News

By Dr. Heather Jones, Assistant Dean, Distance Education Pathway, LECOM School of Pharmacy

Key Takeaways

• LECOM distance pharmacy students complete their fourth-year clinical rotations in their own geographic area, without relocating
• LECOM works with each student to identify and secure rotation sites near their home, including rural areas and underserved regions
• Students across nearly every U.S. state and territory, including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, have completed rotations through the distance pathway
• The rotation experiences and academic requirements are identical to those of in-person pharmacy students
• This feature makes LECOM’s distance program particularly well-suited for students rooted in specific communities or regions

One of the things people are most surprised to learn about our distance education pathway is what happens in the fourth year. The assumption many prospective students carry is that even if they can complete the didactic coursework from home, they will eventually have to move somewhere for their clinical rotations. At LECOM, that is not how it works.

In our distance program, your fourth-year rotations happen where you already live. If you are in Idaho, you do your rotations in Idaho. If you are in Hawaii, you do them in Hawaii. We have had students in Alaska, Puerto Rico, and nearly every state in between, and the program works to find qualified rotation sites in each student’s area with LECOM supporting that process from start to finish.

For a lot of our students, this is one of the most meaningful features of the pathway. Some chose distance specifically because of where they are rooted, whether that is family in a particular region, a spouse whose career does not allow relocation, or a community they are already connected to and plan to serve. The ability to complete the entire program, including the clinical year, without uprooting your life is a significant and practical benefit.

It is also important to be clear about what those rotations actually involve, because they are not a scaled-down version of what in-person students experience. The clinical requirements are identical across all three pathways. Students are in real pharmacy settings, working with real patients under the supervision of licensed preceptors, completing the same types of rotations covering hospital, retail, community, and long-term care settings, along with elective areas of their choosing.

What I watch happen during that fourth year is remarkable. Students who came into the program nervous and still finding their footing show up to their rotation sites ready and professional, and because they are practicing in their own communities, many of them are building the exact professional relationships they will carry into their careers. That kind of continuity has long-term value that is hard to quantify but easy to see once you have watched it happen year after year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where do LECOM distance pharmacy students complete their clinical rotations?

Distance students complete their fourth-year rotations in their own home geographic area. LECOM works with each student to find and secure appropriate rotation sites nearby, covering nearly every U.S. state and territory.

Q: Are LECOM distance pharmacy rotations the same quality as in-person rotations?

Yes. The clinical rotation requirements and academic expectations are identical across all three pathways. Distance students complete the same types of rotations in the same real-world settings as in-person students.

Q: Does LECOM help distance students find rotation sites?

Yes. LECOM actively supports distance students in identifying rotation sites in their area, including in states and territories where in-person LECOM campuses are not located.

Q: Can distance pharmacy students at LECOM complete rotations in rural or underserved areas?

The distance pathway accommodates students across a wide range of geographic locations, including those far from major health systems. LECOM works with students to find qualified preceptors in their region.

Q: What types of rotations are required for LECOM distance pharmacy students?

Distance students complete the same rotation types as all other pathways: hospital, community pharmacy, retail, long-term care, ambulatory care, and elective specialty rotations aligned with student interests.