College's N. Chicago facility to fill need for pharmacists
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science began work Thursday to help fill a nationwide shortage of pharmacists as it broke ground on a facility that will house its new college of pharmacy.
The university hopes the $4.8 million Interprofessional Education Center will bridge the gap between medical fields with the addition of the college of pharmacy, allowing various disciplines to study in a team environment.
"We're addressing a gap in our program that deals with the most important aspect of medicine, and that's drugs," said Dr. Gloria Meredith, founding dean of the college of pharmacy.
The 23,000-square-foot building on the North Chicago campus is slated to be complete in spring 2011, and its new college will accept an inaugural class of 65 students in fall 2011.
The university plans on a full class of 260 students by 2015 that will be taught by 25 faculty members including 14 new professors.
"This is a great area for students in pharmacy education, because a number of large pharmaceutical companies are located here," said Thomas Moore of Hospira Inc., a pharmaceutical company based in Lake Forest.
The school hopes to fill a gap in northern Illinois as the only college of pharmacy in Lake County. The other three colleges of pharmacy in the Chicago area are at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago State University and Midwestern University of Chicago in Downers Grove. Roosevelt University is beginning a pharmacy program in summer 2011 at its Schaumburg campus.
Meredith said the shortage of pharmacists is especially large in the Midwest, with the greatest shortage in Wisconsin. She expects many students from Wisconsin to apply for the school.
"With the growth of pharmaceutical drugs, that shortage is not going to go away," she said. "We are ahead of the game."
The changing profession is leading to increased patient interaction, which is bringing more young people into the industry, she added.
"Some people still think we stand behind a counter and count out pills," said Lt. Cmdr. Bridgette Faber, director of Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes Pharmacy. "We have a dispensing role, but we're moving toward a clinical role."