Developing 3:4 dual degree programs: Linking undergraduate and professional education

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Winter 2001 by Beardsley, Robert S, Hayes, Margaret

The School of Pharmacy has not adjusted its curriculum or its admissions process to accommodate these programs. Applicants who elect this option are evaluated in the same manner as other applicants. The school has attempted to communicate as clearly as possible to participants in 3:4 programs that they must meet the same admission standards as other students. To do so would be unfair to applicants from other institutions that do not have 3:4 programs.

Table I lists the 11 participating institutions that have partnered with the School of Pharmacy during the past two years. Eight of these institutions are public and three are private institutions. Academic departments at these institutions typically include chemistry, biochemistry or biology.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

Although students are not given preferential treatment during the admissions process, they do benefit indirectly by participating in the 3:4 programs. They learn more about pharmacy from their prepharmacy faculty and academic advisors. In addition, the School of Pharmacy faculty and recruitment staffs keep in contact with them on a more regular basis during their three years of undergraduate education. Participating students tend to visit the school more frequently. They are more knowledgeable about the school and the profession, and the school knows them better compared to other applicants.

The School of Pharmacy also benefits from these programs. First, the school is in closer contact with prospective pharmacy students. Second, the prepharmacy student body is more informed due to increased interaction between the two institutions. Third, stronger relationships exist with academic advisors and prepharmacy faculty at the participating institutions. School of Pharmacy recruitment staff visit partnering institutions more frequently and school faculty communicate directly with undergraduate faculty who are responsible for the basic science prerequisites. In some circumstances, pharmacy faculty have even been asked to critique the rigor of the undergraduate Biology and Chemistry courses that serve as building blocks to professional education. This process has enhanced school recruitment efforts since basic science faculty are more aware of the pharmacy profession and Maryland's PharmD program. Thus, they are encouraging more students to pursue pharmacy as a career.

The 3:4 programs benefit participating institutions as well. Most of the undergraduate institutions use the existence of these programs as recruitment strategies to attract prospective students who may be interested in pharmacy. These programs also strengthen institutional matriculation data. For example, if students leave the university in the third year without receiving a degree, they are not counted as graduates and may appear on paper as "academic failures" in matriculation terms. They entered the institution, but did not graduate. However, under the 3:4 programs, institutions are able to count these students as graduates which is important in these days of increased accountability.