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The ɫ����ƵSchool of Pharmacy is excited to announce it will begin offering students in its Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Science degree upon successful completion of their first two professional years.

The new, in-course degree offers students a comprehensive pathway to earn their undergraduate degrees while pursuing their professional Pharmacy degrees from ɫ����Ƶ.

Robert McCarthy, Ph.D., FAPhA, dean of and professor in the School of Pharmacy and associate dean of the Westbrook College of Health Professions (WCHP), said the new B.S. in Pharmacy Science will better prepare students for their careers even outside the realm of pharmacy.

“We are excited to add a B.S. in Pharmacy Science, in course, to our Pharm.D. program. It is essential that contemporary pharmacy education provide students with the preparation they will need for a range of career options,” McCarthy said. “We believe that by awarding a B.S. degree, following two years of professional study, students will be able to pursue dual degree options that will provide them with the educational background necessary for opportunities in pharmacy and beyond.”

Completion of the B.S. in Pharmacy Science allows students to advance toward professional level work, but it does not allow them to become licensed pharmacists, McCarthy stressed. Students must complete all requirements for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree in order to be eligible for their licensure exams, the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).

However, the degree opens up opportunities for students who wish to pursue careers adjacent to the pharmacy field by coupling their studies with those across disciplines. Students who earn the B.S. in Pharmacy Science are eligible to apply to the School of Pharmacy’s dual degree program to earn a Pharm.D. and a Master of Business Administration in partnership with the University of Maine Graduate School of Business.

Karen Pardue, Ph.D., M.S., RN, CNE, ANEF, dean of the WCHP, said those opportunities for interprofessional education (IPE), in which ɫ����Ƶ is a world leader, will train health professions graduates to best treat patients for the complicated health care needs of today.

“Optimal patient care outcomes are achieved when care is delivered by collaborative, high functioning teams,” Pardue remarked. “ɫ����Ƶ is a recognized leader in training health professions students in IPE and collaborative practice, and our pharmacy graduates are well-prepared to capably serve the public through their patient-centered, team-based orientation to care."