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

September 30, 2019 |

4 min read

The St. John Fisher College Wegmans School of Pharmacy and 2U, Inc. 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.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. and LANHAM, Md., Sept. 30, 2019 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.

About St. John Fisher College
St. John Fisher College is a coeducational liberal arts institution located in Pittsford, N.Y. The campus is situated on 154 park-like acres – a beautiful setting for 27 modern buildings and a warm, friendly campus community of over 2,600 full-time undergraduates, nearly 200 part-time undergraduates, and nearly 1,000 graduate students.

Founded in 1948 by the Congregation of St. Basil as a Catholic College for men, St. John Fisher College became independent in 1968 and coeducational in 1971. As it moves through the twenty-first century, the College remains true to its Catholic and Basilian heritage. The College now offers 37 academic majors in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business, education, and nursing, as well as 11 pre-professional programs. Fisher also offers a variety of master’s and doctoral programs.

About 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU)
Eliminating the back row in higher education is not just a metaphor–it’s our mission. For more than a decade, 2U, Inc., a global leader in education technology, has been a trusted partner and brand steward of great universities. We build, deliver, and support more than 250 digital and in-person educational offerings, including graduate degrees, professional certificates, Trilogy-powered boot camps, and GetSmarter short courses. Together with our partners, 2U has positively transformed the lives of more than 150,000 students and lifelong learners. To learn more, visit 2U.com. #NoBackRow

Media Contacts:
Kate Torok, St. John Fisher College
ktorok@sjfc.edu

Melissa Greco Lopes, St. John Fisher College
mgrecolopes@sjfc.edu

Jemila Campbell, 2U, Inc.
jcampbell@2u.com