Колледж фармации ВШУ принял самую крупную за пять лет группу студентов-фармацевтов

The next generation of pharmacists has arrived at Washington State University — and they’re coming from across the country and around the world. The WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences welcomed its largest PharmD cohort in five years, bringing together students from communities across Washington as well as across the country from Hawaii to Florida. While many students are drawn to WSU because they want to serve their home communities, the growing number of students coming from outside the region reflects the college’s reputation for preparing pharmacists for a changing and increasingly essential health care profession. For Dean Julie Akers, the growing class represents more than a milestone — it’s an opportunity to help address one of Washington’s most pressing health care challenges: access to care. “This is a significant milestone for Washington as we work to address the growing gap in access to care and pharmacy deserts across the state,” Akers said. “By educating and inspiring the next generation of pharmacists, we are building a workforce that can help ensure communities across Washington have access to the care they need.” For some students, choosing WSU is a family tradition. Ava Peretzman, 21, was inspired to pursue pharmacy by her mother, a clinical pharmacist and WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences alumna. Other members of the incoming class followed siblings who had previously completed the WSU PharmD program. For others, the decision to become a pharmacist is about discovering a career that combines science, patient care and the opportunity to make a difference in their communities. The weeklong orientation culminated in the college’s White Coat Ceremony, held at Spokane’s historic Fox Theater, where students formally received their white coats and took their first steps toward becoming pharmacists. The ceremony featured keynote speaker Jeff Harrell (’01), CEO of Cascadia Pharmacy Group, who offered students an insider’s perspective on the possibilities ahead. An advocate for independent pharmacy ownership, Harrell has grown Cascadia Pharmacy Group to approximately 50 locations across four states. His message to the newest members of the profession was simple: pharmacy offers more possibilities than they may realize. “Your timing to enter the profession is perfect,” Harrell told the students. From clinical care and community pharmacy to research, industry, rural health and entrepreneurship, today’s pharmacists can build careers in virtually every corner of health care. For WSU students, that journey begins with a community of faculty, alumni and fellow students who are invested in helping them discover where their PharmD can take them. And for the newest members of the WSU pharmacy family, the possibilities are just beginning.