2 months ago
PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER) -- One of Maine's two new pharmacy programs is set to welcome its' first class of students on Wednesday. The University of New England's College of Pharmacy, housed in a four-story, fifteen million dollar, environmentally designed building on the Westbrook College Campus, has been years in the planning process.
"It is incredible that we are bringing pharmacy education to Maine," exclaimed James Krebs, the college's Director of Experiential Education. "Being the first college of pharmacy in Maine, many of our students had left Maine for decades to go outside and often did not return, so it is incredibly invigorating to have the students on campus right now. They are very excited and I feel our students really feel like these pioneers, as they say as they embark on this new path in their life."
Husson University in Bangor also has a pharmacy program conducting classes for the first time this fall. "Maine, to the best of my knowledge, has the second largest shortage of pharmacists in the nation," said Krebs. "Many students end up leaving, they go to Massachusetts, to Rhode Island or Connecticut and then they often do not return to Maine. We have a growing population, specifically a growing geriatric population, so there is a huge need here."
Over 800 students enrolled for the 100 positions available this fall. Students must have completed at least two years of pre-pharmacy training to gain entry into the four year program. The first class of new pharmacists is slated to graduate in 2013. If you'd like more information about the University of New England's Pharmacy program, you can go to their website by clicking here.
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