In the News: How is NEOMED preparing future pharmacists for a changing industry

In the News: How is NEOMED preparing future pharmacists for a changing industry?

Pharmacies across the country are closing their doors. The primary reasons for that: reimbursement rates that are often below cost and a shortage of pharmacists.

As part of a series of stories during National Pharmacy Appreciation Week, Oct. 20-26, WKYC Senior Health Correspondent Monica Robins spoke to Katherine Tromp, Pharm.D., interim dean of the NEOMED College of Pharmacy, and VITALS speaker Lee Vermeulen, CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, for their thoughts on the subject.

"It's a workforce crisis that's going to lead to a public health disaster for our patients," Vermeulen said in the interview. "We need to make pharmacy cool again as a profession."

Dr. Tromp noted that the College of Pharmacy is working closely with community pharmacies and chains to offer opportunities for prospective students and address the shortage of pharmacists.

"I'm seeing more scholarships for their pharmacy technicians as well as potential students going into pharmacy schools," she said. "Walgreens has really partnered with the deans of the colleges of pharmacy to start new initiatives. One of their goals is to increase pharmacy applications by 10% in the upcoming years."

Watch Why are so many drug stores closing? A look at the issues from the pharmacist's perspective