St. John Fisher College and 2U, Inc. Partner to Deliver New Hybrid Doctorate of Pharmacy

The St. John Fisher College Wegmans School of Pharmacy and 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU) today announced a partnership to deliver a new clinically-oriented hybrid Pharm.D. pathway for aspiring pharmacy professionals in New York State and across the country. The pathway, called Fisher Pharm.D. Online, will be the first online or hybrid Pharm.D. pathway offered by an institution in the state, and one of fewer than 10 online graduate pharmacy programs in the country.

“The value of a pharmacy degree from the Wegmans School of Pharmacy at St. John Fisher College is immeasurable, and we are proud to partner with 2U to be able to deliver that value across the nation,” said Dr. Gerard J. Rooney, president of Fisher. “The profession is evolving to meet today’s health care needs, and Fisher pharmacists are making an impact on the industry and on their patients.”

The new hybrid Pharm.D. pathway will match the quality and rigor of the School’s on-campus program, where students consistently outperform national averages on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and other licensure exams, earn high residency match rates, and achieve outstanding employment rates. Through a strong foundation in the sciences and experiential hands-on learning, students will gain fundamental clinical and drug-administration skills, with an emphasis on intellectual, professional, and civic integrity. The hybrid didactic coursework will be delivered in synchronous and asynchronous online formats, with selective immersion experiences on campus and extensive experiential learning in the clinical setting, similar to the School’s ground-based program.

“More and more, institutions are thinking beyond the lecture hall to train innovative and forward-thinking professionals in even the most distinctive fields," said Andrew Hermalyn, 2U president of global partnerships. "We are proud to partner with the Wegmans School of Pharmacy, its faculty, and leadership, and applaud their desire to embrace additional methods in educating a new generation of patient-centric pharmacists. Our partnership, rooted in trust and transparency, will extend the boundaries in quality pharmacy education."

“We are excited to be able to provide students the opportunity to enroll in our Pharm.D. program through multiple pathways. The new clinically-oriented hybrid pathway provides individuals who may not be able to physically relocate to Rochester the opportunity to gain an outstanding pharmacy education in our program, and will lead them to fulfilling careers in a variety of clinical settings,” said Dr. Christine Birnie, dean of the Wegmans School of Pharmacy.

Wegmans School of Pharmacy faculty will teach students through weekly live classes and interactive coursework on 2U’s online platform. Students will also gain hands-on experience and valuable clinical training from pharmacy professionals during placement experiences in or near their own communities.

The first cohort is expected to launch in Fall 2020.