With greater numbers of America’s population aging, and growing advances in medicine creating more pharmaceutical products, our country has critical shortage in an area of health care delivery—qualified pharmacists.
Though pharmacists are seriously needed by community pharmacies, medical centers and other health care facilities to meet today’s rising consumer demand, our nation’s educational institutions could not keep pace. In 2006, with five to ten qualified applicants for every one opening in U.S. pharmacy schools, the need for a new professional school was clear. In response, Notre Dame launched a bold new initiative in fall 2008—the School of Pharmacy. Adding to the University’s history of firsts, the new School of Pharmacy is the first of its kind created by a women’s college in the U.S. In addition, it is Notre Dame’s first professional degree program. More importantly, the School reflects Notre Dame’s commitment to service to the world by solving social challenges through innovative educational efforts.
The School of Pharmacy is comprised of three academic units – department of clinical and administrative sciences, department of pharmaceutical sciences and office of experiential education. The department of clinical and administrative sciences is comprised of two types of faculty – those who are advanced pharmacy practitioners and those whose expertise include health care policy and advocacy, pharmacy practice management, public health and other relevant social and administrative sciences. The department of pharmaceutical sciences is comprised of faculty with expertise in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics and the biological sciences. The office of experiential education is responsible for the overall operation of introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences which spans over the entire curriculum.