SUNY Oneonta, UB Partner on Accelerated PharmD Program
SUNY Oneonta and the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have formed a new collaborative agreement providing qualified SUNY Oneonta students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology and a doctor of pharmacy degree in seven years, rather than eight.
The collaborative 3+4 agreement guarantees space for qualified SUNY Oneonta biology majors in UB’s PharmD program, offering a streamlined path to a pharmacy degree. By accelerating program completion, the initiative helps students save time and money while addressing the growing workforce demand for pharmacists.
“SUNY Oneonta is excited to secure this exciting new opportunity for our students,” said Tracy Allen, dean of SUNY Oneonta’s School of Sciences. “Working together, SUNY Oneonta and the University at Buffalo can proactively and efficiently address a workforce need, improve the health of our communities and provide relevant educational experiences for our students.”
Tami LaPilusa, Director of Health Careers
“The 3+4 PharmD partnership will leverage SUNY Oneonta’s biology major as strong preparation for success in a rigorous program and facilitates a streamlined approach to support students in their academic pathway to UB’s PharmD program,” said Tami LaPilusa, director of SUNY Oneonta’s Office of Health Careers.
The program will guide students to complete three years of undergraduate study at SUNY Oneonta, then apply to the UB pharmacy program. Once accepted, students will have their first-year pharmacy courses applied toward completion of their bachelor’s degree at SUNY Oneonta. Rather than taking four years to complete a bachelor’s degree and another four years to complete the doctor of pharmacy degree, students will complete both programs in seven years. The pharmacy program will guarantee spaces each year for qualified SUNY Oneonta students.
“The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences values its relationship with SUNY Oneonta, and this agreement further strengthens our connection,” said Gary Pollack, dean of the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “We are excited to welcome the talented and exceptional students of SUNY Oneonta into our PharmD program.”
SUNY Oneonta has a strong focus on preparing students for careers in the health care industry. For decades, the university’s Biology and Biochemistry B.S. programs have well prepared Pre-Health students to succeed in health professional school – with acceptance rates at or above the national average for many healthcare disciplines, including physician programs (MD and DO), schools of veterinary medicine (DVM), physical therapy (DPT) and physician assistant master’s programs (PA-C). The university’s Office of Health Careers is dedicated to providing specialized guidance and support to students preparing to apply to health professional schools – by demystifying the academic pathway and healthcare experience required to become competitive applicants to their intended health professional school discipline.
The new 3+4 PharmD partnership is one of several collaborative agreements with health professional schools that benefit SUNY Oneonta students interested in careers as doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, physical therapists and physician assistants.
