Interested in a pharmacy degree? HSC’s student-centered program is looking for applicants to its scholarship programs

April 13, 2020
Education

Sarah Edwards holds a special title at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth – first-ever recipient of the Carol and Ronnie Goldman Scholarship.

Edwards is a third-year pharmacy student at the UNT System College of Pharmacy. She is on the path to becoming a licensed pharmacist specializing in critical care.

The scholarship covers Edwards’ full tuition for four years. She said scholarships are critical for students entering professional school.

“Graduate school is very expensive,” she said. “For me, getting the scholarship helped me have peace of mind. I didn’t have to worry – do I need to take on another part-time job? Do I need to prioritize work a little more and study less?”

The College of Pharmacy is hoping to attract more highly qualified scholarship recipients. Students entering the program in 2020 (Class of 2024) can apply for several scholarships currently being offered, ranging from $4,000 to $15,000.

In addition to meeting academic requirements, some of the funds will be automatically awarded if the student meets other criteria, such as already being part of the UNT System or qualifying for financial need. Out-of-state recipients may be eligible for in-state tuition.

The application deadline is June 1. Scholarships will be awarded through July 15.

“We are living in very difficult times, and family circumstances may have changed for many,” said Rebeca Perfecto, Director of Admissions. “Some might think pursuing an advanced degree, such as a PharmD, is beyond reach, but we hope by providing this financial support, we can help students achieve their goals.”

“We are very fortunate to have the support of our Health Science Center – to be able to offer some outstanding scholarships,” said Dr. S. Suresh Madhavan, Dean of the College of Pharmacy.

Next month, the College of Pharmacy is graduating its fourth graduating class. The program opened in 2011. Its first graduating class was in 2013.

“We offer a fantastic program,” he said. “It is probably one of the most innovative and student-centered PharmD degree programs that I’ve come across in my 30-plus-year career.”

Dr. Madhavan said student surveys show a high level of student satisfaction with the program and the teaching by professors.

Dr. Madhavan said another selling point for pharmacy students is the institution’s ability to collaborate in interprofessional education with a remarkable array of health-related graduate programs that are located on the HSC campus.

Pharmacy students on the HSC campus are able to work with students in several programs, including public health, medicine, physical therapy and physician assistants.

Additionally, a multi-university partnership allows pharmacy students to work with nursing, dietetics, social work, counseling, athletic training, biomedical research and speech language pathology students. Students come together in interprofessional teams to learn about and practice collaboration skills.

“Healthcare of the future is going to be a team sport,” Dr. Madhavan said. “We have new forms of healthcare delivery, such as patient-centered medical homes, where all the healthcare professionals coordinate care as a virtual team to ensure continuous and comprehensive care.”

Here is a roundup of Pharmacy scholarships offered:

2030 Pharmacy Vision Scholarship: $1,000 per year over four years*

Math and science GPA > 2.8; composite PCAT > 50 percentile
Essay: What role will pharmacists play in the US health care system in the year 2030 and how will you prepare for that type of practice? (250-500 words)

Once admitted to the program, qualified individuals will be automatically considered for this award.

*Non-residents may be eligible for in-state tuition upon scholarship award, which may be a savings of up to $16,000 per year.

UNT Legacy Award: $10,000 over three years*

o Must be a student from the UNT System – UNT Denton, UNT Dallas and HSC Fort Worth

o Math and science GPA > 3.0; composite PCAT > 50 percentile

Once admitted to the program, qualified individuals will be automatically considered for this award.

*Non-residents may be eligible for in-state tuition upon scholarship award, which may be a savings of up to $16,000 per year.

Financial Need Award: $10,000 over three years*

o Must have completed FAFSA application

o Math and science GPA > 2.75; composite PCAT: > 50 percentile

Once admitted to the program, qualified individuals will be automatically considered for this award.

*Non-residents may be eligible for in-state tuition upon scholarship award, which may be a savings of up to $16,000 per year.

Dean’s Achievement Award: $15,000 over three years*

Math and science GPA > 3.5; Composite PCAT: > 70

Once admitted to the program, qualified individuals will be automatically considered for this award.

*Non-residents may be eligible for in-state tuition upon scholarship award, which may be a savings of up to $16,000 per year.

Note: Under current state law, non-Texas residents may be eligible to pay the Texas resident tuition rate for the academic terms that the scholarship is awarded, as long as there are no amendments to the state law and HSC has not exceeded its state allotment of competitive waivers per term.

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