JOHNSON CITY (Nov. 9, 2020) – East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy is offering a dual enrollment class for high school students across the region to learn more about the pharmacy profession and how to get into pharmacy school. The course will be free for all students who have a 3.0 high school GPA or above.
This course will be online and asynchronous—meaning students can participate whenever, wherever they want.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, and I believe many students feel the calling to make an impact in health care and help patients,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy. “Pharmacists serve on the front lines of health care, whether they’re in a community pharmacy, hospital or research lab. We want to teach and inspire the next generation about this unique career in the health professions.”
The course explores the 30+ career options student can experience in pharmacy at ETSU, how to apply to pharmacy school, financial aid options, student life on campus, a tour of Gatton College of Pharmacy and a chance to chat with the college’s dean, Dr. Debbie Byrd. Virtual office hours will be offered to meet with faculty and admissions.
“This class offered a lot of insight and information about pharmacy specialties, the application process, financial options and many other topics related to pharmacy,” said Megan Ellis, a junior biology major at ETSU who took the course as a freshman. “Because of this class, I have a better understanding of what field of pharmacy I want to pursue and how I plan to pay for it.”
Ellis plans to attend Gatton College of Pharmacy in fall 2021 and then serve in the Air Force as a pharmacist.
“This class helped me answer the questions ‘What is a pharmacist?’, ‘Why should I pursue pharmacy?’, and ‘How do I move forward?’,” said James Coronel, a third-year chemistry major at ETSU who plans to pursue pharmacy at Gatton in the fall 2021. “I learned about different types of pharmacists and the deep impact that pharmacists can have on their patients. The class was also very beneficial with preparing me for time/money management in pharmacy school.”
Learn more about how to sign up for the free high school dual enrollment class by emailing pharmacy@etsu.edu or calling 423-439-6338. Learn more about Gatton College of Pharmacy at www.etsu.edu/pharmacy.