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52 Rutgers pharmacy students to graduate early to help coronavirus response

Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy is one of the first United States pharmacy programs to allow students to graduate early in order to help healthcare systems during the coronavirus disease outbreak. – Photo by YouTube

Fifty-two final-year pharmacy doctorate students in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy will graduate early to get their license and help combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, according to a press release. 

“We are starting to see pharmacy staffing issues across the state from increased demand and a workforce strained by personnel who have become sick, are quarantined or are caring for family. We expect continued impacts for the remainder of the year,” said Joseph A. Barone, dean of the School of Pharmacy, according to the release.

Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy is one of the first United States pharmacy programs to allow students to graduate early in order to help community pharmacies, healthcare systems, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, according to the release. The students eligible for early graduation have fulfilled all curriculum requirements.

Pharmacists are important for emergency and ongoing health care at hospitals and in the community during the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the release. 

Seven of the graduating students will start hospital residencies in New Jersey and one will work at a hospital in New York. Eight others will go on to join the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellows program, where they will work with pharmaceutical companies in New Jersey. These students will have the opportunity to help develop therapeutic drugs or devices to combat COVID-19 or other associated medical conditions, according to the release. 

“Anything we can do to get more pharmacists and pharmacy technicians into the workforce, especially in hard-hit areas like New Jersey, will be extremely beneficial to the public’s ability to endure and recover from this pandemic,” Barone said, according to the release.

The Daily Targum previously reported 192 Rutgers New Jersey Medical School students will also graduate early and begin hospital residencies in New Jersey and New York due to COVID-19.


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