05/2009 - 16:26 — JommekeCrazy thing. So few pharmacy schools. This initiative seems already sucessful because of that.
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Sat, 09/05/2009 - 12:19 — webdesignryanA pharmacy school is definitely needed, but I don't see where the funds will come from.Webdesign - Grafisk design - hjemmeside design
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Sat, 09/05/2009 - 02:11 — farazakanI believe that the Greensboro North Carolina School of Nursing rightfully serves its position as an integral academic unit of the UNC, dedicated to teaching, research, and most especially - health service, which promotes optimal health for individuals, families, groups, and for some Coaching London communities as it fulfills its commitment of providing professional and public service to an extensive global community.
Smart Biz
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 13:16 — John09This one looks like a smart business. They need to prove their quality so that they can manage their dignity among the students.
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Good idea wrong time
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:32 — MichelleGWhile a new pharmacy school at UNCG is a good idea, it may be at the wrong time being that many universities, including the UNC system are hurting financial because of government cutbacks. I think the idea will fly when the economy picks up. Maybe an online PharmD program or other online PhD degrees.
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Tue, 08/04/2009 - 03:16 — ninaninaSure, a pharmacy school would be great for the whole organization. I think many people are interested in this too. free ads |part time jobs |sleep number bed
This is great for medical
Tue, 07/28/2009 - 03:06 — makemineThis is great for medical study
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Unfortunately, today's
Fri, 06/26/2009 - 04:37 — GarryWertUnfortunately, today's economic climate has dampered many of those prospects. In most urban parts of the country, the shortage has become an over-supply (NC is not there yet, but may soon catch up). Older pharmacists are not retiring to keep their income, and chains like RiteAid are close to bankrupt. And the addition of those 28 new pharmacy schools (with many more planned) will churn out Doctor of Pharmacy degrees "like candy", which increases job competition. floor jack
Re:
Fri, 06/05/2009 - 03:58 — jackiboaI talk to within the pharmacy profession are afraid that the career will turn into a "Get Your Degree Online!" type ordeal, much like how J.D. and MBA diplomas are becoming, with lower standards. Not that I'm saying UNCG would not accept but the brightest applicants and graduate them with all of the necessary tools, bachelor degree
From a student's perspective
Thu, 06/04/2009 - 17:59 — Tony27I went to UNCG for my freshman year in 2007. It is a great school and all of their new improvements and programs are adding to the prestige. However, I do not think a new pharmacy program should be established. As someone who just got accepted to one of the pharmacy schools in NC, I know of the issues that Mr. Robert Blouin spoke of. In the past decade, the field of pharmacy became what is known for today; a highly sought-after and respected professional career with a great salary. Because of its new found fame, the applications rose in an environment where the pharmacist shortage created limitless opportunities for hirement and job safety.
Unfortunately, today's economic climate has dampered many of those prospects. In most urban parts of the country, the shortage has become an over-supply (NC is not there yet, but may soon catch up). Older pharmacists are not retiring to keep their income, and chains like RiteAid are close to bankrupt. And the addition of those 28 new pharmacy schools (with many more planned) will churn out Doctor of Pharmacy degrees "like candy", which increases job competition. Some people I talk to within the pharmacy profession are afraid that the career will turn into a "Get Your Degree Online!" type ordeal, much like how J.D. and MBA diplomas are becoming, with lower standards. Not that I'm saying UNCG would not accept but the brightest applicants and graduate them with all of the necessary tools, but there are already newer schools known within the profession that do just that. This is a disadvantage to the patients we treat.
It is likely that pharmacy will never see a "Doomsday scenario", but nevertheless I am satisfied with the current programs in NC and am simply offering a perspective on behalf of soon-to-be and practicing pharmacists.
Smart Move
Wed, 05/27/2009 - 16:32 — ravmThis is just smart business. With more competition coming from private universities and online college degree programs, universities like UNC-Greensboro are going to be forced to assess and implement programs on a supply-demand basis. Otherwise, they'll end up losing students to other programs that fill the unmet needs of students.
Pharmacy School a good idea
Wed, 01/21/2009 - 22:27 — nclawkidClearly, if more than 1900 people are vying for less than 225 spots at Wingate and UNC, there is a market for a new pharmacy school.
I was put off by the the response made by the Dean at UNC's pharmacy school. I have always been under the impression that public universities serve students and people who want to learn, not industries.
His seemingly snide remarks seem to be from a defensive position and not only looking out for the wellbeing of our state. If the UNC pharmacy school doesn't want competition, admit more students. Otherwise, move over.
UNC G's Pharmacy School
Wed, 01/21/2009 - 20:58 — minnie04What a grand idea! UNCG is a great school and traditionally has a great reputation in the healthcare field...school of pharmacy would be perfect for that location!