Roosevelt University - FAQ | College of Pharmacy

College of Pharmacy: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the timing for the new College of Pharmacy?

Following proper approvals, the College of Pharmacy intends to admit its inaugural pharmacy class in the summer/fall of 2011, which will graduate in 2014.

Where will the new College of Pharmacy be located?

The College of Pharmacy will be housed at Roosevelt University’s Albert A. Robin Campus in Schaumburg, a northwest suburb of Chicago. The Schaumburg Campus is the only comprehensive university in the area and provides an ideal location for the expansion of degree programs in the health sciences.

How many students will attend the new College of Pharmacy?

The first class will have approximately 65 to 70 students. Total enrollment of approximately 200 students is anticipated after three years.

How many years will the PharmD program at Roosevelt University take to complete?

The new College of Pharmacy will be one of few academic pharmacy programs in the nation to offer the PharmD in an accelerated fashion. While most PharmD programs take four calendar years to complete, the College of Pharmacy at Roosevelt University will have students engaged in the educational process year-round interspersed with vacation and break periods for three calendar years. This type of curriculum offers many advantages and will be just as rigorous as the more common PharmD four-year programs. Graduates will be able to pursue post-graduate training or enter the job market one year earlier.

Who will lead the development of the new College of Pharmacy?

The University appointed George MacKinnon III, PhD, RPh, FASHP as founding dean and professor of the College of Pharmacy, effective June 1, 2009. Dr. MacKinnon will oversee the accreditation process, curriculum development, hiring of faculty and staff and fund raising activities associated with the college. He previously played a leadership role in the establishment and accreditation of two new schools of pharmacy in the metropolitan areas of Chicago and Phoenix in the 1990s and has conducted feasibility studies for other universities considering the establishment of pharmacy programs. His prior appointments include vice president of academic affairs at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and director of Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Abbott Laboratories.

Why is Roosevelt University well suited to offer a doctor of pharmacy program?

Roosevelt University is a thriving institution in the midst of a period of both expansion and focus on excellence at both the Chicago and Schaumburg Campuses. The University’s mission states that it “is a national leader in educating socially conscious citizens for active and dedicated lives as leaders in their professions and their communities.” As part of that mission, a major emphasis of the PharmD program will be the recruitment of minorities and students from rural areas. They will help address the shortage of pharmacists serving underrepresented populations. One example exists in hospitals, where only 14 percent of pharmacists were from underrepresented groups, according to a survey released in 2007 on Illinois Hospital Pharmacist Workforce trends. It’s particularly important to address this shortage since pharmacists are among the most accessible health care providers in many communities.

At Roosevelt University, there is a unique opportunity to tailor various concentrations of study for students within the PharmD program in the areas of business administration, educational leadership, information systems/health care informatics and health services management. This approach will allow students to select electives in their course work and internships in their final year that will enhance their preparation to meet the ever-changing demands of the health care marketplace while gaining practical experience.

Chicago is one of the world’s greatest metropolitan areas and has a robust economy with a strong health care infrastructure that will support PharmD candidates in both their professional education and post-graduate training. It is anticipated that a number of pharmacy graduates will remain in the region to practice upon graduation and become contributing citizens to the communities in which they live.

Why is there a need for another College of Pharmacy in Illinois?

Roosevelt University engaged in an extensive study of pharmacy education and the professional practice of pharmacy, which demonstrated a strong need for a college of pharmacy in Northern Illinois. Specifically:

Illinois has a population of almost 13 million residents (fifth most populated state) with the megalopolis of Chicago having over 9 million residents (third largest metropolitan area in the nation) and only four academic pharmacy programs for the entire state.
Illinois is one of seven states with the highest demand for pharmacists, according to Pharmacy Today. Since pharmacy graduates tend to remain in the state and region, they can help fulfill this demand.
In 2007, over 1,000 Illinois residents attended academic pharmacy programs outside the state.
Nationally, there are only 10,000 first-year enrollment spots in pharmacy programs for 95,000 applicants (almost a 10 to 1 ratio of applicants to slots available).

What is the estimated tuition cost to students and how does that compare to other public or private colleges of pharmacy elsewhere in the region and around the country?

The graduate tuition and fees will be competitive with other private universities and colleges in the region that offer the PharmD degree.

However, Roosevelt's College of Pharmacy students will have one less year of living expenses while completing this program as compared to 4-year programs.

What types of faculty and staff will the University hire for the new program?

The College of Pharmacy is recruiting full-time and part-time faculty in the administrative, biomedical, clinical and social sciences, in addition to administrative staff members from the surrounding metropolitan area. The college will engage in partnerships with local pharmacists to serve as clinical preceptors for the students in various practice settings.

What are the career opportunities for PharmD graduates?

In addition to traditional placements in community pharmacies (56 percent) and hospitals (24 percent), pharmacists practice in long-term care facilities, hospice care, prescription benefit management companies, clinical research, pharmaceutical companies, policy and regulatory affairs, governmental agencies and mail-order distribution companies.

Approximately 20% of pharmacy graduates pursue post-graduate residency training.

Why is there such a shortage in licensed pharmacists?

Pharmaceuticals (both prescription and non-prescription) remain one of the most common health care interventions for patients of all ages. The number of traditional pharmaceutical products and biopharmaceuticals used by patients continues to increase, along with the addition of new biomarkers for their appropriate use, which requires all health care practitioners to remain up-to-date on the latest diagnostics and therapies.

Several factors are contributing to the current shortage of licensed professionals:

The aging population and increased use of prescription and non-prescription medications
Expansion among major retail pharmacies
Growth of pharmacy services in hospitals and health systems
Enhanced roles in primary care settings and medical offices spurred by reimbursement models
Inadequate capacity of existing academic pharmacy programs to meet high volume of pharmacy student applicants
Additional opportunities for licensed pharmacists to work in less traditional roles, which causes a drain on the supply
Retirement of pharmacists

Will the new College of Pharmacy be accredited?

Yes. For details on the process, view the Accreditation Process page.

What innovations in health care are driving the demand for pharmacists?

With an aging population, the increased use of prescription and non-prescription medications, and the advent of home diagnostics and monitoring devices, there is a shortage of qualified pharmacists on a national, state and local level to assist patients and other health care providers in managing medications to achieve optimal outcomes.

Pharmaceuticals (both prescription and non-prescription) remain one of the most common health care interventions for patients of all ages, and pharmacists remain one of the most accessible health care providers to assist patients in managing their medications for optimal outcomes, yet the number of pharmacists remains underrepresented in all sectors of practice.

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