Attending the official signing of a new partnership
agreement between NEOMED and Kent State University
are (from left to right) James Blank, interim dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State; Todd Diacon,
senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at
Kent State; Charles Taylor, dean of the College of Pharmacy
at NEOMED; Michael Tubergen, chair of the Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Kent State; and Richard
Kasmer, associate dean of academic affairs for the College
of Pharmacy at NEOMED.

Students pursuing a career in pharmacy now have an accelerated path to complete both a bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Pharmacy degree in seven years through a new partnership agreement between Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and Kent State University.

During an official signing Jan. 13, university representatives Charles Taylor, Pharm.D., dean of the College of Pharmacy at NEOMED, and Todd Diacon, Ph.D., senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Kent State, acknowledged the new partnership agreement, which enhances the educational programs at both institutions and builds upon NEOMED’s existing pipeline program for students who complete pre-professional pharmacy studies at Kent State.

Students enrolled in the program are eligible to apply for one of Kent State’s designated seats in the professional Doctor of Pharmacy degree program at NEOMED. Kent State students who are pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry with a biochemistry concentration through the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State can now accelerate through the pipeline to the College of Pharmacy at NEOMED. Specific classes have been identified as transfer courses by both universities and are required for students to obtain both degrees. The new agreement enables these students to complete their bachelor’s and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees in just seven years, rather than the typical eight years.

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Kent State University through this agreement, which not only enhances the pipeline between our institutions, but advances the educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in pharmacy,” says Taylor. “Our new agreement acknowledges the strong educational background these students bring with them from Kent State to NEOMED and accelerates their path to becoming outstanding future pharmacists.”

“With this agreement, Kent State and NEOMED have acted to reduce the financial burden associated with our biochemistry and pharmacy degrees,” Diacon says. “Ohioans will now be able to graduate and enter the professional workforce more quickly, even while we preserve academic rigor.”

Both universities offer guidance and advising to students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

For more information about the Northeast Ohio Medical University, visit www.neomed.edu/40.

For more information about Kent State, visit www.kent.edu.