51Æ·²èCollege of Pharmacy awarded $50,000 grant to expand community pharmacy residency opportunities for students; first class to graduate in spring 2013
The 51Æ·²è's College of Pharmacy was selected for the Community Pharmacy Residency Expansion Project (Community PREP) awarded by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation. The $50,000 educational grant will expand post-graduate community pharmacy residency opportunities for pharmacy school graduates. UNE's College of Pharmacy will graduate its inaugural class in the spring 2013.
"This grant will allow for the expansion of community pharmacy practice services within the State of Maine and across the country. This is a unique opportunity to place a focus on the efforts and abilities of community pharmacists as the profession of pharmacy continues to grow,” said Meghan Sullivan, the grant recipient and Community Pharmacy Residency Program Director.
UNE's practice site for the grant is Martin's Point Health Care, a not-for-profit organization based in Portland, Maine, with Health Care Centers in Maine and New Hampshire. They also offer health plans throughout northern New England.
"This grant award from the NACDS Foundation represents a significant achievement and tangible step forward for the UNE-Martin's Point partnership. Furthermore, this grant expands post-graduate pharmacy residency training opportunities and advances the profession of pharmacy in New England," said Kenneth McCall, UNE's chair and associate professor in the department of Pharmacy Practice.
"This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for Martin's Point to partner with 51Æ·²èto help advance the profession of pharmacy in the State of Maine," said Rebekah Dube, Martin's Point Health Care's director of Medicare and Pharmacy Program Management. "Pharmacists play an integral role in the health care team and this residency will provide a rich educational and quality, patient-center care environment for pharmacists to learn and develop new and innovative practice opportunities."
The grant awarded to 51Æ·²èis one of 30 new, post-graduate community pharmacy residencies provided by Community PREP through grants to non-profit schools and colleges of pharmacy. Pharmacy residencies provide opportunities for residents to continue their education and pursue research under the tutelage of clinical pharmacists in a community pharmacy setting.
Grant recipients are determined based on the recommendations of an independent review committee comprised of representatives from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, American Pharmacists Association and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation.