Jobs and opportunity await inaugural graduating class from Chicago State's College
of Pharmacy
Residency match for first class tops 70 percent for Doctors of Pharmacy who often
start out earning $95K
(May 16, 2012) – Today, the inaugural class of the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy (CSU-COP) took their oaths as Doctors of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) and received hoods
that affirm each graduates' commitment to professional, confidential and compassionate
patient care. Next up is the official graduation ceremony with the entire CSU student
body at 11am, Thursday, May 17 at the Emil & Patricia Jones Convocation Center at
CSU.
"This is an exciting time for the pharmacy profession," says Dr. Miriam A. Mobley
Smith, dean of the College of Pharmacy. "Pharmacists have evolved from dispensers
of medication to providers of health care services, yet their roles continue to expand.
At CSU we are preparing our pharmacy students, not just for today, but for future
patient care needs, clinical management and policy thought leadership."
This inaugural CSU-COP graduating class boasts some impressive firsts in it short history. Among them:
The program has also been recognized as the most diverse pharmacy program in Illinois
and one of the most diverse in the nation, ranking No. 11 in underrepresented minority
student-pharmacist enrollment, according to the American Association of Colleges of
Pharmacy (AACP). The composition of the 2012 graduating class is one-third Caucasian,
one-third Asian and one-third African-American.
What this means is this class will heal the world: The COP has, as its goal, producing
pharmacy professionals who will positively affect the health care needs of a global
community.
In the midst of a challenging economy, statistics show that the employment outlook for those holding a Doctor of Pharmacy degree to be high, with starting salaries above $95K, according to AACP. Further, employment for pharmacists is expected to increase by 25 percent by 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Pharmacists can also expect an array of options as to the setting in which they work, ranging from community pharmacies to hospitals and intuitions, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors, and state and federal agencies.