Roosevelt to open pharmacy school in Schaumburg

Roosevelt University announced Monday it will open a College of Pharmacy at its Schaumburg campus, the only one of its kind in the Midwest.

Roosevelt will become one of only seven pharmacy schools in the country to offer an accelerated three-year, year-round format. Classes should begin in fall 2010, assuming the college receives accreditation.

Founding dean George MacKinnon III said the three-year program gives Roosevelt a niche in meeting demand.

"It can be done without compromising the outcome of the product," MacKinnon said. "People are looking for value in education and this provides a better return on investment."

Though the industry is more automated than ever and many insurance companies require prescriptions be filled via mail order, the need for pharmacists is expected to climb. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected employment of pharmacists will jump 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, from 243,000 to 296,000 nationwide.

In addition to baby boomers using more pharmaceuticals, MacKinnon said a shortage of primary care providers is leading to more acute care, and thus an increase in prescriptions.

Attracting prospective students is the average salary coming out of school - between $105,000 and $112,000, according to MacKinnon.

Tuition will likely cost between $30,000 and $40,000 per year. About 65 students are expected in the program's first year, with a total enrollment of 195 students within three years. Roosevelt will convert existing space into new laboratories and classrooms for the program.

And as part of the university's social justice mission, the college will emphasize recruiting minorities and students from rural areas.

MacKinnon, who was hired to create the program at Roosevelt, has served as associate dean at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy in Arizona and an assistant dean at the Chicago College of Pharmacy.

"In the end, I think we go back to things we find comfort in," MacKinnon said. "Pharmacists help manage your health care and that's not something you can get in the mail."