Wegmans School of Pharmacy at St. John Fisher College Announces Early Assurance Program for Students
June 2, 2017
Hudson Valley Community College students interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist have a new option.
A new partnership between St. John Fisher College and the college will offer two qualified students guaranteed acceptance into St. John Fisher's Wegmans School of Pharmacy. While Fisher, located outside Rochester, N.Y., has partnered with Hudson Valley through transfer agreements at the undergraduate level, this initiative marks the first time the college will offer a direct pathway to a doctoral degree program.
St. John Fisher will offer admission to two eligible candidates from eight SUNY community colleges every academic year. Each college will identify students who have completed the appropriate prerequisite coursework and, based on their ability to satisfy the standard requirements for admission, two students will be selected for the guaranteed acceptance offer.
"We are happy to partner with St. John Fisher to offer this outstanding opportunity for a motivated student interested in a pharmacy career," said Hudson Valley President Drew Matonak. "Hudson Valley's outstanding facilities, faculty and academic support systems make it a perfect choice to begin the pursuit of any pre-professional medical career."
Current or prospective students may contact Brian Vlieg in the Individual Studies Department, b.vlieg@hvcc.edu or (518) 629-7219, for more information about the Early Assurance Program.
"We're proud to partner with Hudson Valley to provide students with an opportunity to pursue a doctorate at the Wegmans School of Pharmacy," said Fisher President Dr. Gerard J. Rooney. "Our mission is to help students achieve their educational goals as efficiently and affordably as possible, and this program is a continuation of those efforts."
Fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the School of Pharmacy offers a Doctor of Pharmacy program, and in partnership with Fisher's School of Business also delivers a Pharm.D./MBA joint degree program.
Since its opening in 2006, the Wegmans School has graduated more than 550 students, who consistently outperform national averages on statewide licensure exams. In June 2016, students taking the New York State Part III Exam enjoyed a 100 percent pass rate; the only school in the state to do so.
St. John Fisher currently offers the Pharmacy Early Assurance Program to a select group of incoming freshmen who enter directly from high school. The new agreement with community colleges extends that offer to students interested in transferring to the college. About 12 to 15 percent of students enrolling in the Wegmans School of Pharmacy come from community colleges with no prior enrollments at four-year institutions.
"Students enrolling in our pharmacy degree program coming from community colleges have been among our brightest, most successful graduates," said Dr. Christine Birnie, dean of the school. "Through this initiative, we're able to strengthen our partnership with community colleges and bring more students from the participating schools to campus."
St. John Fisher College is a coeducational liberal arts institution located in Pittsford, N.Y. The campus is situated on 154 park-like acres — a beautiful setting for 26 modern buildings and a warm, friendly campus community of over 2,600 full-time undergraduates, nearly 200 part-time undergraduates, and over 1,000 graduate students.