Students interested in a career in pharmacy may now earn a doctorate degree at their home computers through the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy’s distance-education program.
Beginning in August of 2014, LECOM will welcome students into the inaugural online class. The innovative program is designed for students that are interested in obtaining a Pharm.D degree, but need more schedule flexibility than what is available in a traditional three- or four-year program. It is ideal for non-traditional students – those who have families and may not be able to relocate – or students with full- or part-time jobs.
The program models the four-year curriculum that is offered at LECOM’s Bradenton, Fla., campus and faculty from both the Erie, Pa. and Bradenton, Fla., campuses will teach the online courses. While a majority of the pathway is taught through distance education where students can learn from at home on their computer, students will be required to come to the Bradenton, Fla. campus each summer in order to fulfill the laboratory, casework, and presentation portion of the curriculum.
“The online program is just as rigorous as what we are teaching at our campuses in Erie and Bradenton,” said Director of Distance Education Katherine Tromp, Pharm.D. “It will open doors to people who may otherwise be unable to obtain a doctorate of pharmacy degree.”
Tuition for the distance education pathway will be the same as for out-of-state students attending the Bradenton campus. Because testing will be conducted through a national testing service, there is an additional $1000 fee for that service. Other costs of education including housing will vary by the students location.
LECOM is just the second school in the country to offer a traditional four-year Pharm.D. online program. While the majority of the program is online, students will be required to attend orientation and laboratory sessions on site, as well as complete their clinical and experiential rotations at pharmacies, hospitals and wellness centers throughout the country. Students will also be required to travel to testing sites for exams.
Accreditation and application information
The LECOM School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and plans to begin a new four-year Distance Education pathway leading to the Pharm.D. degree. The first cohort of 24 students will matriculate alongside LECOM’s traditional pathway students at the Bradenton, Fla., campus on August 18th, 2014 with an expected graduation date of June, 2018. Applications are now being accepted through PharmCAS. If you have any questions concerning the admissions process, contact Lauren Bewley at lbewley@lecom.edu. For questions regarding the curriculum or other matters pertaining to logistics for this pathway, contact Priscilla Martin, M.Ed. at pmartin@lecom.edu.