VSU, PCOM Georgia Agreement Saves Students Time, Money
August 29, 2019
Aspiring pharmacists who are students at Valdosta State University will be eligible
to earn doctoral degrees one year earlier.
Aspiring pharmacists who are students at Valdosta State University (VSU) in Valdosta,
Georgia, will be eligible to earn doctoral degrees a year early based on an articulation
agreement signed by VSU and PCOM Georgia, located in Suwanee, Georgia.
Dr. Robert T. Smith, VSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, said, “VSU
is very pleased to partner with PCOM Georgia by developing joint programs that provide
new opportunities for our students, helping them to begin their professional careers
a full year earlier than normal, and saving them one year’s tuition in the process.
We believe that this will be a very popular option for many students.”
According to Shawn Spencer, PhD, RPh, dean of the PCOM School of Pharmacy in Gwinnett County, the agreement will allow eligible students at VSU to enter the
school of pharmacy after completing their junior year of college. Students who meet
the pharmacy school’s requirements may matriculate into professional school before
graduating from VSU, he said, and will have the opportunity to earn a combined BS-PharmD
while at PCOM Georgia.
Following their second year of pharmacy school, Dr. Spencer explained, these students
will be eligible to receive their bachelor’s degree from VSU having earned the required
credits during their first two years of pharmacy school.
A win-win arrangement for all, this agreement allows students to begin their careers
early while saving tuition dollars.
“Our agreement with Valdosta State University is another example of how PCOM is committed
to adding value for our students. We’re thankful to VSU for partnering with us in
our mission of supporting Georgia residents entering the healthcare workforce in the
region,” Dr. Spencer said.
An articulation agreement similar to the agreement with VSU is also in effect at Abraham
Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton and Middle Georgia State University in Macon.
Students enrolled in the doctoral program at PCOM Georgia have the option to enhance their credentials by pursuing concentrations in three pharmacy practice areas including acute, ambulatory and managed care. In
addition, PharmD students have the opportunity to pursue one of three graduate business programs offered in partnership with Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
PCOM President and CEO, Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81, said, “Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine is working hard to make an impact
on all regions of Georgia. By partnering with Valdosta State University, we will save
our students both time and money in hopes that they will return to South Georgia to
practice pharmacy.”
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About PCOM Georgia
Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated
to the healthcare professions. The Suwanee, Georgia, campus is affiliated with Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic Medicine, a premier osteopathic medical school with a storied
history. PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and
physical therapy and graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science,
and physician assistant studies. Emphasizing "a whole person approach to care," PCOM
Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service
to the wider community. For more information, visit pcom.edu/georgia or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center,
an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment.
For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Myers
Senior Public Relations Manager
Email: BarbaraMy@pcom.edu
Office: 678-225-7532 | Cell:
770-309-0613
Connect with PCOM Georgia