Lipscomb explores forming college of pharmacy
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After a six-month process to determine the feasibility of a new college of pharmacy in Tennessee, Lowry has appointed a faculty task force to explore how the new college would be integrated into Lipscomb’s academic program as a whole and has written a letter to the ACPE, notifying them of the university’s intentions.
Officials expect to make a recommendation about a college of pharmacy, based on the conclusions of the task force, to the executive committee of Lipscomb’s Board of Trustees on Oct. 5. Action would be expected at the next board meeting in November, Lowry said.
“Providing a doctorate of pharmacy would mesh well with our existing undergraduate programs and our mission to be a community servant. Lipscomb has a long history of excellence in preparing students for medical positions through our pre-medicine and other health care programs. Pharmacists could become an additional powerful tool for the university to reach out to underserved populations,” said Lowry.
The demand for pharmacy professionals has exploded in recent years due to rapid growth in the health care industry, especially in the elderly population. Tennessee is no exception to that trend, and the state currently has only one pharmacy college in operation and another to begin classes January 2007.
Tennessee’s two pharmacy schools received more than 1,000 applications this past year for 220 spots, and nationwide, only one out of every seven students who apply for pharmacy school is admitted.
“A pharmacy program at Lipscomb would expand opportunities for Tennessee students to stay in their home state to earn their degree, and for students nationwide, who would find Nashville’s medical and health care infrastructure appealing and be drawn to a program in a faith-based institution,” Lowry said.
“Our program will not only help meet the strong demand for pharmacists nationwide, but will also produce pharmacists who strongly value service, compassion and the ethical conduct required in their profession, ” Lowry said.
“Exploring the idea of a pharmacy college is an additional example of how Lipscomb University is not only a vital part of the community, but is also continually striving to enhance its role and service to residents in the region.”
A faculty-generated proposal to study establishing a college of pharmacy touched off Lipscomb’s efforts this past spring. Administrators funded the study and as part of the process, brought in a national consultant in pharmacy education, Dr. Joseph Dean, of Birmingham, a former pharmacy school dean who has helped several universities establish pharmacy schools.
Dean’s report confirmed that there is a great demand for pharmacy education in the South Atlantic Region, including Tennessee, and Lipscomb should continue to explore whether forming a college would be a good fit for the university.
Based on Dean’s recommendation, officials consulted further with faculty and Lipscomb board members, including Roger Davis, formerly assistant dean for Middle Tennessee with the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy and former associate executive director of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association.
“Lipscomb’s undergraduate science and health-care programs already have high acceptance rates and send students to medical colleges all over the nation. A pharmacy program would serve only to strengthen the influx of academically well-prepared and career-focused undergraduate science majors,” Davis said. “Lipscomb University is prepared academically and fiscally to begin this program.”
Lowry appointed Lipscomb Provost Craig Bledsoe to head the faculty task force, which will address campus culture, fiscal and facility requirements. The task force is an integral step in the process leading to a recommendation to the board of trustees.
A doctor of pharmacy, or Pharm.D., requires two years of undergraduate work and four years of professional study. The majority of students enter a pharmacy program with three or more years of college, Bledsoe said.
The demand for pharmacists nationwide has grown each year due to greater emphasis on preventive health, longer life spans, the creation of more sophisticated medication and more involvement of pharmacists in drug therapy, Bledsoe said. Federal studies have determined that future demand is likely to outpace the supply of pharmacy graduates, he noted.
“Pharmacy is a vital part of a complete health care system. Due to many of society’s changing social and health issues, future pharmacists will face even more new challenges, expanded responsibilities and an ever-increasing growth in opportunities,” he said.