A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Phase II of the Pharmacy Forward campaign completes the vision that was established in 2014, to provide a state-of-the-art environment for students and faculty engaged in discovery, learning and delivery of interprofessional healthcare. Phase I focused on enhancing learning spaces to synergistically support the integrated curriculum design adopted by the faculty. The entire first floor of the Hagerman Pharmacy Building was dedicated to student instruction, including a simulation center to provide interprofessional experiences in all stages of medical care and two state of the art classrooms that support team-based learning. Additionally, support of the students’ journey was emphasized with over $3.3M in endowed scholarships established. Phase II of Pharmacy Forward focuses on continued renovation and support of the College’s commitment to the teacher-scholar model with over $15.6M in support raised to date.
The past decade has brought an unprecedented level of growth in scholarship and research in the College of Pharmacy. Faculty engagement in all aspects of research – discovery and applied – has created a vibrant ecosystem across the College, with faculty and students working side-by-side. Phase II of Pharmacy Forward focuses on laboratory renovation and expansion and creation of interprofessional clinical spaces. Phase II will complete the transformation of the Hagerman Pharmacy Building, creating a center of discovery in the pharmaceutical sciences and applied practice. Further growth of endowed scholarships and student funding is carried into Phase II with emphasis on enhancing the College’s diversity. Phase II of the Pharmacy Forward campaign will continue the college’s mission to prepare pharmacists as leaders in health care through an integrative approach to learning, interprofessional collaboration, and scholarship to advance practice and science and serve as leaders in education, scholarship, and transformational change in pharmacy practice and science.
The generosity and commitment of College of Pharmacy alumni and friends demonstrated by the success of Phase I provides a solid foundation to build upon for Phase II and ensures the sustained accomplishments of the College and its graduates.
Stephen Durst, B.S., Pharm.D., Dean
PHARMACY FORWARD – PHASE II
CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
Today, the pharmacy profession is engaged in a transformation, and is a part of the larger transformation in healthcare. The expansion of services and clinical activities to address the growing demands of a more sophisticated population and healthcare workforce have placed pharmacy at the forefront of accessible, patient centered, primary care. Pharmacists in all practice settings are now conducting preventative screenings, providing vaccinations, helping patients manage disease, providing in-depth counseling on medications and the treatment of illness, and collaborating interprofessionally in the care of hospitalized and ambulatory patients. The technological advances reshaping all fields of medicine are also changing modern pharmacy practice, with telehealth – telemedicine and telepharmacy - and other virtual care models moving into the mainstream of healthcare. As shifts in practice occur, pharmacy education is also changing to provide practice-ready graduates for the new healthcare environment.
For over 125 years, Ferris State University College of Pharmacy has prepared students to excel in all areas of practice. Student Pharmacists engage in a curriculum with a balanced foundation in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, social and administrative, and clinical sciences, preparing them to positively influence and impact the health outcomes of the patients they serve. Today’s graduates enter healthcare prepared to be leaders, poised to advance the profession and empower patients to achieve their healthcare goals. The College is committed to offering enhanced learning environments – state of the art classrooms, modern practice skills labs and interprofessional simulated instructional environments enhanced with virtual reality and ambient learning. This continuing effort is essential to ensure the College is optimally positioned to attract the nation’s best students and faculty in a vibrant learning environment.
The College of Pharmacy Faculty have designed the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum to prepare pharmacy professionals who are at the highest levels of clinical training: culturally sensitive, and prepared to be leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the field. Supporting this aggressive educational mission, the University, the College, and its alumni have invested in the physical infrastructure of the College of Pharmacy, with renovations to the Hagerman Pharmacy Building that have supported an integrated approach to professional education and interprofessional education. With those first steps to match the physical environment to the refocused curriculum successfully completed, a second phase of investment is needed to optimize research and clinical practice opportunities for student pharmacists and faculty.
Following a comprehensive strategic planning effort by the College, Pharmacy Forward was initiated with a series of conversations with leaders from all areas of pharmacy practice. After the completion of Pharmacy Forward Phase I, a distillation of conversations with important stakeholders led to the development of the four pillars that now support Pharmacy Forward, Phase II. Pharmacy Forward Phase II seeks additional investment in the College of Pharmacy focused around each of the strategic pillars: Infrastructure Optimization; Academics and Pharmacy Practice; Scholarship, Research, Development, and Discovery; and Student Recruitment and Success.
PILLAR 1: INFRASTRUCTURE MODERNIZATION ($15 MILLION)
Investment in emerging educational technologies and capital improvements to provide high quality instruction and learning outcomes for all student pharmacists.
Renovation of existing laboratories to support the continued growth of research within the College.
- In the past five years, College of Pharmacy faculty have established an extraordinary record of grantsmanship with funding of 19 of 36 research proposals, including nearly $2M in NIH, NSF, and HRSA funding. Modernization of existing research space supporting team research with student involvement is essential to maintain this level of success.
Continued development of the Ferris Interprofessional Healthcare Simulation (IHS) Center: Phase II will include completion of seven simulation and monitoring-ready exam rooms overseen through a central control room. The Ferris IHS Center will provide intellectually challenging simulation experiences that encourage unique skills and creative problem-solving abilities.
- The College of Pharmacy together with the College of Health Professions will complete the IHS Center providing high-quality healthcare simulation for students and community professionals; enhancing interprofessional communication, clinical decision-making and skill development.
- Adoption of partnerships to better train, recruit, and retain needed medical providers in rural northern and western Michigan. Students will be at the center of this collaborative effort to enhance the region’s healthcare ecosystem.
Continued building renovations to enhance the student experience and provide an increased sense of community. The Hagerman Pharmacy Building will become a portal for students to enter the pharmacy profession.
PILLAR 2: ACADEMICS AND PHARMACY PRACTICE ($2 MILLION)
Advancing pharmacy education through hands-on and virtual learning experiences and engaging students in interprofessional collaborative learning.
Continued development and implementation of interprofessional instructional experiences to support the practical learning experience.
Expansion of augmented reality and virtual reality learning models: To fully activate the Simulation Center, the College has identified a partner to develop virtual simulation experiences for student pharmacists and other health professions students.
- Interprofessional and interdisciplinary experiences will be highlighted through the simulation center. Students from outside the healthcare professions will complement the learning activities.
Creation of an Interprofessional Practice Center: This center will create a shared research and collaboration laboratory space for students and faculty in the health sciences. This is an important addition to the implementation of team-based research, an integral component of the College of Pharmacy’s curriculum.
Increase student understanding of managed care and insurance.
PILLAR 3: SCHOLARSHIP, RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND DISCOVERY ($2 MILLION)
Advancing the College’s visibility and leadership in Pharmacy Practice and Research through faculty/student research, innovation, and entrepreneurship driven by the establishment of the College of Pharmacy Innovation Fund. The fund will support scholarship, research, practice development, and discovery within the College and the expansion of partnerships with industry and public and private partners.
Enhancement of the curriculum from collaborative bench and practice research with students and faculty working together.
- Additional opportunities for students and faculty in specialization and exploration of emerging healthcare trends, including integrative medicine.
- Creation of additional joint degrees to provide leaders and entrepreneurs “practice ready” for an evolving health care system.
Support ongoing research and development associated with virtual reality/simulation experiences providing students with expertise in components of artificial reality and ambient intelligence.
Expansion of interdisciplinary and interprofessional practice-based research models to advance community pharmacy practice.
PILLAR 4: STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND SUCCESS ($10 MILLION)
Expanding financial support for College of Pharmacy students as part of Ferris State University’s student recruitment and retention strategy.
Creation of new annual and endowed scholarships for pharmacy students.
- Development of a priority scholarship program to attract the best and brightest candidates to the program.
Investment in student scholarships to support ongoing student recruitment and success efforts, including international students and underrepresented populations.
- Reducing the financial burden of students to reduce the need for student loans.
Maintenance of high retention and low attrition rates through continued commitment to student success.
MOVING PHARMACY FORWARD
Ferris’ College of Pharmacy is investing funds in emerging educational technologies and capital improvements to provide high quality instruction and learning outcomes for all student pharmacists. The College will also continue to increase its visibility through research, innovation, and entrepreneurship while providing hands-on and virtual learning experiences that engage students in interprofessional, collaborative learning. Financial support for all students is an increasingly important aspect of recruitment and retention that will be addressed.
The College of Pharmacy’s 128 years of success is the result of a focus on the continuing evolution of the pharmacy profession, education of outstanding student pharmacists, and an unending commitment to advancing healthcare delivery through enhanced pharmacy practice. To continue its remarkable tradition of success, it is crucial that the focus remains unchanged – the profession, the students, and the healthcare system. Pharmacy Forward Phase II amplifies the momentum created in Phase I, providing students and faculty an environment and resources to further advance the College’s legacy.
We ask that you join with alumni and donors of Pharmacy Forward Phase I to advance the College of Pharmacy at Ferris State University and influence the transformation of healthcare.
